Limestone's Music Department Partners With Village School of Gaffney

As part of a partnership agreement to enhance music education for young people in Cherokee County, the Limestone College Music Department recently conducted an “INFORMance” showcase for students from the Village School of Gaffney.

The performance at Limestone’s Downtown Campus on North Granard Street featured the College’s Advanced iPan (steel drums) ensemble and Beginner iPan ensemble, the Village School’s fourth- and fifth-grade tone chime ensemble, and its sixth- through eighth-grade steel pan ensemble.

It marked the second “INFORMance” showcase of the academic year, giving the students from the Village School the opportunity to show off what they had learned over the past three months by performing for family and friends.

“A big benefit of this partnership occurs for my students, particularly the music education students,” explained Dr. Patrick K. Carney, Limestone’s Associate Professor of Music Education and Director of Bands. “They receive valuable actual classroom experiences that cannot be expressed in a lecture. This also helps us reach our goals of music access and participation with local school children. The Village School students are being exposed to wonderful music being taught by great college musicians. It truly has been an awesome partnership for everyone involved.

“Arts education is fundamental in the development of a student's creativity, imagination, and teamwork skills," Dr. Carney added.

The first-year partnership included two different 12-week instructional sessions, followed by an “INFORMance” showcase at the end of each one. The fourth- and fifth-graders were taught at the Village School campus, while the sixth- through eighth-graders received instruction at Limestone’s Downtown Campus.

Dr. Carney noted that the partnership has been enthusiastically supported by Fran Reeves, the Director of the Village School, along with the Board of Directors at the Village School, Limestone President Dr. Walt Griffin, and the College’s Executive Vice President Dr. Karen Gainey.

“Our mission is to provide a Christian environment where teachers inspire students to become self-governing lifelong learners,” Reeves said. “This partnership with Limestone College’s Music Department certainly helps us fulfill that objective.”

Dr. Carney also said that because of its partnership with the Village School, the College recently received a donation to support the iPan ensemble and the Limestone Music Department’s upcoming trip to Ireland.

A recent national report indicated that learning and playing music helps young students develop personally and academically, increase language skills, promote higher self-esteem, and sharpens concentration and memory.