Sing praise to God, O kingdoms of the

earth, sing praise to the Lord,

Selah. Psalm 68:32

Music has the ability to soothe and to inspire. It can be used to praise and to inform. The gifts of

being able to enjoy and to perform music are great blessings from a gracious God. He loves to hear

his children praise him through melody and song. As Martin Luther put it, “Next to the Word of

God, music deserves the highest praise.”

Selah Music Academy exists to promote the use of musical talents in serving God and others.

Sharing the beauty of a musical composition by playing an instrument is an activity which is

beneficial both to the performer and the listener. Cultivating talent, encouraging the traits of self-

discipline and perseverance through practice, and nurturing the growing skill are all aims of the

academy. As we provide instruction, we are also reminding our students that their talents are gifts

from God, and we promote a spirit of thankfulness through service- using these gifts to inspire

others, to assist in worship, and to give all glory to God.

Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and

faithfulness. Psalm 115:1

Piano Instruction

Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him with the strings and pipe.

Psalm 150:1, 4b

Location: Lessons will be given in the staff minister’s office or in the sanctuary at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church. The student or the parent of the student is responsible for transportation. Scheduling: Lessons are individually scheduled with the instructor. The lessons will be 30 minutes in length. Lessons are given on a weekly basis, and will be put on hiatus during the Christmas-New Year’s holidays, and may be during the summer months. Fees: Each weekly lesson is $15.00. Lessons are to be prepaid in a block of five for $75.00. This payment is nonrefundable. Cash or check is accepted, with checks made payable to Christ the Lord Lutheran Church; cash must be for the exact amount. A reminder will be sent to the parents the week of the fourth lesson that payment is again due. If you have more than one child taking lessons, fees for those children are $10.00 per lesson. Lesson Materials: Students must have a piano at home for practicing. An acoustic or an electronic instrument are both acceptable instruments. There is a small library of books available for student use. They may be borrowed and must be returned in good condition in order to maintain borrowing privileges. These materials will be used to supplement the standard lesson materials. Lesson materials will need to be purchased by the student/parents, either directly from the store by the parents, or from a supply previously purchased by the instructor. New purchases from the instructor must be paid in full before being released to the student. The student is responsible for bringing lesson materials each week to be used at the lesson. If a student forgets to bring along their books, alternative music will be provided for the student to use during the lesson. Repeatedly forgetting books will mean that the student must purchase a second set to be kept at the church for use at lesson time. Beginning Students- Preparedness: Beginning students will find the lessons most enjoyable and benefit most from the instruction if they already have some frame of reference for the skills they will be learning. Students 7 years old and older have likely already begun using abstract thinking skills in manipulating numbers and attaching sounds to letters in reading. These skills will aid them in learning to identify note values and in reading musical notation. Therefore, we ask that students be at least 7 years old and in first grade before being enrolled in lessons. If you feel your younger child has the ability to handle the requirements of lessons, the instructor would be happy to meet with the child and assess his/her preparedness as a potential student. Practice expectations: Students are expected to be faithful in preparing assigned material, and displaying progress in their performance level. The best progress comes from practicing at least five days each week, with the lesson day not counting as a day of practice. Students who are not committed to improving their performance through sufficient practice may be asked to end lessons. They may participate in other activities at the academy. Performance expectations: Students will be expected to play in at least one recital each year, held at the church. Other opportunities will be offered as well, such as performing for judges at piano festivals hosted by various music organizations (mainly for intermediate and advanced students). Attendance at lessons: Parents are welcome to remain at the church during the lessons. They may observe, or may wait outside the classroom until the lesson is completed.

Guitar Instruction

Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him with the strings and pipe.

