Luther College to open Community Music School

Area musicians soon will have a new option for musical experiences. Luther College music and education students are opening the Luther College Community Music School, open to anyone in the Decorah area.

LCCMS offers group classes, private lessons and SODA Club, a community choir and dance program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Group classes will be offered Wednesday morning during teacher in-service time. SODA is held Monday evenings.

Registration is available online at https://tinyurl.com/luthercms.

Group classes are 8-8:50 a.m. Wednesday mornings at Decorah Lutheran Church and are designed for students in grades 3-8. Each class will have two LCCMS teachers. Tuition is $30 per session, with the exception of the Alleluia Choir, for which there is no charge. Fall sessions are Sept. 12-Oct. 17 and Oct. 24-Dec. 5. Options include beginner ukulele, drumming circle, Alleluia Choir, rock band, recorders, song writing, Barred Instrument Band and Chamber Ensemble.

Students enrolling in instrument or voice private lessons will have 12, 30-minute weekly lessons with LCCMS teachers, scheduled for Monday evenings, Wednesday mornings and Saturday mornings, with other times available upon request. A LCCMS student recital will be held at the end of the semester on Luther’s campus. Tuition is $150, which includes the lessons, recital participation and an accompanist for the student recital.

SODA is a community choir led by Luther professors Linda Martin and Jill Wilson which offers vocal production, music literacy, movement and artistic music making. Sessions are Mondays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Sept. 10-Oct. 29 at Decorah Lutheran Church. Tuition is $60.

LCCMS is the result of summer research project by Catelyn Janda, Luther senior from Batavia, Illinois. Janda worked with Wilson, Luther assistant professor of education and coordinator for music education, in addition to collaborating with local music instructors on identifying the potential benefits and subsequent need for a music school.

The school also provides another bridge between Luther College and the Decorah community.

“LCCMS could open opportunities for more students to engage in group and private study and provide a strong foundation to send them on to the many outstanding area instructors and educators,” said Wilson.

Contact Jill Wilson, wilsji01@luther.edu, with questions.

A national liberal arts college with an enrollment of 2,050, Luther offers an academic curriculum that leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree in more than 60 majors and pre-professional programs. For more information about Luther visit the college’s website: http://www.luther.edu.