“Our mission is to encourage and develop the study, performance, and appreciation of the fine arts,” Director Denise Pearson said.

The three-week program was winding down its 34th season this week.There are teachers teaching low brass and double reeds, strings and percussion.

“Every orchestral or band instrument,” Pearson said. “We offer guitar, ukulele, bass guitar, Celtic harp, organ, piano, and handbells.”

But, aligned with its mission, the school also has classes for other art forms from theater to painting. The list includes such titles as fiber arts, drawing and painting, jewelry making, hand-crafted instruments, sculpture, and stop motion animation. There is dance combo, tap, and yoga, and introduction to acting, and costumes and sets. Rapping, show choir, music theory, jazz workshop, and song-writing.

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Warren County Summer Music School student Tobiah Reinard plays Wednesday in the advanced percussion class with (from left) Ella Cull, Jadene Fofana, Addison Schott, and Thomas Salapek.

“There’s something for everybody,” Pearson said. “We will meet you at all kinds of levels. You can be advanced in one class and try a new instrument in another.”

It’s called school, but at least some of the students don’t see it that way.

“It’s more fun,” Ivan Darling said. “You’re not doing any work here.”

When it was pointed out that he is actually doing quite a bit of learning, he said, “but it’s something that I want to do.”

His favorite classes were stop action animation and making a music video. The faculty for the program is made up of community experts. Among those are Michelle Belleau and Aaron Reinard.

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Warren County Summer Music School students (from right) Aiden Zawacki, Rebecca Anderson, Cyles Gifford, and Gavin Haight practice Wednesday under the instruction of teacher Rhonda Rasmusson.

“Michelle and I were some of the first Summer Music School students,” Reinard said. “There’s a full circle.”

“Now, our children are here,” Belleau said. “I’ve lived in Los Angeles and Cleveland. This is where I want to be.”

“I feel blessed to be asked to teach,” Reinard said. “That I get to do what I love to do is amazing.”

They are among 18 faculty members teaching a total of 70 courses to 136 students.

“We’re back to where we were pre-COVID,” Pearson said. There were about 80 students in the program last year – the first year SMS was in-person after two years of virtual programming. “We have more middle school and high school kids than we have had for a while.”

The program is for students entering grade five through adults. A number of high school and college students help the faculty as interns. The advanced music students have the opportunity to perform with the Warren Philharmonic during the Pops by the Fountain. That concert is at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 29, in downtown Warren.