Warren Music Conservatory brings ‘School of Rock’ to City of Warren
“School of Rock has come to Warren.”
Joseph Glarner isn’t just a professional musician and the musical director at Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church, he’s also bringing back the Warren Music Conservatory along with other music professionals.
“It’s more than just playing music,’ said Glarner, explaining that on top of the visual of music like performances and recordings, there’s another 75 percent of musicians you don’t see. Talent, intuition, creativity, practice, intelligence, experience, mental acuity, self confidence, experimentation with instruments and gear, ear training and education, sharing of musical ideas, physical condition and knowledge of music theory and history are also vital for successful musicians.
And that’s why, Glarner said, the conservatory won’t just deal with instrumental lessons.
“We offer theory, ear training, music history, physics of sound,” he said.
The conservatory, located at 220 Pennsylvania Avenue West, offers courses on a scale of bronze, silver and gold membership. A $59 bronze membership pays for two 30-minute group lessons each week. The $89 silver membership doubles those classes to four 30-minute classes per week, while the $129 gold memberships allows for access to 30 to 50 hours of instruction per month.
For one-on-one private instruction, sessions can be arranged.
“It’s a fully encompassed program,” said Glarner. “There’s a huge value with how we have it set up.”
Glarner explained that by offering a minimum of two classes per week, the conservatory stresses taking an elective along with a base instrument or, alternatively, taking two instruments with one of them being piano or drums.
There are also subcategories for all of the instruments offered such as jazz improv, Afro Cuban guitar, Suzuki violin, jazz violin, sacred hymns, vocal jazz, blues band, modern jazz band, film scoring, music business and marketing, recording artist workshop, composition and others.
“This has been a dream of mine,” Glarner said. “Music is one of man’s essential luxuries.”
Essential, he said, based on science.
Glarner said at one time, it was all observation about students who studied music and the arts doing better academically.
“Now, we know music does magic to brains,” he said. “Fireworks go off in the brain. Playing music, it’s like Disney fireworks are going off.”
“That’s one of the crimes in the funding cuts,” said Glarner.
Glarner said he knows that the price can be a problem and that’s why the conservatory will offer scholarships.
“I know what it’s like,” he said. “You want to enrich your kids’ lives, but it adds up.”
Parents concerned with the cost can contact the school for information about the scholarships.
Enrollment thus far, Glarner said, “has been really good” and classes will officially start after Labor Day. Those interested can contact Glarner through warrenmusicconservatory.com, by calling 814-580-3913 or by stopping in. Glarner said there is parking available in the back of the building.
Students as young as five can enroll depending on the teacher and parent preference and there is a homeschool program in the works.
“We have great people here,” Glarner said of his teaching staff. “They’re healthy and positive and the kids and parents are going to walk away happy.”
Glarner said he would eventually like to see high school juniors and seniors mentor younger students on their instruments and added that any local musicians interested in teaching contact him.
Currently, the Warren Music Conservatory has Jim Sturdavant, Cathy Peterson, Renee Petruccello, Irys McKotch, TR McKotch, Steve Chapel and Glarner on the list of instructors and all have their ChildSafe and criminal clearances.