W.O. Smith Community Music School
Programs
Description
Musical Beginnings: This class provides an introduction to music for younger children, incorporating singing, movement, dictation, and games. The students will begin to learn about musical concepts like rhythm, pitch, dynamics, and form. This class allows students to experience music through games, movement, Orff Percussion while introducing basic terminology.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Musical Beginnings: This class provides an introduction to music for younger children, incorporating singing, movement, dictation, and games. The students will begin to learn about musical concepts like rhythm, pitch, dynamics, and form. This class allows students to experience music through games, movement, Orff Percussion while introducing basic terminology.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Description
Basic Musicianship Class (Theory): New students (aged 9 and older) or graduates of the aforementioned classes are placed in our Basic Musicianship program. This class is intended to give students a basic understanding of the fundamentals of notated music. Students use lesson books, teacher-led discussions and activities to learn concepts like time signatures, basic rhythm counting, note names and durations, note identification on the treble clef and bass clef, and locating notes on a keyboard. This class will help prepare students to be successful in their private music lessons.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
At-Risk Populations
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Basic Musicianship Class (Theory): New students (aged 9 and older) or graduates of the aforementioned classes are placed in our Basic Musicianship program. This class is intended to give students a basic understanding of the fundamentals of notated music. Students use lesson books, teacher-led discussions and activities to learn concepts like time signatures, basic rhythm counting, note names and durations, note identification on the treble clef and bass clef, and locating notes on a keyboard. This class will help prepare students to be successful in their private music lessons.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
At-Risk Populations
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Budget
$450,000.00
Description
One-on-one music lessons are 30, 45, or 60 minutes in length, take place weekly, and conclude every semester with a performance evaluation. Instruction on standard band and orchestra instruments is offered to students, as well as piano, guitar, bass, drums, and vocal instruction. Students who have completed the Basic Musicianship class or have passed a theory entrance exam are eligible for lessons. A qualified volunteer teaching artist administers the lesson.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Children
At-Risk Populations
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
$450,000.00
Description
One-on-one music lessons are 30, 45, or 60 minutes in length, take place weekly, and conclude every semester with a performance evaluation. Instruction on standard band and orchestra instruments is offered to students, as well as piano, guitar, bass, drums, and vocal instruction. Students who have completed the Basic Musicianship class or have passed a theory entrance exam are eligible for lessons. A qualified volunteer teaching artist administers the lesson.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Children
At-Risk Populations
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Description
Choirs: The Select Singers and Voices choirs offer a vocal ensemble experience for students. Rehearsals for both Select Singers and Voices ensembles are held weekly. Select Singers is for students (aged 10-13) who have little or no prior experience with ensemble singing. In this program, students learn to sing as a group, as well as practice their solfege, sight-reading and aural skills. Voices is for students (aged 14-18) who have had some experience with choral singing and are prepared for more advanced choral repertoire. Both ensembles perform at W.O. Smith recitals and occasionally for outside events in the Nashville community.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
Children
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Choirs: The Select Singers and Voices choirs offer a vocal ensemble experience for students. Rehearsals for both Select Singers and Voices ensembles are held weekly. Select Singers is for students (aged 10-13) who have little or no prior experience with ensemble singing. In this program, students learn to sing as a group, as well as practice their solfege, sight-reading and aural skills. Voices is for students (aged 14-18) who have had some experience with choral singing and are prepared for more advanced choral repertoire. Both ensembles perform at W.O. Smith recitals and occasionally for outside events in the Nashville community.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
Children
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Description
StringSmiths: This orchestra ensemble is offered to violin, viola, cello, and bass students. Students should be enrolled in at least their second year of private lessons on a string orchestra instrument.
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
StringSmiths: This orchestra ensemble is offered to violin, viola, cello, and bass students. Students should be enrolled in at least their second year of private lessons on a string orchestra instrument.
