More Than Just Music
Dawson Music Academy Makes Lasting Impact
As the elevator opens on the third floor of the North Building, you hear the sounds of music. A violin to the right. A piano to the left. Before you know what to make of it, three young moms carrying toddlers emerge from the stairs and head into a classroom for Kindermusik. As you walk on, you see a table full of resources connecting music to faith. Parents line the hall waiting for their children, and the young ones listen to their bigger siblings who are in lessons. These are only a small portion of almost 300 students who take private and group music lessons at Dawson’s award-winning music school—Dawson Music Academy.
For the hundreds of students who join us each week, stories of success, perseverance, faith, and encouragement abound. If you listen closely, you’ll hear some of these stories:
Ministry of Relationships: A middle school guitar student changed schools and struggled with making new friends. His guitar instructor encouraged him during the transition and helped build his confidence. His musical skills opened the door for him to participate in the local middle school band, which provided a way for him to connect and make new friends.
Confidence in Christ: One of our piano students encountered some challenging social situations at school. Several of her classmates were teasing her, and she was struggling with her identity. After talking with her instructor during her lessons, she began to realize that God created her to be unique. She realized that it was okay that she was different from her friends at school because that’s how God created her to be.
Power of Prayer: Recently, one of our young students asked his guitar instructor for prayer. His mom was struggling with drug addiction and had been hospitalized for an overdose. The student wanted to pray for Jesus’ love to bring her peace. The week after the student and instructor joined in prayer, God miraculously answered. Our commitment to Christian instructors continues to allow Christ’s love to impact students as they experience the Gospel coming alive in their lives.
Foundations in Worship: Three student bands, involving a total of seventeen students, discovered the difference between performing for an audience and leading worship. As students met each week, they spent time in prayer, shared Scripture with each other, and used their musical talents to worship God through our new venture, Ignite Bands.
Connection to Dawson Ministries: A high school viola student lives an hour away from Dawson but she chooses to take lessons here because of her instructor. She also joined the Dawson Orchestra to participate in special programs and regularly attends rehearsals. We are grateful for the opportunity to minister to her family through music, worship, and relationships.
As the new school year begins this fall, these stories will continue to be told throughout the halls of the Dawson Music Academy. In everything we do, we seek to point each student back to the creative Creator who loves them and gave His life for them. And that is something worth making music about.