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PHOTO (L-R): Community Music School students work on Music & Film projects in the CMS Recording Studio, participate in a group ukulele class, and engage in a private bass guitar lesson. Businesses can now support these innovative educational programs at CMS through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program.
Allentown, PA (November 6, 2024) – Community Music School Lehigh Valley & Berks (CMS) is pleased to announce the nonprofit organization’s approval for participation in Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. Through the EITC program, businesses can support innovative educational opportunities for students and earn tax credits by donating to an approved Educational Improvement Organization (EIO).
“For over 42 years, CMS has been enhancing the curriculum of our public schools by providing access to excellence in music education for students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds in Allentown and beyond,” says CMS Executive Director Jeff Reed, “We continue to experience tremendous student enrollment growth in both private lessons and group classes. This year, we expect to fund a record $105,000 in financial aid for 55% of our students under age 18 from low-income families. As an Educational Improvement Organization (EIO), CMS is now eligible to receive much-needed funding through the EITC program that will help us help more students experience the life-long benefits of music education and free performance opportunities.”
CMS EITC-eligible programs include private music lessons, group classes, and access to the state-of-the art recording studio. Each week, CMS welcomes over 325 students for in person and online music lessons. Students from over 20 school districts directly benefit from these EITC-eligible innovative educational programs at CMS.
“CMS is devoted to improving the quality of life in our community through music instruction,” says Kelly Hooper, CMS Program Coordinator and EITC lead, “Learning to play a musical instrument offers a wealth of cognitive, social, and psychological benefits. I am excited about the potential for expanded creative and innovative educational programming that EITC funding will allow us to provide to more students.”
Learn more about the Educational Improvement Tax Credit and supporting the EITC-eligible innovative educational programs at CMS:
Private Music Lessons: Our private music lessons have been the cornerstone of CMS’s commitment to musical excellence. These one-on-one sessions provide individualized instruction to students of all ages and backgrounds, allowing them to progress at their own pace, achieve their musical ambitions, and prepare them for auditions, recitals, and other creative opportunities. Students can choose from twenty-three different instruments and twenty-five experienced instructors. Our most popular instruments include piano, violin, guitar, and voice, but students can also choose bass clarinet, bass guitar, cello, clarinet, composition, double bass, drums, euphonium, flute, Latin percussion, recording, oboe, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, tuba, ukulele, and viola.
Recording Studio Program: The CMS recording studio opened in 2022 and features three unique recording spaces and a nine-iMac education lab, equipped with the latest technology, industry-standard equipment, and professional recording and composition software. This studio offers students, ages 12+, hands-on experience with industry-standard recording technology, including software like Apple Logic Pro, Final Cut, Sibelius, Waves, and hardware, including Allen and Heath, Neve, and Neumann. CMS offers recording technology students individualized lessons and after-school group classes.
Group Classes: CMS provides a diverse array of high-caliber group classes designed to complement the educational journey of students attending public or private schools. These after-school and summer camp programs are carefully curated to offer a comprehensive educational experience in piano, violin, voice, and ensemble performance. Through these classes, students discover a sense of belonging within a community, cultivate collaborative skills, and embark on the journey of mastering a musical instrument.
Learn more about Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program: https://dced.pa.gov/programs/
Learn more about supporting CMS programs through EITC: https://cmslv.org/eitc/
Information provided to TVL by:
Lisa Hopstock Kulp
Assistant Director, Marketing & Communications
Community Music School Lehigh Valley & Berks
