How to choose a music program for your child.

Meet Mary. Mary is a busy mom with four children.  She has twin boys, Kevin and Ryan age 15, and Rebecca and Keegan ages 9 and 6 respectively.  She learns about DMS when she attends a parent's night at her younger children's school (which has recently become a DMS Member School).  She is thrilled that music education will be a part of their school day and expresses her wish, to the DMS representative, to have her older children, who attend a different school, have the same experience. Mary is ecstatic to learn from the representative that some DMS Member Schools are open to the community and that there is one such school in her area.   This is great news for Mary! 

Her oldest son, Kevin is involved in many activities at his high school including chess, debate, and soccer.  Although he used to play percussion instruments in middle school, his extracurricular activities have prevented him from continuing his drum practice.  Kevin loves music and would like to continue to take lessons; however, he does not have the time required to play in his school's marching band.  Mary encourages him to attend the local DMS Member School that is open to the community.  Kevin enrolls through this school in DMS Program III: Instrumental through lessons study.  This way he can take private lessons on Saturday mornings and can learn his instrument at his own pace.

Kevin's twin brother Ryan is a budding musician.  He is in the music ministry at his family's church and he has been singing and playing the piano since age 6.  Ryan has also been playing the violin since age 10.  Since he plays the piano at church, Ryan wants to gain more performance experience on his violin.  He knows how to read music and figures he is probably at an advanced level on the violin.  Thus, Ryan auditions for DMS Program II: Instrumental through performance study at the local DMS Member School.  He intends to perform regularly as a member of a DMS chamber music ensemble.

Like her brothers, Rebecca loves music, particularly singing.  She sings all the time and has had some informal training through singing in the youth choir at church.  Mary enrolls Rebecca in the DMS Certificate program through Rebecca's school.  In this program, Rebecca will learn to read music, to properly care for and use her voice, and performance techniques.  Best of all she will receive her training among a group of her peers and will have performance opportunities in a DMS choir.

Mary's youngest child Keegan wants to be like his older siblings.  He has not had any music training and does not yet know what instrument he would like to play.  Mary enrolls Keegan in a DMS recorder class at his school.