Playing Well With Others

Local programs offer quality instruction for Columbia’s youngest musicians

For parents raising budding musicians, Columbia offers many options, outside of public schools and private lessons, where miniature maestros can hone their musical voices. The following programs available to children vary in age, cost and focus, but all offer quality teaching from experienced instructors. We’ve done the legwork for you; now all that’s left to do is find the right fit for your family.

Missouri Symphony Children’s Chorus:

By teaching a diverse range of music literature, cultures and traditions, this program fosters musical literacy and instills vocal technique in young singers. According to the Missouri Theatre Web site, MOSSCC instructor Melissa Straw teaches “discipline, respect and pride,” but “never forgets that delight should be part of any education.”

Ages: Grades 6 – 9 with unchanged voices

Instructor: Melissa Straw holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education and has more than 15 years of experience teaching music.

Location: Smithton Middle School, 3600 W. Worley St.

Cost: $125 per semester (scholarships available)

Contact: For more information, contact Afton Thomas at 875.0600 or education@motheatre.org. Or visit motheatre.org.

Missouri Symphony Youth Orchestra Chamber Players and Junior Strings:

Chamber Players and Junior Strings offer a place for young musicians to hone their technical skills as well as participate in group performances. The program’s philosophy encourages “discipline, curiosity, teamwork, developing knowledge and improvisation,” and musicians get to play and experience music from multiple cultures and genres.

Ages: Grades 3 – 8 for Junior Strings, grades 8 – 12 for         Chamber Players

Instructor: Kirk Trevor, a trained cellist and conductor, is music director and conductor of the Missouri Symphony, Missouri Symphony Youth Orchestra Chamber Players and Junior Strings and music director of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. Assistant instructor is Ned Horner.

Location: Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts, 203 S. Ninth St.

Cost: $125 per semester (scholarships available)

Contact: For more information, contact Afton Thomas at 875.0600 or education@motheatre.org. Or visit motheatre.org.

The Community Music Program:

Sponsored by the MU School of Music, this program aims to provide “opportunities for those who seek musical instruction purely for personal enrichment.” Through private instruction, students receive one-on-one attention regardless of their level of musical skills.

Ages: For students of all ages

Instructor: Instructors vary, but all are MU music majors who come recommended by the school faculty.

Location: School of Music buildings on the MU campus

Cost: Tuition varies by instructor and length of lesson.

Contact: Call Erica Manzo, Community Music Program coordinator, at 882.0934, or e-mail ManzoE@missouri.edu. Visit music.missouri.edu/communityprograms/communitymusic.html.

Experiencing Piano Group Classes:

In this program, young piano players participate in weekly performances as ensembles and duets. Students learn music theory and music history as well as improvisation and group performance skills. Each child receives a weekly one-on-one lesson in addition to the group practice.

Ages: 6 – 9

Instructor: Sara Ernst is a pianist, adjunct assistant professor of piano and piano pedagogy at MU and doctoral candidate in music education at the University of Oklahoma.

Location: School of Music buildings, MU campus

Cost: $65 per semester

Contact: For more information, contact Sara Ernst at 882.3348 or  ErnstS@missouri.edu, or visit music.missouri.edu/communityprograms/exppiano.html.

Creating Original Music Project:

C.O.M.P. is perfect for young composers with an interest in producing original works. This two-part program includes a statewide competition for original music composed by Missouri students and the Missouri Summer Composition Institute, where students compose an original piece to be performed by an MU ensemble at the end of the weeklong camp.

Ages: Grades K – 12 for the statewide competition, grades 9 – 12 and entering college freshmen for the Missouri Composition Institute

Instructor: Sponsored by the MU School of Music

Location: 140 Fine Arts Building, MU campus

Cost: Contact for cost.

Contact: For more information, call 882.2606, e-mail FreundS@missouri.edu, or visit music.missouri.edu/COMP/.

Missouri Strings Project:

Started in 1977, this program follows a two-part mission: “To prepare university music students for their future as public school and private teachers and to introduce third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students to music by giving them the opportunity to study the violin, viola or cello.” Students practice with a group and participate in performances during the semester.

Ages: Grades 3 – 5

Instructors: Classes are taught by MU music education and performance majors and are overseen by Leslie Perna, MU viola professor and Missouri Strings Project director.

Location: Fine Arts Building, MU campus

Cost: $150 per semester

Contact: For more information, contact Leslie Perna at 882.2748 or mostring@missouri.edu. Or visit music.missouri.edu/communityprograms/mostrings.html

Missouri Youth Orchestra:

Sponsored by the MU School of Music, this program carries the mission, “to promote and inspire excellence in orchestral performance in an educational setting for young musicians from the mid-Missouri area.” The senior ensemble is open to wind, string, brass and percussion musicians by audition; junior ensemble is a string orchestra. Students participate in individual, ensemble and group instruction and perform from a challenging selection of music.

Ages: Grades 8 – 12 for the senior ensemble, grades 7 and under for the junior ensemble

Instructor: Carrie Turner is director of the Missouri Youth Orchestra. Turner holds a Ph.D. in musical arts from Texas Tech University.

Location: School of Music, MU campus

Cost: $250 for Senior MYO per year, $150 for Junior MYO per year

Contact: For more information, contact Carrie Turner at 999.6080 or TurnerCaro@missouri.edu. Or visit missouriyouthorchestra.org.

Kindermusik with Brenda:

Working under the philosophy that “music and movement nurtures a child’s cognitive, emotional, social, language and physical development” and that “every parent is the child’s most important teacher,” this program uses music as a catalyst for promoting better learning behaviors. Parents can interact with their children in a classroom setting while promoting music appreciation and skills.

Ages: Birth to age 7

Instructor: Brenda Haynes, Kindermusik owner and director, holds a bachelor’s degree in special education and a master’s degree in education.

Location: Youzeum, 608 E. Cherry St.

Cost: Cost varies by class.

Contact: Register online at kindermusikwithbrenda.yourvirtuoso.com/Register.html or by phone at 881.1574. For more information about the program, visit kindermusikwithbrenda.yourvirtuoso.com/index.html.

TRYPS Children’s Theater Vocal Academy:

The Vocal Academy is a place for young singers to work on their vocal technique — breath support, pitch, harmony and range — while learning to sing and harmonize with a group. The academy includes a senior quartet (ages 15 – 18), junior sextet (ages 12 – 14) and a junior octet (ages 8 – 11).

Ages: 8 – 18 years (age requirements vary by group)

Instructors: TRYPS instructors are Nollie Moore, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from MU, and Audrea Sergel, who holds a bachelor’s degree in vocal music education from MU.

Location: Columbia Mall, 2300 Bernadette Drive #918

Cost: $80 – 160 (prices vary by group)

Contact: For more information, call 449.4536, e-mail tryps@mac.com or visit tryps.missouri.org/TRYPS/Vocal.html.

Columbia Parks and Recreation:

The City offers music classes for children in a variety of instruments, such as guitar and percussion, as well as monthly “jam sessions” for adults and kids.

Location: 1 S. Seventh St.

Contact: For upcoming classes and events, call 874.7460, or visit GoColumbiaMo.com/ ParksandRec/Activities_and_Programs/Leisure_Times/.