Psalm 150:1, 4b

Location: Lessons will be given in the staff minister’s office, the sanctuary, or other classrooms at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church. The student or the parent of the student is responsible for transportation. Scheduling: Lessons are individually scheduled with the instructor. The lessons will be 30 minutes in length. Lessons are given on a weekly basis, and will be put on hiatus the weeks of June 17-21 and August 5-9, 2019, to accommodate staff needs and the Art Camp. Fees: Each weekly lesson is $15.00. Lessons are to be prepaid in a block of five for $75.00. This payment is nonrefundable. Cash or check is accepted; cash must be for the exact amount. A reminder will be sent to the parents the week of the fourth lesson that payment is again due. If you have more than one child taking lessons, fees for those children are $10.00 per lesson. Lesson Materials: Students must provide their own instrument. Students will need to purchase the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1, https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=hal+leonard+guitar+method+book+1&crid=TIGNZVIPVBH9&sprefix=hal+leonard%2Caps %2C188&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_11 . Other materials will be provided by the teacher. The student is responsible for bringing lesson materials each week to be used at the lesson. If a student forgets to bring along their books, alternative music will be provided for the student to use during the lesson. Repeatedly forgetting books will mean that the student must purchase a second set to be kept at the church for use at lesson time. Beginning Students- Preparedness: Beginning students will find the lessons most enjoyable and benefit most from the instruction if they already have some frame of reference for the skills they will be learning. Students 7 years old and older have likely already begun using abstract thinking skills in manipulating numbers and attaching sounds to letters in reading. These skills will aid them in learning to identify note values and in reading musical notation. Therefore, we ask that students be at least 7 years old and in first grade before being enrolled in lessons. If you feel your younger child has the ability to handle the requirements of lessons, the instructor would be happy to meet with the child and assess his/her preparedness as a potential student. Practice expectations: Students are expected to be faithful in preparing assigned material, and displaying progress in their performance level. The best progress comes from practicing at least five days each week, with the lesson day not counting as a day of practice. Students who are not committed to improving their performance through sufficient practice may be asked to end lessons. They may participate in other activities at the academy. Attendance at lessons: Parents are welcome to remain at the church during the lessons. They may observe, or may wait outside the classroom until the lesson is completed.

Voice Instruction

Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him with the strings and pipe.

Psalm 150:1, 4b

Location: Lessons will be given in the staff minister’s office, the sanctuary, or other classrooms at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church. The student or the parent of the student is responsible for transportation. Scheduling: Lessons are individually scheduled with the instructor. The lessons will be 30 minutes in length. Lessons are given on a weekly basis, and will be put on hiatus the weeks of June 17-21 and August 5-9, 2019, to accommodate staff needs and the Art Camp. Fees: Each weekly lesson is $15.00. Lessons are to be prepaid in a block of five for $75.00. This payment is nonrefundable. Cash or check is accepted; cash must be for the exact amount. A reminder will be sent to the parents the week of the fourth lesson that payment is again due. If you have more than one child taking lessons, fees for those children are $10.00 per lesson. Lesson Materials: The materials needed for lessons will be provided by the instructor. Practice expectations: Students are expected to be faithful in preparing assigned material, and displaying progress in their performance level. The best progress comes from practicing at least five days each week, with the lesson day not counting as a day of practice. Students who are not committed to improving their performance through sufficient practice may be asked to end lessons. They may participate in other activities at the academy. Attendance at lessons: Parents are welcome to remain at the church during the lessons. They may observe, or may wait outside the classroom until the lesson is completed.

Introduction to Piano Sing to the LORD a new song. Psalm 149:1

Location: Lessons will be given in the staff minister’s office, the sanctuary, or other classrooms at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church. The student or the parent of the student is responsible for transportation. Scheduling: Lessons are individually scheduled with the instructor. The lessons will be 30 minutes in length. Lessons are given on a weekly basis, and will be put on hiatus the weeks of June 17-21 and August 5-9, 2019, to accommodate staff needs and the Art Camp. Fees: Each weekly lesson is $15.00. Lessons are to be prepaid in a block of five for $75.00. This payment is nonrefundable. Cash or check is accepted; cash must be for the exact amount. A reminder will be sent to the parents the week of the fourth lesson that payment is again due. If you have more than one child taking lessons, fees for those children are $10.00 per lesson. Lesson Materials: The materials needed for lessons will be provided by the instructor. A piano at home is not required for this introductory class. Practice expectations: Students are expected to be faithful in preparing assigned material, and displaying progress in their performance level. The best progress comes from practicing at least five days each week, with the lesson day not counting as a day of practice. Attendance at lessons: Parents are welcome to remain at the church during the lessons. They may observe, or may wait outside the classroom until the lesson is completed.