Music program blossoms with sold-out sessions
The halls of The Salvation Army Anaheim Red Shield come alive with music every Wednesday evening, transforming the community center into a hub of melody and rhythm as kids gather to learn, play and share their love for music.
The Freer Forte music program, named after donor Lynn Freer, launched in fall 2023. Freer donated to The Salvation Army to expand music lesson opportunities for school-aged children.
In line with Freer’s vision, the program offers high-quality, low-cost music lessons for students ages 7-14 across Orange County—and beyond. For $100, students can enroll in 16-week sessions in the spring or fall or a $50, 7-week summer session. Musicians can choose to learn drums, guitar, ukulele, keyboard, singing or musical theater.
The program offers scholarships to help with tuition, instrument rentals and private lessons for an additional fee. At the end of the sessions, students perform in a recital to showcase what they’ve learned. The upcoming Spring Recital will be on Saturday, May 10 from 10:30 AM to Noon.
After launching the program, Hopper hired four professional musicians with years of experience in the music industry to teach the classes. Some have won Grammy Awards, performed on Broadway and recorded songs featured in films.
Each instructor specializes in their area of focus and is skilled in teaching music theory, technique and performance.
“God really blessed us with the best teachers imaginable, ”Hopper said. “They bring real-life experience and a genuine passion forteaching the next generation.”
Freer Forte enrolls 75-100 students in each session, with each class containing around eight students to maintain a focused group environment.
“Our instructors tailor lessons to meet each student’s needs while fostering group practice,” Hopper said. “Their ability to teach individually and keep everyone engaged is impressive.”
Hopper designed the curriculum to help students become familiar with their instrument or vocal skills, ensuring they can sight-read music and understand concepts like melodic structures, phrasing and articulation. And they prepare for the recital.
For 11-year-old Jacob Gutierrez, the lessons provide a welcome respite after a long school day. “Music is like a nice break,” he said, while practicing for his guitar lesson. “Coming to class is something I get excited for every Wednesday.”
James Grover, a guitar instructor said the program offers students like Jacob benefits beyond learning music, “In a time when many kids are hooked on video games and social media, music provides a creative outlet that encourages focus, discipline, and expression.”
Singing instructor Kimbra Westervelt said she has witnessed similar benefits. “One of my students is a 7-year-old girl with a beautiful voice, but she’s always been a little shy,” Westervelt said. “In the past two months, I’ve watched her skills and confidence grow with each lesson.”
Looking ahead, Westervelt said they are in the process of putting bands together to provide more opportunities for students to engage and collaborate.
“It’s wonderful to see how music gives kids a voice, not just on stage, but in the world,” Westervelt said. “Bringing opportunities to learn music to more kids and communities can be life-changing for so many.”
Thank you to Haley Osness for writing this article. A longer version appeared in Caring Magazine. For information about Caring Magazine go to https://caringmagazine.org/
