Music for every age

Ted Pyron has played the piano for most of his life, but it’s mostly been by ear. He took lessons for a couple of years as a child, but he never learned to read music.

So when he retired from Alabama Power recently, Pyron decided it was time to try.

His 11-year-old granddaughter takes piano lessons at the Conservatory of the Arts at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church, and at one of her lessons he asked her teacher, Nadya Bogdan, if she would be willing to help him learn some classical music.

“She agreed, and I now have a wonderful hobby that gives me great enjoyment,” said Pyron, who turns 66 in September. “I am keeping my mind active. I’m playing the piano by reading music, and it has increased my skills and ability to formulate chords and arranging music by ear.”

He said he highly recommends it for any retired person who wants years of enjoyment.

Quint Harris, director of music and arts ministries at VHUMC, said that’s exactly what he hoped for when he started the Conservatory of the Arts in 2012 — that children and adults alike could hone their skills or find new hobbies.

“We wanted to help people discover their God-given gifts and abilities and use them in a positive way,” he said. “That’s kind of how we started — we opened with72 students.”

Their student range covers ages from “womb to tomb,” he said, and offers a wide range of disciplines from musical arts like guitar and flute to visual arts like painting and ceramics and performance arts like theater.

“We have toddlers taking music lessons, and we have a 72-year-old man playing bass guitar,” Harris said. “It’s a really laid-back environment, but our faculty is world class.”

“Even if you don’t know a quarter note from a hole in the ground, we will assess where you are and start you up from there,” Harris said.

Deana Heath said that’s exactly what they did for her when she started taking piano lessons about three years ago.

“I started taking lessons because my dad, who was very musical, passed away,” she said. “He had given me an electric piano, which I had tinkered around on for a few years. After he died, I just decided I wanted to improve and needed professional help to do that.”

It was an unexpected situation that prompted her to start, but it has been a wonderful experience, Heath said. “Karen, my teacher, has unbelievable patience and expertise, which is a great combination.”

Playing the piano has helped Heath feel close to her dad and has been a great mental challenge and “a daily, brief, wonderful diversion from the stay-at-home mom stuff.”

Katrina Julian, who started taking violin lessons there last year, said her experience at the conservatory has been low-stress and flexible to her scheduling needs — something important to her, as she works full time.

“I initially tried to learn violin on my own through online videos but was not making very good progress and was not very motivated to continue to keep trying since I never sounded any better and playing always felt very awkward,” she said. “The conservatory’s lessons have helped me make more progress.”

It’s been fun, her teacher has been “terrific” for her technical skills and it has held her accountable to practice. “I actually sound OK,” Heath said with a laugh.

Lessons are offered on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays for students from children to adults, and Wednesdays for teens and adults only. The fall session runs for 15 weeks starting Aug. 14.

For more information, visit vhumc.org/ministries/coa.