Lancaster Academy of Music and Art (LAMA) was created to teach and train Anabaptist instrumentalists and singers in the Lancaster area and to give them the opportunity to play and sing in ensembles with others of like-minded faith.
Registration is still open HERE.
Classes will be offered at St. John's Center United Church at 432 Reading Road East Earl, PA 17519, on the following dates:
2022
Oct. 10 Oct. 24
Nov. 14 Dec. 12th
2023
Jan. 16th Jan. 30
Mar. 13 Mar. 27
Apr. 10 Apr. 17
May 1 May 15
The following classes will be held at these times:
Beginning Strings 4:30-5:30 Jessica Melnik Cost: $60/year
Beginning Band 4:30-5:30 Deana Swanson Cost: $60/year
Dinner break 5:30-5:55
Treble Choir 6:00 - 6:55 Mary Swanson Cost: $60/year
Academy Choir 6:00 - 6:55 Jeff Swanson Cost: $60/year
Full Orchestra 7:00 - 8:00 Jeff Swanson Cost: $60/year
Registration fee $10 per person per year (NOT per class)
Family Discount: First person - $60. a year
Second person in the same family - $40. a year
Third, fourth, fifth, etc. . . . $20. a year
*If you pay for orchestra, you may participate in the choir at no additional charge.
These costs include all music (which must be turned in at the last program), facility rental fees, rental insurance, and tuition costs for the entire year.
Two payments may be made in October and February, or the full amount may be paid up front. Because we are paying for all of the music and facility rentals up front, no refunds will be given.
NOTE: The video at the link below gives a complete introduction to all of the string, wind, and brass instruments. Please watch this to aid in choosing an instrument. There are usually way too many flutes and violins in ensembles, and the flute can be very hard to play. Please be open to other options besides these two.
Please watch the entire video before selecting an instrument. It may be helpful to write down all the ones you are interested in and then narrow it down from there.
INSTRUMENTS OF THE ORCHESTRA video link
Class Descriptions
Beginning Strings - (violins, violas, cellos, and bass) Ages 6 to adult
Participants should be at least half way through book 1 and should already know how to hold the violin and be able to play all the notes on their instrument. If you have not learned all of this yet, contact Jessica at the number below and take private lessons. Then you will be ready for the beginning strings class.
Required supplies: instrument, folding music stand
Beginning Band - (flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, trumpet, French horn, trombone, baritone, tuba, and orchestra bells). Please watch the video at the link above for more information on these instruments.
Students should be in fourth grade or higher and have their two adult front teeth completely in. Beginners of all ages are welcome to attend.
Students are expected to choose and purchase an instrument. The best options are to purchase a new instrument online or a used one in good playing condition. While nothing is guaranteed, these both of these options have worked out well. A used instrument can be purchased from a reputable music store or online. If sold online, used instruments are usually listed as "in good playing condition" if they work well. If they are not in good playing condition, you may spend a lot of money on repairs.
Required supplies: instrument, folding music stand, Essential Elements for Band Book 1 for your instrument (trombone, oboe, tuba, etc.)
NOTE: The piano, while sometimes featured as a solo instrument, it not a normal orchestra instrument. Nor is it feasible to transport them to and from rehearsals. So there are will be no pianos in any of the ensembles at LAMA. Sorry!
Academy Choir - The choir is open to ages 13 and up. Adults are welcome to join and sing as well. Music will be provided. Participants should bring their own black three-ring binders.
Treble Choir - The treble choir is for students ages 7-12. Music will be provided. Students will need their own black three-ring binders.
Full Orchestra - The full orchestra consists of instrumentalists who have been playing for awhile and are comfortable on their instruments. String players should be at or past Suzuki Book 3, and brass and wind players should be at or past an Essential Elements Book 3 level. Instrumentalists should know all the notes on their intruments as well as more advanced rhythms such as dotted eighth notes, sixteenth notes, and triplets to play in this ensemble.
Required supplies: folding music stand, instrument
Note: If a player is in between these two levels, he is still welcome to join. He will need to decide which group he best fits into. The instructors will be able to help with this at rehearsals. It certainly never hurts to review, and playing in a group ensemble, even if it is a bit below one's level, is certainly an enjoyable experience.
Dinner will NOT be provided. This time slot is for anyone who is taking several classes in a row and will need to have a short break for dinner.
We will be renting the church facility and there are no additional rooms for our use. While parents are welcome to attend and watch, any other children who are not participating will need to stay with their parents and not be a distraction during any of the classes. All children must be under the direct supervision of their parents at all times, whether inside or outside the buildling.
