MacPhail Center for Music: Press



	Detailed History The New MacPhail Founded 1907 by William S. MacPhail Overview One of the nation’s largest and most respected community music schools Second-largest employer of musicians in Minnesota Mission is to transform lives and enrich communities through innovative music education programs taught by experienced educators and professional musicians Quality music studies along with varied tuition assistance result in customized musical experiences for students of all ages, abilities and socio-economic means Faculty & Students More than 160 teaching artists, 75 percent have a Master’s Degree or beyond in music More than 50 different teaching locations Serves more than 7,200 students annually, amateur to professional from 200 zip codes Students’ ages range from six weeks to 80-plus years Core Programs Instruction offered on more than 35 instruments in a broad range of musical idioms Early Childhood Arts – offers hands-on music making, creative movement and dramatic and visual arts projects for more than 1,600 children aged six weeks to eight years Music Therapy – uses instruments and song to restore, improve and maintain emotional, physical, physiological and spiritual health and well-being for more than 450 individuals Suzuki Talent Education – provides individual lessons and group classes on nine different instruments to develop a child’s sensitivity, discipline and musical capabilities Prelude Program Singer/Actor Performance Lab – an opportunity for talented, motivated teens to develop skills in opera, musical theater and vocal performance and prepare them for a future in performing arts Classes and Ensembles – students of all ages learn musical cooperation, listening skills and musical instruments and genres Individual Instruction – lessons tailored to the ability, schedule and musical goals of both children and adults MacPhail Awards Program – assists both children and adults in their artistic endeavors by providing incentives for participation and success in activity-based, curriculum-based or performance-based programs Additional Program Offerings Performing Ensembles – offers several instrumental and vocal ensembles to help students grow and develop communication and listening skills in music Summer Camps – from Rock Week to Adult Chamber Music Camp, camps give children and adults a chance to learn, laugh and explore music during the summer Master Classes – world-famous musicians come to MacPhail to teach classes and workshops for students and teachers of all ages Jazz Education Center – promotes the understanding of jazz as a living art form for all abilities by giving area jazz artists and educators a place to jam Recital Series – reaches more than 19,000 attendees annually through 350 student recitals, featuring 4,000 student musicians Community Partnerships MacPhail works with more than 47 partner schools and organizations with limited access to music instruction to provide services for 3,000 students 16 national and regional performing arts organizations work alongside MacPhail in serving its many partners, including the Minnesota Orchestra, Minnesota Opera and Children’s Theatre Seven service organizations partner with MacPhail’s Music Therapy department to help those with physical and developmental disabilities, including Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis, Gillette Children’s Hospital in St. Paul and Courage Center in Golden Valley 72 percent of students in the Early Childhood Arts classes offered through MacPhail Community Partnership Programs live below the poverty line 61 percent of K-12 students in MacPhail Community Partnership Programs qualify to receive free or reduced-cost lunch Scholarships and Financial Aid MacPhail scholarship fund makes classes possible for 200 students in the Twin Cities area each year As many as 27 merit-based performance scholarships offered annually Students with financial need eligible for up to 75 percent tuition reduction More Information Call (612) 321-0100 or visit www.macphail.org for a full listing of MacPhail services The New MacPhail The MacPhail Center for Music’s mission of transforming lives and enriching the community through music education has never been more needed, and the demand for its programs and services is at an all-time high. As a result, MacPhail has developed “The New MacPhail” Project with two key initiatives designed to ensure it remains the premier regional destination and resource for community music education through its centennial in 2007 and beyond. The first initiative involves the construction of a new flagship center in Minneapolis, and the second will establish “Access Sites” to bring the renowned MacPhail educational experience to the broader community. Initiative #1: A New Flagship Center Location: South 2nd Street and 5th Avenue South in downtown Minneapolis (near the Mill City Museum and the Guthrie Theater) Expected Opening Date: Late 2007 Purpose: The new building will give MacPhail: Room to grow and expand its services Adequate parking for staff and guests Improved control over air temperature and humidity inside the building, which will help lower instrument maintenance costs A facility that fulfills the needs of infants, children and adults, including those with physical disabilities Design Objectives: Establish a dynamic, welcoming environment for the instruction and enjoyment of music that is commensurate with the reputation of MacPhail itself Reflect the core program elements of MacPhail, learning and performing, through the studio block and performance center – the two primary building components Engage the Mill District neighborhood, making activities within the building evident to the street and creating a wonderful environment to enjoy music Complement and contribute to the Mill District through scale, massing and building composition, and further enhance the growing reputation of the neighborhood as a vibrant arts district in Minneapolis Proposed Interior Features: A two-story formal performance center with a green room and recording space A six-story studio block with a sky-lit entry and circulation to the performance center Informal performance space for small recitals and impromptu gatherings Coffee bar, lounges and catering facilities to enhance MacPhail’s “community feel” Six classrooms for all Early Childhood Arts programming Labs for piano, harp, percussion and rock/jazz percussion 55 studios of various sizes and several individual practice rooms One floor dedicated to MacPhail’s Suzuki Talent Education program A suite devoted to MacPhail’s Music Therapy program Proposed Exterior Features: A composition of various exterior cladding materials, including tin-coated copper, an aluminum curtain wall, Cor-Ten steel and colored fiber cement panels A cast-in-place, post-tensioned concrete structural system Size: 55,250 square feet, approximately 10,000 square feet larger than the current facility Architect: James Dayton Cost: Estimated at $25 million Building Name: MacPhail Center for Music Initiative #2: New “Access Sites” Throughout the Region Purpose: To provide the broader community greater access to the “MacPhail Experience” and its full range of music education programs First Access Site: Opened in fall 2005 at the Paideia Academy in Apple Valley (7200 147th Street West). Currently home to 205 students, 15 instruments and 20 faculty Second Access Site: Scheduled to open in September 2006 in White Bear Lake (1616 Birch Lake Avenue, White Bear Lake) Convenience: Access Sites minimize the amount of time students and families spend commuting to and from MacPhail, enhancing their overall experiences Course Offerings: Each Access Site will offer the same programs and instruction as the flagship Minneapolis center, with current and new musicians and teachers staffing each new location Enrollment: MacPhail anticipates enrollment at all facilities will grow substantially in the coming years

The New MacPhail