Every Saturday afternoon I’m greeted by grinning students as they bound up the Annex steps and into the classrooms. They’re in a hurry to get to their piano and guitar lessons where they explore the instruments, wrestle with rhythms, and dabble in improvisation. And a not-so-well-kept secret is that sometimes popsicles are there when they’re done!
These bright Saturday afternoons are part of Music Tree’s Introducing the Instruments Community Program, which launched in April. The spring session finished strong and a new branch of Music Tree will grow with the summer session. We’re so happy that all our spring students continued on to the next level and we picked up some new ones as well!
What’s unique about our new Community program is that every class is offered on a sliding scale and all are welcome. It’s fun to see families chatting in the waiting room, third graders from different schools giggling in guitar class, brothers helping each other find the right hand positions on the keyboard, teachers eating Pringles after class with parents, classmates cheering each other on to perform in front of their loved ones.
It’s both music and community, two of the best things ever. As writer Kathryn Vercillo points out, “Communities flourish with artists in them.” Ours certainly does!
Want to join our community? We offer tuition on a sliding scale for income-eligible students. Apply here. —Maddie, Community Class Director
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