Acknowledging South Carolina's current music teacher shortage and the deficit in opportunities for some students to learn musical instruments, the University of South Carolina School of Music has created a new certificate program for musicians who wish to support music learning throughout all South Carolina schools.
A three-year pilot project, the new USC Music Teaching Artist Certificate Program (MTAC) also seeks to expand music learning opportunities that promote the heritage of South Carolina communities.
Beginning with a first cohort in January 2025, the certificate program will provide instruction and experiences to musicians who wish to support music learning for all students in South Carolina schools. The curriculum for the first cohort includes coursework, mentoring, individual observation, and paid attendance to the SC Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference.
Ten music teaching artists will be awarded a full scholarship to participate in the first cohort as Program Fellows, thanks to a generous donation by Fred and Dinah Gretsch. Owners of the Savannah, GA and Ridgeland, SC-based Gretsch Company, a globally recognized manufacturer of high-quality drums and guitars since 1883, the couple have been prominent figures in the musical instruments industry for more than forty years and long-time supporters of music education.
More Music for More People
Fred and Dinah Gretsch joined School of Music Dean Tayloe Harding and Professor of Practice in Music Leadership and Advocacy Mary Luehrsen at a news conference in October 2024 to announce the program, speaking of the importance of supporting South Carolina music teachers, especially in underserved schools.
This new program addresses the reality that many schools wish to hire full-time music teachers, but qualified applicants are not available.
— MTAC Director Mary Luehrsen
“This new program addresses the reality that many schools wish to hire full-time music teachers, but qualified applicants are not available,” said Luehrsen. “The new MTAC program seeks to support working musicians in communities across SC who wish to share music learning with extended school residencies; every SC school needs to be filled with music!”
Hassan Anderson, Assistant Professor of Oboe and Coordinator of Teaching Artistry at the School of Music, believes providing educators with better tools can ensure they can produce the highest educational delivery. He says the new program is designed for the intermediate or early teaching veteran looking for professional development. He will be a featured instructor in the program.
“I am a believer that music should be an artistic pursuit. The arts build collaboration, leadership and active listening, creating people who can help their communities be better,” says Anderson.
Music educator and MTAC faculty Amanda Schlegel agrees.
“More music, for more people, for MORE LIFE!” Schlegel says. “Music teachers can make the world better and ensure more people can make excellent music, while honoring and fostering identity, belonging and agency.”
What’s Ahead
“The vision of the School of Music at Carolina is to be the nation’s model public music school. We feel very strongly that addressing the teacher shortage in a way that hasn't been conceived of before demonstrates this intention,” says Dean Tayloe Harding. “There will never be a substitute for a certified teacher in a classroom with musicians in our state, but our society does need to fill classrooms in our SC schools where music teachers have not been hired and this program will help us do that. Our music education faculty have made it known that while we’re still focused on preparing music education students to be certified teachers, we can do this program, too,” says Harding.
The first cohort of ten music-teaching artists begins in January 2025 and concludes with teaching observation and demonstration in the spring/summer of 2025. Faculty for this cohort include Music Educators Hassan Anderson, Gail Barnes, Amanda Schlegel, Wendy Valerio and guest instructor Alice Hammel.
USC Music Professor-of-Practice in Music Leadership and Advocacy Mary Luehrsen will oversee the program as USC Music Teaching Artist Certificate Director.
Application Process
Applications will be accepted from October 24 through December 6, 2024. Scholarship recipients will be notified on December 16, 2024. The application process is specialized and not a part of the USC undergraduate or graduate admissions.
Pictured above, left to right: Music education faculty Hassan Anderson, Wendy Valerio, Amanda Schlegel and Mary Luehrsen provided an overview of their vision for the new Music Teaching Artist Certificate (MTAC) program. Also pictured are Fred and Dinah Gretsch, their grandson Logan Thomas and School of Music Dean Tayloe Harding.