The Fine Arts Society Music Academy teaches group keyboard lessons, music theory, and classical music listening to elementary age, economically disadvantaged children living in Indianapolis (particularly the southeast side Fountain Square neighborhood) and attending selected partner schools.  Tuition free weekly classes include piano and theory instruction, a practice keyboard, and music materials.  Scholarship students pay only a nominal registration fee and keyboard deposit.  After completing the program, children may keep the keyboard. After two years of the Music Academy group classes, students may receive a scholarship for private piano lessons at the University of Indianapolis Community Music Center.  Students may also opt for private lessons offered by the Music Academy teachers.

To help subsidize program costs for disadvantaged children, the Music Academy enrolls paying students from selected schools in Indianapolis, including St. Richard's School.  Paying students may receive private piano or percussion lessons.  The Music Academy recently added hand drumming and choir to its program offerings and plans to initiate a string program in the future. 

The Fine Arts Society provides the Music Academy program for youth that attend IPS #19, 20, #39, and #82 located on the southside of Indianapolis (Fountain Square neighborhood) as well as Emmaus Lutheran in that same neighborhood.  In addition, the program is offered at seven lower-income Archdiocese Indianapolis schools (St. Andrew / St. Rita, St. Philip-Neri, St. Joan of Arc, Central Catholic, Holy Angels, St. Anthony, and Holy Cross) and St. Richard's School.

The Fine Arts Society Music Academy serves approximately 210 youth in 3rd through 7th grades (ages 8-13).  Approximately 79% of program participants qualify for free or reduced lunch programs.

.: Goals of the Program:

• Increased understanding of piano, music theory, classical music listening, and increased ability to play the piano through hands-on instruction and performances

• Increased understanding and appreciation for classical music

Through an Indiana Youth Institute study it was determined that this education program will meet four developmental assets each year:

• The Music Academy will provide opportunities for children to develop and achieve their unique talents

• Children will be motivated to perform well in their musical studies

• Children will be actively engaged in learning

• Children will build self-confidence based on their involvement with the Music Academy

.: The Fine Arts Society Music Academy addresses the following Indiana Academic Standards in Music:

• Content Standard: 2.  Playing an instrument alone and with others.
• Achievement Standard: 2.1  Play a given pitch pattern.
• 2.2  Echo rhythmic or melodic patterns.
• 2.3  Play an easy ostinato accompaniment independently.
• 2.5  Play a short melody using appropriate dynamics.
• 2.6  Play an instrument with a group, following the cues of a conductor.
• Content Standard: 3.  Reading, notating, and interpreting music.
• Achievement Standard: 3.1  Read and write whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes and rests in 2/4 and 4/4 time signatures.
• 3.2  Read pitch notation by the letter names on the lines and spaces of the treble clef.
• 3.3  Identify melodic direction in written pitch notation as moving up or down by steps or skips.
• 3.4  Identify and explain dynamic markings for forte, mezzo forte, mezzo piano, piano, crescendo and diminuendo (decrescendo).
• 3.5  Identify and explain the symbols for a fermata, octave, and D. C. al Fine.
• Content Standard: 4.  Improvising melodies and accompaniments.
• Achievement Standard: 4.1  Respond on a melodic or rhythmic instrument to teacher given phrases.
• 4.3  Invent short songs or pieces using several types of sounds.
• Content Standard: 6.  Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
• Achievement Standard: 6.1  Diagram musical forms such as AB or ABA.
• 6.2  Use movement to indicate changes in the form of the music, and talk about those changes.
• 6.3  Write a glossary of musical terms.
• 6.4  Identify various instruments by sight or sound.
• 6.5  Use movements to demonstrate understanding of the musical events being heard.
• Content Standard: 9.  Evaluating and critiquing music and music performances.
• Achievement Standard: 9.1  Compare two or more performances and compositions.
• 9.2  Discuss likes and dislikes of musical examples using familiar musical terms.

For more information or if you are interested in teaching
or volunteering for the Fine Arts Society Music Academy
please contact:

Laura Warren
Education Coordinator

317-788-3291
lwarren@fasindy.org