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One-on-one lessons, ensemble performances and various summer camps will now be a part of the community thanks to the Elgin Music School.
The Elgin Chamber of Commerce celebrated the inauguration of this non-profit on Thursday, Feb. 9, with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Gabrielle Rosa Amaro founded the music school under the William Lewis School of Opera umbrella.
“I thought it would be a great idea to start a music school for the Elgin community because there was nothing like that when the idea came up in the summer and in the fall,” Rosa said.
The Elgin Music School offers lessons for guitar, piano, voice, percussion and dance for all ages. Although the non-profit is a legitimate musical academy, she said it’s main purpose is to serve as a summer program for university scholars. As part of the William Lewis School of Opera, there will be study abroad programs for students to visit France and Austria.
Rosa grew up partaking in a number of different activities within the artistic realm. She played piano, trumpet and performed in a mariachi band. Her mom is the vice president of the William Lewis school and a former opera singer, and her dad is a contemporary dancer.
There are currently minimal opportunities for Elginites to immerse themselves in musical activities. Thus, Rosa is thrilled to help fill a void in the community.
“I just think music is important,” Rosa said. “I actually have two little kids… and I always have to look for things outside of Elgin… I thought, 'I'm probably not the only parent that is like that.’ A lot of children will have access to this school and it brings extracurricular activities to kids in Elgin.”
Some exciting events that Rosa looks forward to are a group concert in the spring, a summer camp for elementary students and a choir contest next year that will feature kids from Taylor, Coupland and other parts of Texas.
