What Parents Have to Say About Our Programs 

About the Intermezzo Orchestra:

“It was a great experience for my daughter to play the violin in that environment. Learning about how an orchestra functions on stage was a lesson she will never forget.”

“[The teacher] encourages the kids to work hard and it pays off, the kids really progressed this year.”

“[The teacher] is always positive and encouraging, and the college students who worked with her were also helpful.”

“[The teacher] is so patient and enthusiastic, she gets wonderful results. She has high expectations for the kids and is really good at bringing out the best in them.”

About the Prelude Orchestra:

“[My granddaughter] has come out of her shell. She loves playing, and altho sometimes hard for her she is becoming more sure of herself. She was extremely shy when she started but is gaining more confidence each day.  The instructors have been fantastic! They are patient and kind. Thank you so much for giving [her] this opportunity.”

“[This teacher’s] class has been a delight to watch the last few months. She is very engaging with activities, she interacts well with the kids and has the perfect balance of fun yet order to her classroom. She has done a fantastic job in opening the hearts and minds of our children to love music.”

“Excellent value for money (especially with having more than one child enrolled). Really excellent quality of teaching, [the teacher] is calm, patient and encouraging, the kids are excited to come to class and are progressing.”

“I already appreciated the organized and professional instruction, opportunities and communication. Where they exceeded my expectations was when they worked with our feedback and reorganized the groups for the second semester to make the students’ experience even better.”

“My son was motivated to practice (without prompting from me), and enjoyed it.”

“Learning to play the violin has helped with my child’s confidence, as well as helping her to be a very well rounded young lady.”

“I think this is a great organization!”

About the Suzuki program:

“Just a note to say thanks so much for what you do for the Youth Symphony Orch. I was soooo excited [my daughter] volunteered to demo today by HERSELF! Such a major step for her confidence. We really appreciate you and this program.”

“Thank you for making violin so fun and exciting for the children. It is the best! I was a little nervous about the difference between group learning and private lessons. I wish I would have started each of my kids in a setting like this.”

About the Prelude at Motivate Our Minds and Prelude at Ross Center programs:

“This is a phenomenal opportunity for our students that we are proud to offer. This educational enrichment opportunity is an excellent one that expands the student’s knowledge and gives them an outlet for trying new things.”

“The Prelude program at Motivate Our Minds is a great asset to the community of Muncie. It gives the after school center the right touch to make it more effective. Much like regular school has academic classes and artistic classes, so should after school programs, and I believe the prelude orchestra is the right group. I was privileged to spend a year teaching in the orchestra and it has changed my life. I started my career simply assisting Dr. Matthew Spieker, in teaching the students the basics of string instruments. There were consistently about five children, ranging from third grade to eighth grade, all at various learning levels. At the end of the program, the students were no longer being taught corporately as a class but between myself, Dr. Spieker and other volunteers, the students were having individual lessons each week. Yes some kids had previous knowledge of string instruments, but for the most part this was like learning how to walk. I can say that from having a hands-on experience, the growth was amazing! These kids not only learned how to play their instrument, but also gained more confidence overall. In this program, shy kids started to open up and sporadic kids calmed down (just a little bit), and it was all as a result of music. I believe that having some aspect of music not only makes the school center better but also, and more importantly, improves and motivates the minds of the kids in our city.”

“Our boys are receiving such wonderful enrichment opportunities at Motivate our Minds. They have gotten special enjoyment out of their violin lessons. They take great pride in having their own instruments and are bubbling with details about lessons each lesson day when they get in the car. They love taking their instruments to school and then to MOM’s each week and are quick to tell others that they play the violin and viola. As a teacher and a parent I’ve always been intrigued by the research suggesting academic benefits to students who play instruments. We feel that our boys have benefited greatly by their musical experiences through the Prelude Orchestra and thank you so much for the opportunity you’ve provided them.”

About the YSO: