"Immersion: instruction based on extensive exposure to surroundings or conditions that are native or pertinent to the object or study; especially, foreign language instruction in which only the language being taught is used." Merriam-Webster.com
It takes more than a series 30- or 45-minute weekly lessons to become a musician. Immersion provides the best chance for a student or emerging artist to connect with music and the wider community in a meaningful and sustained way. This is the founding and guiding principle of the CMC Atlanta GAP and ART programs.
Whether your interests are Classical, Jazz, Blues, Rock, or American Folk & Roots music, traditional or experimental approaches, lessons with our faculty provide the means and the motivation for developing musical skills and understanding. When you arrive, if not before, we match you with the desired resource-- a great teacher-- and pair you up in an inspiring setting.
Options include:
AMHS and GAP Students generally meet with their Studio Instructor weekly for 60-minute sessions to study the instrument of choice, vocal technique and performance, or composition & improv. Many students share lessons with a partner on a secondary instrument of choice.
The Studio Instructor serves as one the student's primary contacts with CMC Atlanta and provides the most direct, consistent feedback. CMC faculty are not only practicing professional musicians themselves, but also educators who have the desire, the training, and the experience to cultivate music in others.
We have created playful, though comfortable Studios for students and teachers to meet. CMC Atlanta facilities are equipped with either new upright studio or grand pianos, and a variety of other instruments and equipment, as needed. During lessons, teachers and students have access to our wi-fi networks, and thus, a vast array of relevant on-line resources, including audio and video recordings of performances, drills and exercises, and information about music and performance.
CMC studios themselves are spacious and filled with natural light. The walls of studios and corridors, even the grounds, at all locations are populated with unique works by local and regional visual artists, recruited for exhibition by the Music Center's own curators for the purpose of inspiring students, faculty, and visitors alike.
Music Performance, Composition, Theory, Apprenticeship, Community Service, Music Outreach & More
CMC Atlanta GAP draws local, regional, national and international students. Local Atlanta students often live at home with parents or other family members, but any student who enrolls is welcome to consider living in one of our apartments or to consult with us for support arranging suitable housing.
CMC Atlanta has a limited number of efficiency apartments available at the Little 5 Points location. Rent for these furnished, dormroom-like units includes all utilities, internet, and more, and varies, depending whether the student lives alone or with a roommate. CMC Atlanta also has a limited number of unfurnished and potentially furnished one and two bedroom apartments a block from the Little 5 Points Center in highly desirable Inman Park. These apartments are more expensive, reflecting the rental market in gentrified neighborhoods of the northeast/Atlanta Beltline corridor. For students who wish to find more independent housing, CMC Atlanta Directors and GAP Faculty are also able to provide guidance by helping connect students with property management offsite and consulting with those unfamiliar with Atlanta neighborhoods and commuting options and patterns.