YOUR AD HERE »

New school aims to expand music offerings for Summit County children

JANICE KURBJUN
Summit Daily News
Sera School Music Lessons
ALL |

When Sera Schools Music Programs opens in Summit County Sept. 30, children ages 1 to 12 will have a new chance to learn music, Summit County area director Margaret Ozaki-Graves said.

Sera Schools developed in recent years in Eagle and Mesa counties with the goal of promoting participation in music in mountain towns, where options for private study are often limited.

The new Summit County expansion seeks to further that goal, Ozaki-Graves said. Initial offerings will include piano, voice and guitar lessons, and with interest, violin and early childhood classes may be added. Semi-private, after-school lessons are initially slated for Breckenridge Elementary and Frisco Elementary with in-home tutoring and studio sessions also available. Fees per lesson range from $21.75 for semi-private lessons to $54 for in-home tutoring. Scholarship and financial aid is available for those who qualify.



The idea behind Sera Schools programs is to “dig deep and plant early,” Ozaki-Graves said, noting that stimulating the brain early with music can create lifelong musical connections and aptitude.

“If you start young and give students the tools they need and keep it fun, you can turn anyone that desires to into a musician,” she said. She added that music “can help with focus, success in school and social interaction” and can often correlate to better test scores.



Though the Sera School curriculum is primarily meant for youngsters, Ozaki-Graves also provides opportunities for adults. In all programs, instructors choose repertoire such as classical or world music that intrigues students and helps them learn, she said.

Ozaki-Graves spent weekends in Summit County skiing and mushroom hunting away from her childhood home in Golden. She aims to use her knowledge and experience to encourage students of all ages to feel comfortable using their talents.

For more information or to register for a Sera School program, visit http://www.seraschools.com or call (970) 343-0819 to consult with a scheduling coordinator. Ozaki-Graves is also available at (970) 314-5818.


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

As a Summit Daily News reader, you make our work possible.

Summit Daily is embarking on a multiyear project to digitize its archives going back to 1989 and make them available to the public in partnership with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. The full project is expected to cost about $165,000. All donations made in 2023 will go directly toward this project.

Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference.