HISTORY & PURPOSE

Five determined professional musicians founded the Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts in 1991. All were new to Ann Arbor and each brought successful experiences with music schools from other communities. Elaine Sargous, Penny Fischer, Katherine Collier, Virginia Weckstrom-Kantor and Wendy Bloom saw a need for a community music school that provided comprehensive learning for music students from toddlers to seniors. What they created was the opportunity for all to develop a life-long love of music, a love that taps into the rich cultural fabric existing in Southeastern Michigan.

Now known as the Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts (AASPA), we are a member of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts. The community arts school movement evolved in the United States from the immigrant settlement houses at the turn of the century. Those historic settlement houses met the need for a place where all members of the community could find a common language: music. The community arts school movement, now over 100 years old in America, was begun. The Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts is one of 800 such community arts schools nation-wide and as such, it is central to our mission and values to provide a community-based music school for all community members, from babies to senior citizens. As we enter our fourteenth year, it is clear that our mission has struck a chord in the Ann Arbor community - growth has been exponential, and in the upcoming year we will enroll over 750 students. While 85% of our students are school-age youth, last year our youngest student was fourteen months old, and our oldest student seventy-two.

AASPA provides the chance for all ages to express themselves through music by exploring a solid curriculum taught by the finest music faculty. AASPA's emphasis on performance opportunities for students fosters goal-setting, confidence, poise and pride in personal achievements. Thus, the school sponsors recitals, concerts, student activities and master classes featuring faculty, students and guest artists.

The mission of the Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts is to inspire, instruct and encourage the “artist” in all people regardless of age, ability, ethnic origin, ability to pay and to serve as an educational performing arts resource for the greater Ann Arbor community and southeast Michigan.

Board of Directors

Advisory Board

Albert Berriz
Roger Chard
Susan Chastain
Don Chisholm
Katherine Collier
Richard Dorner
Penelope Fischer
Arie Lipsky
E. Daniel Long
Kay Long
Elaine Sargous
Ingrid Sheldon
Peter Sparling
Virginia Weckstrom - Kantor

Administration

Dr. Stephanie Weaver, President, sweaver@aa-spa.org
Janina Knechtges, Dean of Programs, jknecht@aa-spa.org
Marlene Ruuskanen, Business Manager, mruuskanen@aa-spa.org 

Member

National Guild of Community School of the Arts
Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce
Michigan Association of Community Arts Agencies
Southeast Michigan Jazz Association
ArtServe Michigan