Tufts’ Community Music Program in 2nd Year

At left, children in last year’s chamber music program, led by instructor Elliot Cless. Photo courtesy Tufts University.

Adult, Children Classes Offered in Granoff Music Center in September

Aspiring area musicians of every background, from toddlers through high school students and adults, can now apply to Tufts University’s community music program that will start its second year in September.

The program offers classes in music and movement from a wide variety of musical disciplines. Children ages 3 to 7 may enjoy classes based on Dalcroze Eurhythmics while group sessions for choral singing, piano, recorder, and violin are offered for students ages 7 to 10. Courses for middle and high school students include African drumming, jazz, chamber music, guitar, composition, Javanese Gamelan ensemble, and music theory. Adults can study and perform chamber music, Javanese Gamelan, and participate in a new voice class and madrigal choir.

Classes for students ages 3 to 18 take place on Saturdays in the Perry and Marty Granoff Music Center, Tufts’ state-of-the-art music center on the Medford/Somerville campus, and are led by Tufts instructors. Adult classes are scheduled in the evenings and on weekends.

First-semester courses start Sept. 20; second semester courses will start Jan. 31, 2009. The courses run for 14 weeks. Tuition varies from $150 to $450 per course, and scholarships are available to qualifying students based on financial need. The program is open to students from any community. The registration deadline is September 5.

Information on the program and the registration process is available on the program website or from program coordinator Edith Auner at 617-627-5616 or via email at Edith.Auner@tufts.edu.

The program reflects a commitment made by Tufts when the Granoff Music Center opened in 2007: to use the facility to expand community outreach in the arts.

Joseph Auner, professor and music department chair, said the center has become a community resource.

“Thanks to the support of the administration we have been able to design programs for the community to experience and participate in music from all around the world. With Tufts’ commitment to active citizenship it was a natural step that we would use the wonderful new resources in the Perry and Marty Granoff Music Center to provide opportunities to young musicians,” said Auner.

Program coordinator Edith Auner said the program did “very well” last year, with 156 students participating.

In addition to classes, Tufts will continue to offer several other community music initiatives this fall. This includes the third season of the Granoff Music Center’s popular “Sundays at Tufts: Community Concert Series,” which features free performances of student ensembles, music department faculty, members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and other local music ensembles. Tufts Music will also begin a new Children’s Concert program on four Saturdays this fall at 1 p.m. featuring the Tufts Wind Ensemble (Oct. 4), Pianist Andrew Rangell performing and narrating “Babar the Elephant” (Nov. 1), Afro-Cuban Jazz with Joel LaRue Smith (Nov. 8), and West African Dance and Drumming with Kiniwe (Dec. 6).

During the past three years, Tufts musicians have played six concerts for Medford and Somerville elementary school students, and similar performances are scheduled for this winter. The music department has also provided a mentoring program that matches Tufts students with middle school students from Somerville and Medford, which will begin again this fall.

– InsideMedford.com