Dress Code
Men: Please wear long pants (no shorts) and button down shirts (short or long sleeved). Jeans are acceptable if they are not ripped or distressed. No t-shirts or henleys with buttons are to be worn, please. Closed-toe shoes are permissible, no sandals, slides, etc.
Ladies: Dresses or shirts and skirts that are mid-calf are acceptable. These should easily cover the knees, especially if you play cello :-). Please wear a double-layer, whether it is a cape dress, jumper, or a loose-fitting shirt over another layer. Closed-toe shoes are permissible, no sandals, slides, etc. No t-shirts, please. Long and loose is a good rule to go by. A headship veiling for ladies who are church members should be worn at all LAMA rehearsals and events. If ladies are not yet church members, we ask that their heads be covered for concerts.
Concert attire for the program in May:
Men - black pants and white long-sleeved button down shirts, black belt, black socks, and black dress shoes
Ladies - Solid black long dresses or skirts and shirts with a double layer, black dress shoes (no moccasins, tennis shoes, etc.)
Instructors
Jeff Swanson - Academy Choir and Full Orchestra Conductor
Jeff holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music Performance from Florida State University and Southern Methodist University, respectively. He was a full-time member of both the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Grand Rapids Symphony. After playing professionally for nine years, he began teaching music, loved it, and has been teaching ever since. He received his Secondary Music Teacher's Certification from Aquinas College and currently teaches music at Terre Hill Mennonite School, Shalom Mennonite School, and the Shenandoah Christian Music Camps. He is also the conductor of the Anabaptist Orchestra, the Lancaster Meistersingers and the Eternal Praise Chorale.
Deana Swanson - Beginning Band Director
Deana Swanson holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication from the University of Texas at Arlington where she also was a member of the marching and concert bands. She completed classes for her Secondary English Teacher's Certification from Valdosta State University. After teaching high school and college band programs for over twenty-five years and homeschooling her own children for twelve years, she returned to the school classroom and has been teaching in parochial schools for the past thirteen years. She currently teaches academic and music classes at Maple Grove Mennonite Academy and Shenandoah Christian Music Camps. She is a member of the Lancaster Meistersingers, the Anabaptist Orchestra, and the Eternal Praise Chorale.
Jessica Melnik - Strings Instructor
Jessica Melnik is a private violin, viola, piano, and horn teacher. She also teaches piano at Weavertown Mennonite school. She has taken piano lessons for 10 years from Krystina Yurchakevych, a Ukrainian conservatory teacher. She has also taken horn lessons from Erwin Chandler, a composer and principal horn in the Reading, Pottstown, and Allegheny orchestras. In addition, she has taken private horn lessons from Jeff Swanson, private violin lessons from Galen Reed, and is currently a student of Mr. David Leithman, retired professor from the Lancaster Conservatory of Music.
She has a passion to use music as a ministry to bless others, and often plays with her siblings at various churches and nursing homes. Jessica is one of the organizers of the Vivace Ensemble and enjoys putting together groups to play for and encourage others. She loves teaching children and giving them opportunities to use their talents for Gods glory.
Mary Swanson - Treble Choir Director
Mary Swanson is the K-5th grade music director at Weavertown Mennonite School and a private voice instructor. She has taken music theory and sight-singing classes at the the Shenandoah Christian Music Camp and has also sung in the SCMC Chamber Choir, resident choirs, and mass choirs for the past ten years. She has been a private voice student of Julianne Best at Baylor University and is currently a student of Emily Bullock, vocal department chair at West Chester University. Mary is also a soprano soloist in the Lancaster Meistersingers and the Eternal Praise Chorale.
John and Janelle Martin - Administrators
John and Janelle have been participants in many ensembles and chorales over the years. They are passionate about providing quality musical experiences for children and young adults, including their own six children. John is an electrical contractor and Janelle is a home-school mom. In their free time they enjoy traveling, camping, biking, and smoking meats.
QUESTIONS - While we understand that questions will arise, please keep these to a minimum as all of the instructors have full time teaching jobs as well as families at home. We will try to get back to you within 24 hours. Thanks for your understanding.
String questions may be directed to Jessica Melnik via text, WhatsApp, or a phone call at (610) 858-9664.
Band, choir, and orchestra questions may be directed to Deana & Jeff via text or WhatsApp at (717) 468-0587 between the hours of 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. or via email at littleflock7@gmail.com. No phone calls, please.
Location, payment, and logistical questions may be directed to John and Janelle at 717-587-2916 or martinjanelle78@gmail.com.
