Parlando is an Italian word that means, "To speak in a musical way." 

Music is a universal language that bridges many distances and differences and brings people together.

Parlando's mission is to be Colorado's premier arts school where people of all ages and abilities come together to share the language of music and the arts. 

Many people understand the depth of our programming - but many are not aware of the breadth of our programming.  I've included a summary of some of our most important programming below - please help us spread "the language of music and the arts" by sharing this with your friends, family and colleagues!

Our life-changing programming includes:

Music Lessons and Classes for All Instruments, Ages and Abilities

Parlando provides music lessons and classes for ALL members of our community. We work with 600-650 students every week during the school year to provide an exceptional music education. Approximately 75% of our faculty has advanced degrees in music (masters or doctoral level) and our students range in age from just after birth through senior citizen.

Tuition Assistance

All ages and abilities includes the ability to pay. At our core, Parlando is about opportunity and access. We provide the opportunity to receive an exceptional music education for all members of our community. And, for those who can't afford it, we provide access to this opportunity through tuition assistance.  Since 2003, Parlando has provided more than $350,000 in tuition assistance to nearly 700 students and families.

School Outreach

Time and again research demonstrates the importance and value of music education. The impact music, and instrument study in particular, has on our youth is profound. From increased cognitive functioning, better spatial-reasoning abilities, increased test scores and a higher proficiency for languages, music is good for the brain. Yet it is always one of the first areas where schools are forced to cut back. We have provided over 500 days of outreach to our community's schools since 2007.

Early Childhood Education

All ages. Research continues to illustrate, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the advantage that children receiving early childhood education have over their peers who do not receive it. The "education gap" begins when some students receive quality education and others don't. Students whose early childhood education includes music are more likely to advance in cognitive functioning, better able to process and produce language, more likely to have a positive attitude about school and are better equipped to take advantage of additional school opportunities as they get older. Our early childhood program is comprehensive and growing.

Julie's Program

All abilities. One of my sisters, Julie, is an adult living with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Julie loves music and singing. She often says, "Music is my favorite thing in the world!" Julie's Program was started in honor of her and brings music to people in our community who are living with developmental and intellectual disabilities. 

Intergenerational Programming

All ages. Music is a universal language that bridges distances and differences, including age. At Parlando, we bring exceptional performances to our elder community as well as bringing our elder community to classes and presentations in our music studios. This program was one of Parlando's first outreach initiatives when our nonprofit was formed 12 years ago!

Performance

Performance is the most fundamental way of sharing the universal language of music with members of our community. Music demands to be shared, it demands collaborations and it demands an audience. Whether it is in one of our monthly recitals, our intergenerational programming or in our annual staged theatrical productions, our students have the opportunity to perform and share the language of music and the arts with our community. 

Building Toward the Future

During the summer of 2014 Parlando renovated some of our spaces in the Dairy Center. We improved sound-proofing in some existing studios and subdivided two of our larger spaces to create four additional studios. Because 100% of this project was provided by fundraised dollars and our overall footprint was not increased, we now have 26 studios at the Dairy without having increased our overhead by a cent. This will help us meet current as well as future demand for private and group music lessons.   As we look to the future, we know that in order to be Colorado's premier arts school where people of all ages and abilities come together to share the language of music and the arts we need to continue to improve sound proofing, provide the occasional "facelift" for existing spaces and be prepared to take advantage of opportunities to expand. Naming gifts help provide the funding to do all of these things. 

I hope you've found some new and interesting information in this newsletter.  Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about our programming, would like to learn more or would like to join our family of families who support Parlando through charitable giving.

Thank you for being an important part of Parlando School for the Arts!