The IUP Community Music School, located in Cogswell Hall, provides noncredit private lessons, ensembles, and classes in music year-round to students of all ages and ability levels throughout the Indiana community and region.
From the Director
If there was one thing that we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the importance of the Arts. We discovered how much we missed things like movies and concerts, as well as experiencing the joy and satisfaction of an artistic discipline for our own well-being. Whether painting, woodworking, ceramics, weaving, music, or a myriad of other artistic endeavors, the Arts became a large part of society keeping its collective sanity.
This is just one of many reasons for the IUP Community Music School. As Kelly Pollock wrote about the Arts, “The true purpose of arts education is not necessarily to create more professional dancers or artists. [It’s] to create more complete human beings who are critical thinkers, who have curious minds, and who can lead productive lives.”
Becoming a proficient enough musician brings another level of enjoyment to life, and allows a multitude of options to increase one's quality of life and living. Whether playing an instrument or singing on your own and/or in various groups, music is a wonderful way to relax, meet new friends, and grow in a community.
Like anything else, though, the Arts do not come free, and the IUP Community Music School is no exception. There are operating costs that have to be met every year in order to keep the doors open.
Because the IUPCMS is supported 100 percent by grants and gifts—it's how we keep costs as low as possible for our rural area—every year it is a challenge to ensure there are enough funds to keep this critically important program open to the community. If you're interested in helping to keep it a vibrant program for our community, whether as an individual or as a business, be sure to look at the information on our Support page. Your gift is a critical part of keeping the program available to future students and generations.
Catch up on news from the IUP Community Music School.
Social media in its multitude of platforms has become so much a part of our society; but for now, we're sticking with just Facebook, so be sure to check out and “Like” the IUP Community Music School Facebook page, not only for some of the articles, but also for the fun, interesting, and meaningful stories on music we run across.
Whether you're young and just starting in music or older after having been away from it for a while, the IUPCMS is the perfect and affordable place to find your way in the amazing world of music.
If you have feedback, please feel free to email it to community-music@iup.edu. We look forward to meeting the musical needs of the music teachers and community members in the Indiana region for many years to come.
Best wishes for a fabulous musical year!
Jeff Wacker, Arts-in-Education Services Coordinator
IUP Community Music School
Lively Arts | ArtsPath
community-music@iup.edu
Lessons
Private lessons of 30, 45, and 60-minutes are available in:
- Bagpipes
- Brass
(trumpet, trombone, horn, euphonium, tuba) - Electric Bass
- Guitar (as available, other fretted instruments such as ukulele, banjo, and mandolin)
- Percussion
- Piano and Organ
- Voice
- Woodwinds
(flute, clarinet, oboe, saxophone, bassoon)
Ensembles
Evening and after-school ensembles include:
- Indiana Community Choir
(age 14–adult) - University Band
(age 15–adult) - Crimson Youth Choir
(Primary and secondary students; offering the Voce select choir for older students, and the Crimson Children's Choir for younger students - Percussion Ensemble
(age 14–adult)