Dec. 11, 2003

Center helps everyone make beautiful music

Since 1985, the Indiana State University Community Music Center has offered community children and adults high quality beginning and intermediate music instruction, while providing practical teaching experiences to ISU students.

Lynette Schwane, director of the Community Music Center, said, "The overall goal of the center is to provide quality music education for all students, ages and abilities."

The center, in the Center for Performing and Fine Arts and Fine Arts Building, is a division of the Department of Music at Indiana State University and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The state-of-the-art facility is equipped with an acoustically sound 200-seat recital hall, large teaching studios, listening library, Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) laboratory and Yamaha Clavinova laboratory.

The center provides private instruction to all age groups in piano, theory, strings, voice, guitar, brass and woodwind instruments, percussion, chamber music and harp. Schwane said voice, violin and piano instruction are their most requested offerings.

For the younger set, the center offers Musikgarten classes and instruction in Suzuki violin. Musikgarten, designed for children ages 16 months to 6 years, guides parents and children as they engage in musical activities that will build a solid foundation in music and help the child develop a life-long love of music. Suzuki violin, open to children as young as age 4, is based on the premise that the early childhood is the best time for musical instruction. The Suzuki method differs from traditional violin instruction because it takes advantage of the passive modes of learning – watching and listening. Suzuki is "parent intensive" – they attend all lessons so they can work with the children at home.

Todd Sullivan, ISU Music Department chairperson, said, "We are an accredited facility with faculty members, some who have doctorates, available to teach students. This is the type of quality we aim to provide."

Early music experiences enhance overall physical, emotional, language/cognitive, social, and musical development. Research has shown that prolonged involvement in music experiences enhances abstract reasoning skills, spatial awareness and listening skills.

Students of the center are able to participate in recitals, master classes and local festivals.

Jake Jakaitis, ISU coordinator of general education and parent of a piano student, said, "The strongest selling point is the flexibility that the center director and the faculty show in scheduling lessons. For both Joy’s violin and piano lessons, the personnel were very helpful in working around our schedules. Of course, having trained faculty instructors is also a strong selling point. The faculty who provide lessons all have experience and course work in music pedagogy and are practicing professional musicians."

Nine-year-old Joy Jakaitis really enjoys the lessons and looks forward to each session. She enjoys the recitals because they make her feel that she has accomplished something and that an audience recognizes her accomplishments. The recitals have helped her develop a sense of pride in her work.

"It is exciting and the teachers are very nice and friendly," she added.

Shefali Purohit, mother of two violin students 11-year-old Eesha and 9-year-old Neelay, agreed the qualified and dedicated staff is the center’s strength.

"We love our teacher [Kim Sullivan]. She gets to know each child and gets them to work to their potential without pushing them. She recognizes their limitations and works with that," Purohit said.

Her children look forward to the weekly lessons, but like many of today’s children, they are busy juggling several activities at once. "When we get busy, they worry about not sounding good," she said.

She thinks the center is convenient and likes the university connection. Purohit said the end of the semester recitals are a perfect touch. "It gives the student something to work for," she said, adding that students measure their progress by listening to others.

Purohit has one word of advice to Wabash Valley residents seriously considering music lessons. "ISU is the best place to go in Terre Haute," she said.

Schwane has hopes for the future of the center – including offering classes at satellite locations, expanding instruction to include all instruments, offering theory classes and organizing ensembles.

Both Schwane and Sullivan hope to find community partners or set up a trust to fund instruction to area residents, regardless of the ability to pay.

"All children are born with music potential. With the right environment, which includes quality instruction, that potential will unfold naturally. We work to make children successful from day one. Once children have experienced a level of success, their motivation increases," Schwane said.

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Contact:
Lynette Schwane at (812) 237-2739 or the music department office at (812) 237-2771

Writer:
Paula Meyer, Public Affairs, (812) 237-3783, devmeyer@isugw.indstate.edu

ISU Public Affairs:
(812) 237-3773 or http://isunews.indstate.edu