Academy of Music Northwest relocates to Shoreline

Among alumni now teaching and concertizing internationally,
is Dr. Frank Huang, faculty member of Miami University, in Ohio. 

There are some new kids on the block. A lot of them. Student musicians, carrying instruments and music scores, coming and going all day on Saturdays. They are entering their new space at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal church in Shoreline for classes in chamber music performance, music theory, and all the important qualifying classes for eventual entry into their music schools of choice.

These are the very talented young musicians of the Academy of Music Northwest. 

This year, the Academy works with students from age 7 – 18. The school attracts talented players and singers from all over the Puget Sound region and provides them with unparalleled instruction in classical music by seasoned teachers and composers, most of whom have srved on the faculty since 1997, the year of its founding.

100% of graduates from the full program have been accepted by the finest national schools, such as Juilliard, Curtis Institute, Eastman, and a host of other prestigious institutions.

The need for such a preparatory school in this region was clear to co-founders Dr. Jim Paul, Dee Wells, and Dorothy Klotzman, and the doors were opened at their first location at Seattle Pacific University in 1997.

A high school trio who formed together in middle school,
have played together ever since. 

A different professional life is sometimes the choice for those musicians who will pursue other majors in college, where a music minor sometimes becomes a choice, but still requires successful auditions.

A very early champion of the Academy mission was conductor Gerard Schwarz, who, like Dorothy, was a Juilliard graduate.

The common goal was to found such a school for the Puget Sound area. Dorothy brought her experience to the Academy as a winner of the Danforth Foundation award for gifted teaching, and as retired Executive Director of the School of Performing Arts at Brooklyn College, NY. Classes have continued to be taught at college level, leavened by a warm, supportive, challenging, and non- competitive environment in a shared pursuit of excellence.

Core courses are taught by seasoned, published composers, who work to elicit original thinking by the students enrolled in music theory, ear training and composition. All students are encouraged to compose, and each year since its inception, several Academy students have been selected to participate in the Seattle Symphony Young Composer Workshop, with assured performances of new works given by SSO members. One alumni composer, Daniel M. (Lawrence University) was recently awarded a $25,000 Watson Fellowship for two years of international study of emerging music styles.

Four violinists who performed with the
Symphony at Benaroya

Academy students have performed several times as concerto soloists with the SSO and other regional orchestras. Each of four young women Academy violinists performed one movement each of the Vivaldi Four Seasons with the symphony in Benaroya Hall.

This year the 30 week Academy schedule is on Saturdays from October – June due to their September move, but normally it is September – May.

Enrollment is still open this year. Register and send an on-line application from the website. Visitors are welcome. Classes are from 1:00pm to 6::00pm at their new location, St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, 722 North 145th Street, Shoreline, WA 98133