Southeastern NEWS
Southeastern Louisiana University
Public Information Office
publicinfo@selu.edu
SLU 10880, Hammond, LA 70402
985/549-2341/fax 985-549-2061
Date: 5/7/02
Contact: Christina Chapple name 95A
Editors: Photos accompany release
SOUTHEASTERN'S CMS BUILDS "AUDIENCES OF THE FUTURE" -- ONE MUSIC
STUDENT AT A TIME
HAMMOND -- When young Brandon Wells and his grandmother were watching
television one night, they caught an old show featuring flamboyant pianist Liberace, his fingers
flying on the keyboard of his concert grand, his sequins flickering in the light of his signature
candelabra, his grin flashing as he flirted with the camera and audience.
"There you go, Brandon," said Cleveland Wells. "That'll be you one day."
"He fell out laughing," Brandon's grandmother said.
While Brandon may have found the legendary glitz of Liberace's style and attire funny,
Cleveland Wells said her grandson liked the idea of one day being able to tickle the ivories with
Liberace's undeniable skill.
And he's on his way, learning to read notes, playing halting one-handed tunes at
once-a-week lessons offered by Southeastern Louisiana University's Community Music School
(CMS).
Brandon Wells is one of approximately 16 Westside Primary third graders who are
studying piano and music theory through the school, taking group lessons in the Southeastern
Department of Music and Dramatic Arts' piano lab. Since 1995, CMS has offered private and
group lessons to children and adults from all over the north shore. The school's approximately
150
students -- 20
percent of them adults -- privately study instruments from cello to trombone to voice; participate
in small instrumental ensembles, theory lessons and master classes; and show off their new skills
at recitals during the 13-week fall and spring and seven-week summer sessions.
Their instruction is in the hands of 29 teachers -- Southeastern faculty and graduate and
undergraduate students and several professional musicians from the community. Thais Perkins,
who earned her master's degree at Southeastern and a doctoral degree at Louisiana State
University and ran her own music school in Covington, directs CMS, which she helped found.
(MORE)
COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL -- Add One
Today, some of the school's first pupils are Southeastern music majors and are teaching
their own budding CMS musicians.
The Community Music School, which is co-sponsored by the Departments of Music and
Dramatic Arts and Continuing Education, is clearly living up to its original goals, Perkins said. It
provides a valuable outreach service, fills a music education gap in the public schools, gives
music
majors practical teaching experience, and recruits promising musicians for the university's
Department of Music and Dramatic Arts.
But also, "We're also building the audiences of the future," she said.
Because of their CMS lessons, today's students "will know about and be excited about
music tomorrow," Perkins said. "They will be involved as audience members, even if they don't
become musicians themselves.
"Look at how successful in this town the arts have been!" she said. "We have the
Community Music School, the Regional Arts Center, the Fanfare arts festival each October, the
Northshore Regional Endowment for the Arts and its 'Strawberry Jam' festival -- and now, the
Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts. We are really gelling as an arts center. It's exciting!"
Southeastern President Randy Moffett calls the Community Music School an example of
the university-community-schools partnerships that are part of Southeastern's culture. "Our
commitment to education outreach and partnerships is imbedded in our strategic plan," he said.
"The Community Music School is one of the ways we can improve the educational opportunities
and the quality of life of our region. It's the way we do things at Southeastern."
Southeastern music education major Rondell Parker is one of CMS's three voice teachers.
He gives private lessons to six students, ages seven to 17, who also share weekly master classes
with the students of music majors Daveda Karanas of Mandeville and Summer Grest Karagiozov
of Ponchatoula, graduate student Lara Tillotson of Flowermound, Texas, and Southeastern music
alumnus Kay Wainwright Schepker of Hammond.
At a recent master class, Parker watched intently as his pupil, Albany High School student
Dori Christian, rehearsed the song she'll sing at an upcoming recital. Accompanied by his
teacher,
Karanas, nine-year-old David Cox, a third grade at Holy Ghost School, also took his turn in the
spotlight, warbling a comical tune about -- of all things -- worms.
Teaching has been "a new experience, but very pleasant," said Parker, who is in his second
semester with CMS. The Gonzales resident has found that coaching his youngest pupils to stay in
tune, learn melody lines and properly phrase their notes and words takes time and creativity.
(MORE)
COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL -- Add Two
David's mom, Judy Cox, sought out CMS's services three years ago when son Adam, now
11, wanted to learn to study percussion. "It was harder to find drum teachers," she said. In
addition
to studying voice with Karanas, David also studies piano.
Kaddie Chafin, a 10-year-old from Albany, already has five years of CMS piano study
under her belt. She took a fancy to the instrument when her sister was given a keyboard. "It was
the classic case of buying a gift for the wrong kid," laughed her mother, Tammy. Kaddie is
"advancing quickly" to more challenging classical piano pieces, while her seven-year-old brother
Connor is fast mastering basic keyboard skills.
Perkins said CMS carefully matches students with teachers, based on the students' and their
parents goals, strengths and needs. "We try to make a good match the first time," she said.
In addition to individual and group lessons, CMS also is the administrative umbrella for
Southeastern professors Yakov Voldman's String Academy and Jerry Voorhees' Young
Musicians
Camp, which will be offered July 8-19, respectively.
For the first time this spring, Voldman sponsored a concerto competition for young violin
students with the winners earning the opportunity to solo with his Southeastern Chamber
Orchestra. Voorhees has put together a quintet of talented high school woodwind players whose
performances have included entertaining members of the Board of Regents at a campus banquet.
"Dr. Voorhees does this pro bono," Perkins said, proudly.
Through a new satellite program, graduate student Jivka Jeleva is giving lessons to 29
violin students from Covington and Mandeville at the Lake Pontchartrain Maritime Museum in
Madisonville and Southeastern's St. Tammany Center.
And in another new venture CMS this summer is sponsoring "ActSingDance!", a two-week
musical theater workshop for children ages kindergarten through 10th grade. The June 10 - 21
program is headed by New York City director and choreographer Wendy Taucher and
Southeastern Opera/Music Theatre program director Charles Effler, who were members of the
team that staged last summer's hit musical "Annie" at Southeastern's Pottle Music Building
Auditorium. An acting and movement class for high school juniors and seniors and adults is also
being offered.
For additional information, contact CMS at 985-549-5502 or Perkins at tperkins@selu.edu
or visit www.selu.edu/Academics/Depts/Music/cms.
cms1.jpg
NOTE BY NOTE -- Southeastern Community Music School Director Thais Perkins works on
fingering with Westside Primary third grader Brandon Wells of Hammond in the Music Annex
piano lab.
cms3.jpg
SINGING OUT -- David Cox, a third grader at Holy Ghost School, accompanied by his teacher
Daveda Karanas, rehearses the song that he'll sing at an upcoming recital. He was participating
in the Community Music School voice students' weekly master class.
- SLU -
Press release available online at www.selu.edu/news/spring02.html