By Karen Parr-Moody

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Engaging youths early in music is one way to ensure that, as adults, they won’t lament over never learning to play an instrument or carry a tune.

Austin Peay State University brings music education one step closer to young minds through its Community School for the Arts program (CSA). Friday, March 7 is the last day for parents to sign their children up for two enriching music series through CSA: Youth Chorus and Youth Percussion Ensemble, both for ages 8 through 12. These CSA classes cost $40 each and meet once a week for eight weeks at APSU.

The Youth Percussion Ensemble classes are taught by the Orff Method, which was created by German composer and music educator Carl Orff. This theory involves mixing simple chant, dance and gymnastics with rhythmic exploration. The teacher is Kortney Ross.

“We play xylophones that are designed for children or for individuals who know very little about music,” Ross said. “The really cool thing about these xylophones, or these instruments, is I can take a child who is 8 years old or 12 years old – or even older – and put them in the same ensemble. And they can be successful and both enjoy what they are doing together.”

Ross said children in the class learn through fun activities that seem like games.

Koen Ploeckelman, a 9-year-old who was one of last year’s Youth Percussion Ensemble students, said he liked making up his own rhythms and playing so many different instruments.

Ethan Morrow, a 9-year-old who has been a Youth Percussion Ensemble member for the last two seasons, is signing up for the class again.

His mother, Karen Morrow, said, “He loves it … Ethan says it is just awesome and it has helped him overcome his fear of being on stage in front of people.”

Morrow also said that Ross does a wonderful job with the group.

“It provides a group setting for the kids to learn about music, and work together to create pieces,” Morrow said. “Each time there has been one piece that the children have written themselves. It is also a steal at $40 for 8 weeks, as it works out to less than $3.50 an hour for group musical instruction.”

The other class in which students can currently enroll is the CSA Youth Chorus, directed by Whitney Swallows, an elementary music teacher at Barkers Mill Elementary. In addition to everything they glean musically, Swallows said, students can improve their language skills, reading comprehension and social skills through singing.

Children are not required to audition for the CSA Youth Chorus, which culminates with a performance in the George and Sharon Mabry Concert Hall on the APSU campus and another performance at Rivers & Spires.

“We can take a student who has a lot of experience or doesn’t have any experience,” Swallows said. “All they need is a love of music and they can bring that with them and we can all grow from that. Everyone has something they can bring to the table, even if they feel they can’t sing very well. In just a few short weeks they’ll see a difference and have a great experience.”

CSA Youth Chorus meets Mondays from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. March 10 through May 2 in the Music/Mass Communication building, Room 147, at APSU. The CSA Youth Percussion Ensemble meets at the same time and place, but on Tuesdays March Mar 11 through May 3.

For more information about signing up for these classes, visit www.apsu.edu/csa/music-spring-2014. One can also contact the CSA coordinator, Matthew Burns, by calling 931-221-7508 or emailing csa@apsu.edu.

Karen Parr-Moody began a career as a New York journalist, working as a fashion reporter for Women’s Wear Daily, a beauty editor for Young Miss and a beauty and fashion writer for both In Style and People magazines. Regionally, she has been a writer at The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper and currently writes about arts and culture for Nashville Arts magazine each month.