JACKSON, Tenn. — July 15, 2009 — One hundred children from first through sixth grades are participating in 51社区鈥檚 first Children鈥檚 Summer Music Camp this week.
Sponsored by Union鈥檚 music department, the camp provides large-group instruction for the children, as well as small groups that concentrate on such topics as African drumming, movement, handbells, piano, drama and Orff (melodic percussion). In addition, several guest artists are presenting concerts and speaking to the children about their instruments and the compositions they perform.
鈥淥ne of the chief aims of our department is advocating music and music education,鈥� said Chris Mathews, chairman of Union鈥檚 music department. 鈥淲e wanted to present a high-quality music camp for as low a price as possible to expose children to some of the best music we could provide them. We wanted to get the children excited about music.鈥�
More than 30 volunteer instructors are helping with the camp. Instructors include Union music professors, local music teachers, church personnel and Union students.
鈥淪ome of them are music education majors, so this is wonderful experience for them,鈥� said Union music professor Betty Bedsole, camp director, about the Union students.
Mathews said he hopes the camp will get more children involved with the Union Children鈥檚 Choir and the Community Music Center, and that he expects the music department to hold the same type of camp again next summer.