Music studies and concerts make Schoolcraft College a music hub

The campus of Schoolcraft College is alive with music year-round, thanks to some unique college certificate programs for those interested in making music a career and on-going free musical performances open to students, staff and the community.

The music studies program at Schoolcraft College has recently been expanded to include three unique certificate programs aimed at helping pianists who are interested in having a successful career as private piano teachers. The entry-level Keys for Piano Skills Teacher Certificate introduces pianists who are considering becoming private instructors to the basics of piano teaching materials and techniques and provides opportunities to improve their keyboard techniques for piano instruction.

The Piano Teacher Certificate is a more advanced curriculum for aspiring private piano teachers and provides instruction in piano teaching materials and techniques as well as music theory and history. The Piano Teacher Advanced Certificate is designed for current private piano teachers who want to advance their professional careers.

Schoolcraft College also offers a variety of courses and broader music certificates including the Music Foundations certificate for anyone who wants to build their musical abilities for personal growth and enjoyment, and the Music Intermediate certificate, designed for students who wish to transfer to a four-year institution as a music major and/or pursue music as a profession. And the list of past students who have gone on to careers in classical, jazz and even country music is impressive.

One past student, John Beresford, began taking music theory classes at Schoolcraft College while he was in high school, and then went on to earn his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in organ performance at the University of Michigan. He is currently the director of classic worship at Ward Church in Northville, Mich.

“Taking music theory courses at Schoolcraft with Professor Barton Polot really got me interested in music as a career,” Beresford said. “What I learned from him really helped me when I studied music at the University of Michigan.”

In addition to providing college-age students with the a variety of music study options, it also offers young pianists who are in elementary, middle or high school the opportunity to attend Schoolcraft College’s popular one-week Summer Piano Camp which offers elementary, intermediate and advanced piano students a focused opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills. The camp includes supervised individual practice, duet coaching and daily performance opportunities.

Anyone in the community with a musical interest can also learn to play guitar or improve their singing voice by taking courses through the college’s Continuing Education and Professional Development program.

While music study opportunities abound at Schoolcraft College, there are also plenty of opportunities for those in the community to attend a number of free music performances featuring a variety of musical styles on the college’s Livonia campus. For example, a monthly noon concert series features top local and nationally known jazz and classical musicians performing. There are also a number of larger campus-wide performances such as the fall “Sounds of Autumn” and holiday “Sounds of the Season” and “Winter Wonders” concerts featuring performances by Schoolcraft College music students.

And each summer since 1999, Schoolcraft College has hosted the Michigan Jazz Festival, a regional event that this year will feature nearly 30 jazz soloists and groups performing on six different stages.

So whether you are interested in making your living in music, or just enjoy attending some great, free concerts on a comfortable college-campus setting right in your own community, you don’t need to look any further than Schoolcraft College.

For more information about Schoolcraft College’s Music Certificate programs or on-campus musical performances, visit www.schoolcraft.edu/music, call the Music Department at (734) 462-4403 or email music@schoolcraft.edu.