Community Music Center

Since 1985, the Community Music Center has offered community children and adults high quality beginning, intermediate, and advanced music instruction. A division of the School of Music at Indiana State University, accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), the center offers professional instruction in voice, Musikgarten preschool classes, and all instrumental areas. For more information, please contact Lynette Browne, Director, at (812) 237–2739.

Note from the Director

Welcome to the exciting world of music study! I am the director of the Community Music Center, and have been since the fall of 2003. The ISU Community Music Center offers non-credit music lessons to children and adults in Terre Haute and the surrounding area. The CMC is a division of the School of Music, accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and a member of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts. Purposes:

  1. To provide quality music lessons to members of the Wabash Valley.
  2. To provide age-appropriate and level-appropriate music instruction that will allow students to reach their musical performance potential.
  3. To provide age-appropriate and level-appropriate theory instruction to allow students to better understand music.
  4. To provide performance opportunities for all students, both formal and informal, to encourage more performance and to make performances less stressful.
  5. To encourage students toward attendance at area musical events both at the university and in other venues.
  6. To give university students the chance to do some guided teaching.

At the CMC we strive to give every student professional-quality music instruction. In addition, the CMC offers extras that you don’t always get through other venues for music instruction. We offer 3 informal musicales and 1 formal recital every semester, to give students many opportunities to perform. We offer Saturday theory classes every spring that are free to any student in the CMC. We have community service projects, like giving a holiday recital to residents of a retirement home. We have social activities that involve the whole family, like marching in area parades and an end-of-year picnic. We want all of our families and teachers to feel like one community. And I hope you will take advantage of all the extras we offer.
– Lynette Browne - Lynette.Browne@indstate.edu

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Course Information

The following music programs will be offered:

  • Beginning through Advanced
  • Private and/or group instruction will be offered to all age groups
  • Available instruction: Piano, Strings, Voice, Guitar, All brass and woodwind instruments, Percussion

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Benefits of Music Study

Early music experiences enhance overall physical, emotional, language/cognitive, social, and musical development. Research has shown that prolonged involvement in music experiences enhances:

  • abstract reasoning skills
  • increases spatial awareness
  • improves listening skills
  • intensifies higher brain functions required for other academic activities

To sum it all up: MAKING MUSIC MAKES YOU SMARTER!

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Early Childhood Learning

For information on Musikgarten - an age-appropriate musical experience for children from brith to eight years of age - please visit the ISU Musikgarten website: isumusikgarten

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Adult Classes

The Community Music Center offers beginning piano and voice classes for adults. Please contact the center for current class availability.

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Learning Extension Opportunities

The Community Music Center also offers:

  • Monthly recital opportunities
  • Saturday Theory Classes
  • Participation in local festivals

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Faculty

Trained music instructors from ISU’s School of Music and graduate students and upperclassmen who have satisfied certain course requirements teach the weekly 60-minute, 45-minute, or 30-minute lessons.

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Facilities/Location

Students benefit from the use of:

  • Yamaha Clavinova Laboratory
  • Acoustically and visually satisfying 200-seat recital hall with two nine-foot Steinway concert grand pianos
  • Large teaching studios
  • State-of-the-art MIDI Laboratory
  • Listening Library with more than 25,000 recordings, performance tapes, and compact discs
  • Piano Pedagogy Resource Library including over 6,000 piano teaching publications
  • Musical Games Library including music games and rhythm instruments

All lessons and Community Music Center activities take place in the Center for Performing and Fine Arts and the Fine Arts Building on the campus of Indiana State University. All Musikgarten classes are held at ISU’s University Hall, Room 114.

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Policies

Tuition is for enrollment for the entire semester. Semesters run simultaneously with Indiana State University calendar. For your convenience, tuition may be paid in a single sum each semester or in two equal payments.

Tuition does not include the cost of instrument rental or music purchase. Supplemental group lessons, master classes, etc. are given at the discretion of the instructor.

There is a once per-year per-family $30 administrative fee.  For families joining in the spring semester, the fee is only $15.  Please include this fee with your first payment.

30-minute private lesson  $300.00
45-minute private lesson  $450.00
60-minute private lesson  $600.00

  • Fall and Spring semesters follow the ISU academic calendar
  • Families with more than one child enrolled in private lessons in the same semester will receive a $25 discount
  • Enrollment in the Community Music Center is a semester long obligation. If it is necessary to withdraw from a course mid-semester, the student is still responsible for the second tuition payment.
  • Students not displaying satisfactory progress from lack of practice or whose behavior and/or attitude are not conducive to progress may be dismissed from the program. A one-month trial period with notification will precede lesson termination.
  • HOLIDAYS: Our academic schedule runs consistent with the ISU calendar. For this reason, we are unable to reschedule any lessons missed due to calendar holidays.
  • All students are encouraged to perform in the Community Music Center recitals at the end of the term, selected local festivals, and monthly musicales.
  • Students are expected to bring all books currently being used to their lesson. Lessons may be cut short if a student does not arrive with books or instrument.
  • MISSED LESSONS: Lessons missed because of bad weather or student absence will not be made up.  Lessons missed by the teacher will be made up.  Students are welcome to attend the Saturday theory classes to count as make-up lessons. Event cancellations due to inclement weather will be announced on the outgoing message of the Community Music Center voice mail (812–237–2739).

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Spring Music Courses

Beginning Piano for Children – semester 2

Mondays 5:30–6:30 p.m; starting January 9, 2012
Ages 6–8; $250/semester

A combination of group and private music lessons. For those who have completed semester 1 or have a small amount of music study. The course will continue working on reading treble and bass clefs, playing chords, and reading and understanding tonal and rhythm patterns. The class is taught by master teachers Dr. Lynette Browne, and Miss Jessie Forthun.

Beginning Voice for Youth

Thursdays 4:00–5:00 p.m. ages 9–13
Thursdays 5:00–6:00 p.m. ages 14–18
$100/10-week course; starting January 12, 2012

Students learn the basics of good vocal production, study a variety of music literature, and end with a performance. The class is taught by Mrs. Anita Gambill, former director of the Terre Haute Children’s Choir.

Theater Techniques for Teens

Tuesdays 4:00–5:30 p.m; starting January 17, 2012
Ages 12–16
$100/10-week course

Students will study advanced acting techniques like characterization, non-verbal acting, and best performance practices. Course will end with a staged performance. The class is taught by Mrs. Sherrie Herner of the Vigo County schools and Dr. Pat Wheeler of the ISU education faculty.

Beginning Piano for Adults – semester 2

Thursdays, 11:00–11:45 a.m; starting February 2, 2012
High school age and up
$50/8-week course

For those who have completed semester 1 or those with minimal piano study. The course will cover intervallic reading, basic chords, and beginning music theory. The class is taught by Dr. Lynette Browne of the ISU music faculty.

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