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Description
Jazz Band: Jazz band focuses on elements of improvisation and learning music "by ear," or without music. The group plays standard jazz and blues music. All students that have at least one-year of study are encouraged to enroll.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Jazz Band: Jazz band focuses on elements of improvisation and learning music "by ear," or without music. The group plays standard jazz and blues music. All students that have at least one-year of study are encouraged to enroll.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Description
Rock Bands: School and student led bands are given the guidance from volunteer professionsals for the playing of commercial music. W.O. Smith groups such as "Soul Such More," plays frequently in Nashville.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Rock Bands: School and student led bands are given the guidance from volunteer professionsals for the playing of commercial music. W.O. Smith groups such as "Soul Such More," plays frequently in Nashville.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Description
Songwriting: This class provides an introduction to song writing. The students will learn about song-craft, collaborative writing, phrasing, meter, and much more. Students will work on their own songs throughout the semester as well as collaborating on class songs to record with the Audio Production Class.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Songwriting: This class provides an introduction to song writing. The students will learn about song-craft, collaborative writing, phrasing, meter, and much more. Students will work on their own songs throughout the semester as well as collaborating on class songs to record with the Audio Production Class.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Description
Creating Composers: This class provides an introduction to music composition for students regardless of their musical knowledge or abilities. The students will begin to learn about musical concepts like rhythm, pitch, dynamics, instrumentation and form. This class allows students to experience music composition in unconventional methods like morse code for rhythms, and story writing for form or solfege for pitch.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Creating Composers: This class provides an introduction to music composition for students regardless of their musical knowledge or abilities. The students will begin to learn about musical concepts like rhythm, pitch, dynamics, instrumentation and form. This class allows students to experience music composition in unconventional methods like morse code for rhythms, and story writing for form or solfege for pitch.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Description
College Prep Piano: This class provides an introduction to piano for students who are heading to college as a music major and have not had any piano experience before. The students will learn about the location of notes on the keyboard, correct hand position, scales, 5 finger patterns, simple chord progressions and much more. This class allows students to gain some piano experience before heading to college. This can help them in their required piano classes and may even exempt them from having to take remedial piano class in college.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
At-Risk Populations
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
College Prep Piano: This class provides an introduction to piano for students who are heading to college as a music major and have not had any piano experience before. The students will learn about the location of notes on the keyboard, correct hand position, scales, 5 finger patterns, simple chord progressions and much more. This class allows students to gain some piano experience before heading to college. This can help them in their required piano classes and may even exempt them from having to take remedial piano class in college.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
At-Risk Populations
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Description
Audio Production 1: This class provides an introduction to recording and live sound through the use of hands on experience and the musical knowledge the students already possess. The students will begin to learn about the recording process, signal flow, microphones, mixing, physics of sound and much more.
Audio Production 2: This class provides a deeper look into recording and live sound through mostly project based learning and lab style classes. The students will collaborate on projects, troubleshoot audio issues, learn best practices, and start to understand studio/live sound do's and don'ts.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Audio Production 1: This class provides an introduction to recording and live sound through the use of hands on experience and the musical knowledge the students already possess. The students will begin to learn about the recording process, signal flow, microphones, mixing, physics of sound and much more.
Audio Production 2: This class provides a deeper look into recording and live sound through mostly project based learning and lab style classes. The students will collaborate on projects, troubleshoot audio issues, learn best practices, and start to understand studio/live sound do's and don'ts.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Description
Advanced Music Theory: This class is intended to give students a solid understanding of music theory. Students use lesson books, teacher-led discussions and activities to learn concepts like key signatures, scale degrees, intervals, dotted/tuplet rhythms, chords and more. This class will help prepare students for college music programs and to further their ability to read, play, and enjoy music.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
At-Risk Populations
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Advanced Music Theory: This class is intended to give students a solid understanding of music theory. Students use lesson books, teacher-led discussions and activities to learn concepts like key signatures, scale degrees, intervals, dotted/tuplet rhythms, chords and more. This class will help prepare students for college music programs and to further their ability to read, play, and enjoy music.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
At-Risk Populations
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Description
Steel Bands: This new program for 2020 provides a wonderful opportunity for our students to participate in a group that utilize skills learned in their instrumental lessons while giving them the ensemble and social interaction that makes music instruction both educational and fun. In addition to student groups, there will be a band for students to participate with their parents and a community steel band for W.O. Smith teaching artists, W.O. Smith alumni and other community members,
