VISION
Angie Angier
Director
Best known in Westchester as the founder and director of Music in Chappaqua, Angie Angier based her very successful and multi-faceted school on her vision that the benefits of a music education extend far beyond the music. Angie has an enterprising background, beginning with her graduation in performance with honors from the New England Conservatory of Music and continuing with engagements with the Taiwan National Symphony and the Vienna Symphonietta, among others. But she has perhaps found her real niche as an organizer and inspirer of the many musical activities of young people, typified by her innovative and ambitious approach to programming.
“At Music in Chappaqua, we constantly adapt to the changing music landscape to support our highest vision: that our students find, hone, and speak their own voices into this world through music.”
Why music lessons
With so many activities to fit in, so many demands on childrens’ time, this is a question asked by many parents. What exactly is to be gained for the average child who is unlikely to become a professional musician or follow a career in music? The answer is that music lessons can play a very important role in your child’s general development. Playing an instrument, right from the earliest stages, involves many skills – visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic. Unlike many specialized activities, playing an instrument helps develop both sides of the brain at the same time, increasing both intellectual functions and physical coordination, patience and confidence. They aid the child’s emotional development by providing an outlet for self-expression. So, music lessons are an enormously valuable educational influence as well as an introduction to the wonderful world of music, and yes, they are fun! At Music in Chappaqua, we believe the rewards are priceless – and they are for life.
What we believe
A music education is an essential element in a child’s development and not just the ability to play an instrument. While not many children are destined to become professional musicians, it is a great asset to be able to sit down with an instrument and amuse oneself, and maybe others – a pleasure that lasts a lifetime. Moreover, there is the cultural value and the civilizing influence of growing up with music – a return to social values, beauty, the good in life. This is what we teach at Music in Chappaqua, not simply the notes!