BELTON, Texas—The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor recently received a generous $55,000 grant from the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation to continue program support for the UMHB Arts Academy (formerly the Conservatory of Music). Past grants from the Carpenter Foundation have made it possible for many students to participate in the program through scholarships and strategic funding initiatives, and this gift will support a variety of programs and initiatives, including scholarships for young artists and musicians, enhanced educational resources, and the expansion of community outreach events.
"We are incredibly grateful to the Carpenter Foundation for their continued support," said Tucker Glaske, Vice President for Advancement. "Their commitment has helped expand access to arts education and continues to support the development of young talent in our community."
Founded in 1996, the Arts Academy provides Central Texas students with a full spectrum of applied music studies. The program offers area youth opportunities to improve their music skills through individual instruction in piano, voice, brass, woodwinds, percussion, strings, and guitar. The curriculum also offers group activities for young musicians, including preschool music activity classes, group performance classes, theory, and other music-applied classes.
In August of 2023, the UMHB College of Visual and Performing Arts expanded the offerings of the Arts Academy, bringing opportunities for instruction and experiences of all art forms to the community, not only to children but to all ages. As a result, the Arts Academy presents opportunities in musical arts, visual arts, media production and studio recording, dance, theatre, and other creative disciplines.
While the Arts Academy benefits its participants, it also has advantages for the university students. Music education students learn pedagogy techniques while assisting and observing Preschool Teeny Tykes & Tunes classes, private lesson instruction, and other music and art workshops and clinics held throughout the year. Many have also been enlisted to deliver private lessons to instrumental band, piano, strings, and voice students, providing the UMHB college students with valuable teaching experience.
Thanks to the Arts Academy's high level of music instruction, students have the opportunity to perform and participate in state and national organizations, including the Texas Music Teachers Association (TMTA), the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), National Association for Music Educators (NAME), the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), and other professional national organizations. Individually, students receiving instruction in the Arts Academy's programs often go on to excel in regional and statewide competitions.
"The generous investments made by the Carpenter Foundation in the Arts Academy have had a significant influence on the success we are experiencing today," said Dr. Kathryn Fouse, dean of UMHB's College of Visual and Performing Arts. "The enrollment is the highest in program history, with over 200 students participating this fall. The ongoing impact of the Carpenter Foundation has been substantial and will benefit generations to come."
To learn more about the UMHB Arts Academy or register for classes, visit Arts Academy (umhb.edu).
