Our Broad Vision for Youth

Overview

Our goal is to nurture all children’s musical talents through lessons, performances, concerto competitions and participation in age-group youth orchestras and choirs until they are ready to perform in our professional-level performing arts group, the Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society (The S0ciety). Thus, they will have exceptional opportunities no longer available to them in many public schools. The culmination of our overall plan will be the establishment of the Vandewiele Conservatory of Fine Arts, with its own state-of-the-art campus, which will bring in world-class teachers and students to train and perform here in Utah.

Vezzoso

The Vezzoso School of Music teaches high-quality private lessons on various instruments to children of all ages and supervises their daily practicing if desired. We anticipate that these music students will experience an increase in knowledge, skills, and discipline, as well as gain a love of great music and the arts, which will enrich their entire lives and help them become better citizens and responsible future leaders in our communities.

Philosophy of Teaching. The Vezzoso School of Music is unique. Its teachers are hand-picked, excellent musicians who also have that amazing ‘something’ that makes them great teachers. They are trained in the philosophy and time-proven methods of school founder and master teacher, Sherri Jensen. These methods include a system to incrementally lead young minds step by step through the process of understanding and learning music as a language. Once they are fluent in this language, students have the ability to employ the power of music in their lives forever.

Life Skills Learned. The Italian musical term “vezzoso” (pronounced vay-TZO-so) means “graceful, charming.” Students at the Vezzoso School of Music learn to love music, and their creativity and mental powers expand because of their musical training. Their self-esteem grows as their proficiency on their instruments increases. They see that it is possible to have fun while working hard and accepting responsibility. And they enjoy the opportunities given them through the school to perform and to make friends.

Motto. The Vezzoso School of Music has as its motto: Building Foundations of Success. Its students, as future responsible adults and community leaders, are being trained in character-building skills. Young lives are being enriched by music. Souls are being touched one note at a time.

Why is another music school needed?  Musical training is essential for both the correct hardwiring of our children’s brains for academic success and also for the building of character traits essential to the survival of all the best in our society. Yet local school districts are cutting their music education programs, and music teachers are looking for jobs in other states. Utah ranks 50th in the United States for financial and school support of the arts.

Low test scores and mind-numbing gaming are on the rise. Studies have shown damaging effects on our society because of the lack of early musical training for so many of our children. It is not a coincidence that countries with strong music education in their schools consistently score higher than the U.S. in overall achievement scores (International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, 1988). We as a society must realize that the Fine Arts are vital to train and channel the minds of our precious children in important positive ways. The future is in the hands of our children!

Location. The Vezzoso School of Music is located at 12222 South 1000 East, Suite 2, in Draper, Utah, with easy freeway access. The school consists of four studios with new pianos for teaching piano, strings, winds, and brass, a percussion studio with a complete set of new orchestral percussion instruments, plus a larger area with a new grand piano for group classes.

The Vezzoso School of Music is taking applications for additional teachers and students. Those interested should inquire by text to Sherri Jensen at (801) 319-0107.