Yesterday I had the honor and privilege of sitting in on a handful of band classes at a local middle school. I started with the jazz band at 7:25AM (which is way too early for anyone to be doing anything let along playing music). Period after period from 7:25 to nearly 11:30 they came in, learned, and played. Some amazing work is going on there and it is encouraging to see a committed educator doing great work along with some amazing kids working hard to learn and having fun!

I am reminded once again how thankful I am for local band, orchestra, and choir teachers that teach day in day out with passion and commitment.  These are often unsung heroes of the community. I couldn’t keep those hours and am thankful that they do! Music education is so important for reasons far beyond just the music as I have stated many times and you can read more about on our blog.

This morning I visited a local Classical Conversations community to talk about the orchestra and demonstrate some musical instruments, musical concepts, and compositions. Again, I saw students hungry to learn, parents and CC directors committed to helping them along the journey. I am so thankful for public, private, and community/homeschool opportunities in the community.

But I am also reminded why it is so important that we are here doing what we do as well. The community needs both and. We offer private lessons and classes to many students who can’t get what they need or want in the existing music education opportunities. Not because public schools, private schools or groups like CC are not good enough, but because they can only do so much.

We offer things like ukulele and group piano, two offerings you won’t generally find in these other educational opportunities. We offer one on one personalized attention in private lessons, something so many need, and I know band and orchestra directors would so love to give their students, but in groups of 40+ with less than an hour, its just not possible for much. As the director yesterday said wisely,  you will get more individual attention and help in two thirty minute private lessons than you will in an entire year of band. And that’s one of the many reasons we are here.

Your band, orchestra, and choir teachers are doing awesome work. They want you to learn, gain confidence, and have a blast—and so do we. So let us help.