Edelman speaks with BDN about UMaine music students mentoring Old Town middle schoolers
Philip Edelman, assistant professor of music education at the University of Maine, spoke to the Bangor Daily News about a program that pairs music education majors in the UMaine School of Performing Arts with budding middle school musicians for free, private online lessons. Edelman teamed up with Shianne Priest, director of music at Leonard Middle School in Old Town, to pilot the program for the school in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of their classes this semester, more than 30 students who enrolled in MUE 210 — Introduction to Music Education and MUE 401 — Organization and Administration of Secondary Music Performance Programs with Edelman have been partnered for music mentorship with students in grades six through eight. “The growth that I’ve seen in my students far surpasses what I thought would have happened,” Edelman said.