Enrollment grows after changes at Bellevue nonprofit music school
That wasn't the only off-key note at the school that has been offering music classes and private lessons to nearly 1,000 children and adults at a time since the mid-1980s.
Enrollment was falling. Faculty members were grumbling. A partnership with a recording company that used the school's sound studios had dissolved. Besides losing bingo income to casino gambling — proceeds plunged to $650,000 last year — income from other fund-raising efforts was falling. Longtime Executive Director Greg Murray, who helped the school move into its facility on Eastgate Way, resigned early in 2002.
But with a new director named in May and a string of changes under way, school officials say they're already seeing an upturn in enrollment as they look to make better use of the school's resources and boost its profile in the community.
Things are looking up
"We changed the way we approached programs," said John Thomas, executive director. "We invite input from the faculty; we want them to be part of the education planning and design."
Thomas designed a business plan that encourages the faculty to hold more recitals and performances and create workshops. Enrollment climbed back to 780 students as of December.
Six people, nearly half of the 14-member administrative staff, were laid off to save money and the school recently put its $3 million bingo hall in Renton up for sale.
"We're not giving up bingo, but we don't need to own the building," Thomas said. "Selling it and then leasing back the space will free up working capital. Leasing costs far less than maintaining the building ourselves."
Balancing the budget consumed Thomas' time for several months. Now he's trying to let the community know the school exists, that there's a place where adult jazz-combo students rub shoulders with 7-year-old violin players in the hallways.
Then there's the marketing piece. Typically, nonprofit schools such as Music Works Northwest do not recoup all expenses through tuition, relying on donations and money-making events to close the budget gap.
But to get donations, people need to see the value of music, Thomas said, and how it helps people build their self-esteem and develop creativity. He also wants to make Music Works more recognizable.
"I had never heard of Music Works before coming here," he said. "Other people tell me the same thing. We're not doing a good job of getting the message to the community that the school is here for all students."
This isn't the first time Music Works Northwest has shifted gears.
Originally it was a drum-and-bugle corps called the Imperials, organized in 1966 by supporters from the Seattle Buddhist Church. (The music school hasn't been affiliated with the church in several decades.) Parents financed the Imperials with garage sales, bake sales and recycling drives. The bingo games began in 1973.
By the 1980s, funding was secure enough that the mission was expanded to include jazz, orchestra, choir and individual music lessons. Eventually that format offered music lessons in 176 class locations from Federal Way to North Seattle — a nightmare for scheduling.
The group moved into its 20,000-square-foot Eastgate facility in 1999 to consolidate everything except the bingo under one roof.
More day students needed
Today the school overflows with students and teachers from 3 to 9 p.m. during the week and all day Saturdays. Although there are some daytime preschool and home-school programs, Thomas and faculty coordinator Matt Schneider both are frustrated that the classroom space sits empty during much of the day. Schneider and others are working to develop outreach music programs for both public and private schools.
The school is also trying to increase rentals of the school's recording studio. In December, the Husky Marching Band from the University of Washington spent two days there making a CD.
Schneider and Thomas both have high hopes for the future of Music Works Northwest.
"The faculty has some great ideas," Schneider said. "For instance, the string faculty is itching to put on a string camp. We have adults who want to take more classes. We're the community's school of music."
Sherry Grindeland: 206-515-5633 or sgrindeland@seattletimes.com
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