Schwob School of Music to Open Doors to Community Children

March 4, 2011

COLUMBUS, Ga. – Columbus State University’s Schwob School of Music hosts its third annual Children’s Open House from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, March 26 at the Saunders Center for Music Studies in RiverCenter for the Performing Arts in downtown Columbus.

The event, coordinated by the school’s music preparatory division, is free to the public and open to all children accompanied by an adult.

The program offers several fun-filled musical activities, including children’s concerts, musical games led by CSU students, Kindermusik and Suzuki violin class demonstrations, tours of CSU’s massive Jordan Concert Organ, student mini-recitals and a musical instrument petting zoo.

Performances will take place in Legacy Hall while other activities commence in Schwob school rehearsal spaces and classrooms.

A popular portion of the annual event, the instrument petting zoo, offers children the opportunity to play various string, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments, under the supervision of Schwob School of Music faculty and students.

Professor Joseph Golden will offer a close-up view and demonstrate how to play the manual Jordan Concert Organ comprised of more than 3,440 pipes and three keyboards displayed prominently in Legacy Hall.

Kindermusik and Suzuki violin classes bring a new wrinkle to the program. Kindermusik explores many developmental facets of the musical experience for children – as young as infants – through speaking, singing, moving, listening, creating and playing rhythm instruments. The Suzuki method is based on establishing a positive musical experience at an early age and in a group environment.

Open House attendees will have an opportunity to register their children for lessons in either Kindermusik or Suzuki violin through the Schwob school’s Music Preparatory Division.

CSU’s Schwob School of Music is located in the Saunders Center for Music Studies in the RiverCenter at 900 Broadway. For more information, visit http://music.colstate.edu or call 706-649-7225.

Caption for photo:

Samuel Vaillancourt, then 3, gets some help from his father, Paul Vaillancourt, a Schwob School of Music percussion professor, and a music student during the 2009 Children's Open House.