The Community Music School will host its end of the year recital focusing on students who have taken lessons for the 2016 fall semester.
The recitals will be held in the university’s Recital Hall in the Ralph R. Pottle Music Building and will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 8 at 5:30 p.m. and Friday, Dec. 9 at 3:30 p.m.
“The Community Music School was founded in 1995 with the purpose of offsetting the shortage of music education in the public school system,” said Jivka Duke, Director of CMS.
CMS not only provides musical instruction, it gives the students different opportunities to foster their talents by participating in other music programs.
“I can proudly say that it is a program that offers much more than private music lessons,” said Duke. “We offer a number of programs that involve musicians’ collaboration such as the Northlake Community Band, the Summer Band Camp, the Chamber Music, orchestra and guitar workshops as well as the newly formed CMS Orchestra. We also try to provide additional performance opportunities at various events and venues in Hammond and the surrounding communities.”
Duke believes that performing in front of audiences is of great importance for her students.
“Part of the process of learning the instrument is developing a ‘star’ stage presence and this only happens through performing as often as one can,” said Duke. “A musician always feels a little different on stage than they do in the practice room. The slight pressure and the desire to do well affects each musician in a different way and they have to figure out for themselves what it takes for them to deliver a great performance. This is why I always tell my students that they have not really learned a piece of music until they have performed it on stage.”
This fall recital will be more competitive than in the past years leading the CMS directors to add a twist.
“This semester, for the first time, we will make our end of the semester recitals slightly competitive,” said Duke. “We will ask the audience to circle the names of their three favorite performers on the program and to turn in the program at the end of the recital.
The three musicians, one from each recital, with the most votes will be featured in our Spring 2017 press release as the Fall 2016 Outstanding Musicians.”
CMS recitals are usually filled with loved ones of the musicians. Duke believes this support will follow through into this year’s recital as well.
“Our audiences are always very enthusiastic and supportive of our young musicians,” said Duke. “Especially the family and friends of each performer who are so proud to hear what their child, grandchild or friend has learned throughout the semester.”
For more information, visit the CMS website at www.southeastern.edu/cms.