Private music lessons soon at Webutuck


 

WEBUTUCK - Debara Zahn, founder of the Dutchess Music Fund, believes that music is critical to the development of a child.

"There is a lot of individual research that suggests, especially at a young age, music instruction changes the chemistry of the brain to not only appreciate the arts, but also help them do better in mathematics and science," Zahn said. "I learned how to play the piano at a young age and I feel that it helped me to become an extremely good critical thinker. I went to college and became quite successful. Learning how to play the piano taught me how to focus on something."

Through funding from the music fund, the Webutuck school district is now offering private music lessons to students after school. The lessons will be available to all Webutuck students, regardless of whether or not they can pay.

"The lessons will be taught at Webutuck High School after the regular school day," district Superintendent Richard Johns stated in an e-mail press release. "[Zahn] had a dream of making private music lessons available to all children regardless of their ability to pay for them. Her idea involved courting people who would be willing to fund the lessons and, with the aid of the school system, finding students who had the desire to learn to play a musical instrument at an advanced level."

Zahn said the district is in the process of interviewing music teachers for the program.

"I was originally concerned about finding high quality teachers, but the teachers we've interviewed are willing to drive more than 45 minutes to teach this program, which is very beneficial," she said. "This year we can fund around 15 to 20 students to start the program. Right now, we are teaching woodwinds, flute and saxophone. We will continue to add more and more programs as we go along."

For more information about the program, call the Webutuck Central School District at 845-373-4100.

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