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Steel Bands: This new program for 2020 provides a wonderful opportunity for our students to participate in a group that utilize skills learned in their instrumental lessons while giving them the ensemble and social interaction that makes music instruction both educational and fun. In addition to student groups, there will be a band for students to participate with their parents and a community steel band for W.O. Smith teaching artists, W.O. Smith alumni and other community members,
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Budget
$50,000.00
Description
Resident Music Camp: W.O. Smith Music School offers a week-long resident music camp in June at Cumberland College, Lebanon, TN. Seventy students (aged 12 -18) attend music camp, which gives them a chance to focus on their musical skills for an entire week. The cost is $25 per student and scholarships are available to students whose families are unable to pay the camp fees. Students participate in private and group instruction, ensembles, chorus, and recreational activities. Evening activities consist of concerts by guest artists and faculty. The staff is comprised of current teachers from W.O. Smith, junior counselors, guest artists and teachers, and a registered nurse. Junior counselors are current students (aged 16-18) selected to be leaders at camp through an application process.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
At-Risk Populations
Program Areas Served
None
$50,000.00
Description
Resident Music Camp: W.O. Smith Music School offers a week-long resident music camp in June at Cumberland College, Lebanon, TN. Seventy students (aged 12 -18) attend music camp, which gives them a chance to focus on their musical skills for an entire week. The cost is $25 per student and scholarships are available to students whose families are unable to pay the camp fees. Students participate in private and group instruction, ensembles, chorus, and recreational activities. Evening activities consist of concerts by guest artists and faculty. The staff is comprised of current teachers from W.O. Smith, junior counselors, guest artists and teachers, and a registered nurse. Junior counselors are current students (aged 16-18) selected to be leaders at camp through an application process.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
At-Risk Populations
Program Areas Served
None
Description
Camp BackBeat: A week-long experience for students (aged 9-18) who are interested in commercial music. Students study guitar, bass, drums, piano, and voice. The camp is specifically designed to help bands form so that they can continue working together throughout the academic year. The students learn about a variety of genres from professional musicians including country, rock, pop, hip-hop, rhythm & blues, and soul. The camp concludes with a student showcase at a Nashville venue, such as Exit/In.
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Camp BackBeat: A week-long experience for students (aged 9-18) who are interested in commercial music. Students study guitar, bass, drums, piano, and voice. The camp is specifically designed to help bands form so that they can continue working together throughout the academic year. The students learn about a variety of genres from professional musicians including country, rock, pop, hip-hop, rhythm & blues, and soul. The camp concludes with a student showcase at a Nashville venue, such as Exit/In.
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
W.O. Smith Music School
Description
A college scholarship program is available to all W.O. Smith graduates that choose a music major in undergraduate study. An agency endowment at The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee as well as the Roy Wusnch Stardust Music Scholarship Fund available through the school provides these funds to students. To qualify, students must have graduated from the W.O. Smith Music School program and be pursuing a degree in Audio Production/Engineering, Commercial Music, Composition and Film Scoring, Arts Administration/Music Business, Music Education,, Music History/Ethnomusicology, Music Performance, Musical Theater, Music Theory, Music Therapy, or Songwriting
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
None
A college scholarship program is available to all W.O. Smith graduates that choose a music major in undergraduate study. An agency endowment at The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee as well as the Roy Wusnch Stardust Music Scholarship Fund available through the school provides these funds to students. To qualify, students must have graduated from the W.O. Smith Music School program and be pursuing a degree in Audio Production/Engineering, Commercial Music, Composition and Film Scoring, Arts Administration/Music Business, Music Education,, Music History/Ethnomusicology, Music Performance, Musical Theater, Music Theory, Music Therapy, or Songwriting
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
None
CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments
| W.O. Smith Music School continues to develop additional programming to meet the needs of our students. While our programming has expanded greatly in the last five years, we are not able to meet the increasing demand of students who would like to attend the school. The school only offers four days of open registration to new students each August. Placement opportunities for new students are often exhausted very quickly, leaving hundreds of children on waiting lists for lessons. In order to move children from our waiting lists to lessons, the school continually needs qualified teaching artists to volunteer their services. At this time, our facility is capable of engaging more volunteers, however there is a tipping point in the near future when that will no longer be possible. Managing within capacity may be a challenge, but it provides the board of directors and staff with many opportunities to consider alternative programs that will allow those waiting lists to shrink. The deployment of learning labs, distance learning, and the increased use of technology are welcome avenues and we look forward to seeing what the future of music education might become. While increasing opportunities is important, we are cognizant that the most effective and precious part of our mission is made possible by the personal relationships that develop between teacher and student. We strive to honor the traditions of music making, the needs of our twenty-first century students, and the incredible gifts that our volunteers bring to the community while enhancing opportunity and the sequential learning needs of young musicians. |
