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On August 31, 2011, the Music For Underserved Interested Children (M.U.S.I.C.) Endowment began with a Kick Off party of Charter Members at the Governor’s Mansion. An anonymous donor had matched up to $5000 in order to reach a total goal of $10,000, the amount necessary to fully fund an endowment through the Lincoln Community Foundation. Because of LMTA and private fundraisers, private donations and a good run in the stock market, the fund has grown to $109,653.15 as of June 2021. The interest from the M.U.S.I.C. Endowment is paid out annually in November and helps fund the Lincoln Music Teachers Association Music Outreach Program (LMTA-MOP). This year that amount equals $2519.54, enough to pay for forty-four lessons and other expenses for nearly three students in need.
The award-winning LMTA Music Outreach Program beneficiary provides low-cost music lessons with an LMTA Teacher, instruments, printed music, and community performance opportunities for up to 50 area limited-resource students to study the instrument of their choice. When students are ready, they participate in community service recitals and may enter free of charge in all LMTA events, District and State Festivals, and competitions. Students doing exceptionally well, or “Rising Stars” as they are called, may audition in the spring for the opportunity to study a second instrument or to spend more time with their present teacher the following year.
Using private donations, grants, fundraising activities, and modest fees paid by the student families, MOP pays its teachers and provides free instruments with upkeep along with other operating costs. The cost to student families is determined by the Federal Reduced/Free Lunch status: Free Lunch Rate is $10 per month and $5 for each sibling; Reduced Lunch Rate is $25 month & $15 month per sibling.
Because of the work of LMTA volunteers and community partners who provide free or greatly reduced-cost piano tuning, instrument rental, upkeep and repairs, free printed music, piano moving and storage, and meeting or teaching space, LMTA-MOP continues to thrive. Community Partners include Chet’s Moving and Storage, M.T. Cowell Piano Services, Dietze Music, Dwight Haupt Piano Service, cgsmusic, Harris Academy of the Arts, Keith Heckman, Meadowlark Strings, The Violin Shop, Holy Savior Lutheran Church, St. Mark’s on the Campus Episcopal Church, New Visions Community United Methodist Church and the Glenn Korf School of Music.
LMTA-MOP is funded by the Cooper Foundation, Find Your Light Foundation, Hormel Harris Foundation, Lincoln Arts Council, Lincoln Community Foundation, Pearle Francis Finigan Foundation, Woods Bros Realty Foundation for Giving, large donations from the Delta Omicron Alumni Club, Mu Phi Epsilon, The Heritage League of Lincoln, Universal Financial Strategies, West Gate Bank, LMTA Fundraisers and other private donations.
Any adult who is familiar with a child’s talent and interest may nominate a student. Download a Nomination Form from www.LMTA.info [Music Outreach], or contact MOP@LMTA.info.
LMTA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation. Monetary, instrument and music donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. For more information, to make a donation, or nominate a student, go to www.LMTA.info [Music Outreach Program] or [MUSIC Endowment] and follow the directions given there.
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For more information visit www.LMTA.info and click on Music Outreach Program
Charter Members of the Music for Underserved Interested Children came together for a Kick Off Celebration at the Governor’s Mansion on August 31, 2011. Charter Members also included affiliates the Nebraska Music Teachers Association and the Music Teachers National Association.
"Rising Star" student Matvey Moisseyev received a special lesson from Mark Clinton, UNL Professor of Music, in a distance masterclass during Covid-19. He had received an extended benefit for extra time with his teacher, Dr Marina Fabrikant.
“Rising Star” students of Jo Riecker-Karl, LMTA-MOP Chair, left to right Paola and Rocio Izaguirre are warming up to play a duet for a performance. Paola auditioned and received an extended benefit to study saxophone with Dr. Jennifer Reeves in addition to piano. Rocio later wished to concentrate on classical guitar and auditioned for extra lesson times with her teacher Antonio Forgione.
Apollo is a strings group directed by Heather Pedersen which performs in the community. Her LMTA Music Outreach students are invited to participate.
Kason Fiedler, Graduate MOP student of Dr. Marina Fabrikant, Professor of Music at Union College, gave back by playing a benefit concert for LMTA-MOP.
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