Heartland Head Start

The Illinois State University School of Music has partnered with Heartland Head Start to provide class violin instruction for Pre-K children in our community. The MusicScores! curriculum was created by music educator Judith Evans and has been benefiting Pre-K children in the Naples, Florida area since 2008. The pilot year for ISU and Heartland Head Start was 2015-2016. Information about fall 2021 classes coming soon.

Program goals:

• To bring a free literacy-based violin program to children attending Heartland Head Start.
• To promote active and creative involvement for students.
• To use instruction on the violin to strengthen focus, listening, counting, pre-reading, and fine motor skills.
• To integrate qualities of music that correlate to language, such as sounds, repetition, and variation.
• To bridge all languages, since music is a language of notation and performance.

Granting Organizations and Private Donations

Contributions from individuals and businesses make it possible for the program to be free for the children. Please contact program coordinator Professor Katherine Lewis using the form below to find out how you can support this program.