SOUTHEAST PLANS MUSIC PREPARATORY PROGRAM FOR FALL

Southeast Missouri State University is offering a music preparatory program this fall.

Registration continues through Friday for two sections of the preparatory program.

The non-profit program offers music instruction through individual lessons and group musicianship classes to youths and adults.

Starting Sept. 10, a beginning piano class for adults will be offered on Tuesday evenings. The class runs through Dec. 17. Jeanne Tjaden, formerly with the Cape Girardeau Public Schools, will teach the class in the electronic piano laboratory.

The adult piano class is designed for adults wanting to "brush up" on their piano skills and for those without previous piano training.

A second section is available for youths in first grade through high school. Instruction is being offered on all band instruments, violin, viola, cello, string bass, piano, organ, guitar, and for voice. Fees include a 30-minute private lesson and a 30-minute musicianship class each week.

Musicianship classes reinforce the basic musical skills of note reading, rhythm~ reading and identi~fication of key signatures, scales and chords through writing activities, rhythm instruments and computer programs. Sight-singing and ear-training also are included in the course.

Instructors in the youth "prep program" include Sara Edgerton and Paul Thompson who recently joined the program's faculty from the String Academy of Wisconsin. They will supervise the string program and musicianship classes. Also providing youth "prep program" instruction will be Southeast Missouri State University faculty and students as well as other professional musicians.

"All `prep program' faculty meet strict qualifications, thus providing a very high quality of teaching," said Becky Fulgham, music preparatory program director. "These high standards, coupled with the musicianship classes and private instruction, make our program quite unique."

Under the youth program, five sessions are available during the year a 30-week session, a 15-week session, a fall eight-week session, a spring four-week session and an eight-week summer session. Three levels of instruction also are available. Fees reflect the length of session and type of instruction chosen.

All students, except adults and first-year beginners, are required to take a brief diagnostic examination offered at 7 p.m. Sept. 3 and 4 in Room 112 of Brandt Music Hall to determine placement in the appropriate musicianship class.

Interested persons may obtain further information by contacting Fulgham at (314) 651-2378.