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Vol. 1 Issue 5 | A PUBLICATION OF THE YOUNG MUSICIAN'S UNIVERSITY
YMU
COLLECTIVE KYLEE OTTO YMU STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
KIERRA GRAY YMU INSTRUCTOR RELEASES FATHER'S DAY SONG
ERIC "EJ" GILL YMU ALUM SPOTLIGHT
J U L Y
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YMU
GMG Academy of the Arts is now
The Young Musician's University Music Education Reimagined
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IN THIS ISSUE
DIRECTOR'S NOTE
We are so happy to be celebrating our 18th year of "Giving the Gift of Music!" Thank you for reading our third issue of The YMU Collective as we transition away from an email newsletter format into a digital magazine format! This publication highlights YMU Students, Staff, and other subjects of interest with contributions from our staff as well as YMU student writers. If you are a YMU student interested in contributing and being a part of the YMU Collective Team, please send me a message through the YMU Portal. I would love to speak with you and get your insight. Please know that you do not have to be a local student to participate, we will have virtual connect meetings to discuss upcoming events and content.
5 Kylee Otto YMU Student Spotlight
8 Eric "EJ" Gill YMU Alum Spotlight
10 Kierra Gray YMU Instructor Releases Father's Day Tribue
I hope that you enjoy this publication of the YMU Collective!
Mrs. Gray Director, The Young Musician's University
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"music is an outburst of the soul.” – Fredrick delius
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THE YOUNG MUSICIAN'S UNIVERSITY
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
KYLEE OTTO CONGRATS!! Our student spotlights recognize students who are exceptionally demonstrating growth and musically excelling. We are so grateful to be associated with these fantastic students and their supportive parents! Again Congratulations Kylee! Keep up the great work!
ABOUT KYLEE My name is Kylee and I am a 14-year-old freshman at Blythewood High School. I have always been an avid music lover and find joy through playing the piano. I have been a part of YMU for 2 years and love working with the amazing teachers. Ms. Kierra has really taught me how to do things I never thought I could in life. I started with singing but figured out I loved the piano much more. I hope one day, with the amazing things I’ve learned and will learn in the future, I will be able to study it more in high school and college and get a degree in music. I really love being part of the YMU family and learning new things.
This month, I nominate Kylee Otto for the YMU Student Spotlight. Kylee is close to finishing her first class in her new books, and while learning new rhythms has been challenging for her, she has continued to grow tremendously! She's also getting ready to leave the country for a few weeks to visit family, and she's prepared to take a portable piano and wake up early due to the time difference, to be able to continue her lessons. I love her dedication and her enthusiasm when it comes to piano class, and she's a joy to teach! ~ Kierra Gray, YMU Instructor
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C ONGRATULATIONS, YOU CONGRATS TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS FOR PASSING THEIR YMU END OF COURSE ASSESSMENTS! ISABELLA WALL - LITTLE MUSIC ESSENTIALS - PIANO 1A CAELAN KING-MCNEIL - YMU PIANO ESSENTIALS 1C JEREMIAH SPIGNER - DRUM ESSENTIALS 1A JUSTIN JR. WHEELER - YMU PIANO ESSENTIALS 2B KAYLEIGH CLARK - LITTLE MUSIC ESSENTIALS - PIANO 1A LIAM WALLACE - YMU PIANO ESSENTIALS 1C TAMAR BLUE - YMU PIANO ESSENTIALS 2A
MICHAEL WHACK - JULY 1 KYLIE GRAY - JULY 6 RABEE DHILLON - JULY 15 MS. KIERRA - JULY 15 *If your child's birthday is not listed, please contact the office so that we can add their DOB to their profile.
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In-Person or Online Instruction
ENROLL IN OUR DRUM PROGRAM NOW AND RECEIVE A COMPLEMENTARY DRUM PAD STARTER KIT FOR STUDENTS AGES 7-18!
1-844-YMU-NOW-1 803-728-3399 www.ymunow.com
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THGILTOPS MULA UMY
"Proverbs 18:16, “A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” I can’t thank God enough for the blessing he’s granted me. This summer, after careful consideration and prayer, I decided to transfer to my dream school, Berklee College of Music. I’m blessed to say that not only have I been accepted for the second time, but this time I have been granted a Full-Tuition Scholarship. A special thank you to all of the wonderful students and faculty at Coastal Carolina. I had an awesome time making music and learning from each of you."
EJ Gill
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MEET YMU ALUM,
ERIC "EJ" GILL EJ will be attending Berklee College of Music where he's been awarded a Full Tuition Scholarship!
Some of my future goals are to tour the world, become an established studio engineer, and give back to my community. I would encourage all young musicians to do few things. #1: Never settle. Always find a way to get better. #2: Develop good character. Your character has the key to open doors that your talent will never be able to. #3: Continue to chase your dream. Don’t give up. It’ll be hard and things probably won’t go as you planned. But, everything you endure will prepare you for what’s to come. YMU has helped me in my musical journey by giving me the opportunity to perform in many different environments. The experience of setting up, playing, and tearing down after a gig in so many different places gave me a solid foundation for what I would experience later in my career.
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"Dad You Are" A Father's Day Tribute Song
Song By: Kierra Gray Kierra Gray is a contemporary singer-songwriter and a music instructor and workshop clinician for The Young Musician's University. She is often described as a storyteller through song. Her father, a professional musician, and mother opened up a music school where Kierra was introduced to the piano at the age of 4.
www.kierragray.com 10
The Spring Recital held on June 5th for The Young Musician's University was a huge success! Students, parents, family, and friends gathered to watch this event in the all-new YMU Virtual Performance Center! This virtual platform gave students and their families the ability to connect and share their experiences no matter the distance. Attendees were able to see and talk with each other and sit next to family and friends during the recital. Student performers were as young as 3 years old and everyone did a fantastic job as they shared the gift of music! The progress of our students is a wonderful thing to witness. We want to thank our staff, students, and their amazing parents for their continued dedication and hard work!
Watch the Spring Recital!
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LITTLE music
Essentials
In-Person Piano Class with an Award-Winning Curriculum designed for ages 4-6 Imaginative Live Instruction Custom Interactive Games
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THE YOUNG MUSICIAN'S UNIVERSITY
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YMU
The Young Musician's University
2003
2021
