Sounds of the Season: TLU’s Community Music Academy Winter Concerts, Spring Registration

The holidays are just around the corner, and that means it's concert season for TLU's Community Music Academy.

Believe it or not, some of the young musicians who will be gracing the stage at the concerts are just starting elementary school-and many of them had no musical experience when they first came to the program.

The CMA is a nonprofit community music school open to local 1^st through 12^th graders. Kids can join a choir or an orchestra, learn the violin, guitar, viola, or cello-they can be seasoned musicians or absolute beginners.

On Tuesday, December 10, the public is invited to hear the Lindenbaum Outreach Class and Youth Orchestra perform a concert featuring beginning string classes and orchestras. The concert takes place at 7 p.m. in Jackson Auditorium.

Then on Thursday, December 12, there will be a Youth Choir concert featuring the beginning, intermediate, and advanced choirs. The concert begins at 7 p.m. and will be held in TLU's Chapel of the Abiding Presence.

And finally, on Monday, December 16 there will be a solo recital by students enrolled in private lessons. The recital begins at 6 p.m. and will be held in the Chapel of the Abiding Presence.

"The TLU CMA is very important to our TLU and Seguin community, as it brings opportunities to the children in our community that they might not have or experience otherwise," says Shareen Vader, director of the program and instructor. "It brings families closer together and gives them the opportunity to experience musical performances and events right here in their neighborhood, and also allows families to see firsthand what TLU can offer them after graduation from high school."

Kids who'd like to join the CMA are encouraged to take the opportunity to get involved. Those who are currently part of the program can enroll for the spring semester beginning December 1, while newcomers are encouraged to watch for spring auditions so that they can be placed into the program beginning next fall. Students who already have some musical experience but who have never been enrolled, and would like to see about enrolling this spring, can contact Vader at 830-372-6448 or [email protected]. Find more information about the CMA and enroll here.

All concerts are free and open to the public.