The Salvation Army School of Music and Arts (SOMA) invites the community to its free, spring graduation concert on Tuesday, at 6:30 p.m. The concert will be at The Salvation Army’s Citadel Corps Community Center at 1019 North Moore Road across from Brainerd High School. The students, many of whom have never publicly performed, will proudly show off their newly-learned skills.
“Studies have proven that learning how to play a musical instrument boosts children’s self-esteem and makes them more self confident, taking them further in school and in life,” said Lieutenant Johnny Horton, Salvation Army officer-in-charge of the Corps Community Center in Brainerd. “This School of Music and Arts has been a vital part of our youth programs for many years.”
The Chattanooga Salvation Army School of Music & Art was founded in 2001 to serve as a center for providing discipline, encouraging leadership and enhancing the readiness to learn of low income, high-risk students in the Brainerd Community. The school teaches selected music and art skills and provides activities, resources and incentives that motivate and guide each young person to achieve success now and in the future.
Students enroll in a major class depending on school grade and select two elective classes. The major class for grades three through five is General Music Introduction and Recorder. The grade six through 12 major class is Brass Band. Elective classes are Guitar, Percussion, Piano, Art and Dance. SOMA instruction is also available to young persons in any public or private school and to those home-schooled in and beyond the Brainerd area.
Corresponding with the public school year semesters, SOMA classes are offered each Tuesday evening. Trained, professionally competent instructors serve as the mentor-teachers. These have included middle and high school music directors as well as qualified music instructors from a diversity of local organizations including the CSO and the Jericho Brass.
The SOMA program is always in need of musical instruments and monetary donations. To donate instruments call 423 756-1023. To donate monetarily visit
www.csarmy.org or call 800 Sal-Army. For more information contact Marketing Director, Kimberly George at 423-503-1801 or
Kimberly_George@uss.salvationarmy.org.