By Andy Thomas

Pilot Columnist

As a real fan of music in general, and one who has long had piano lessons on his bucket list, I feel very happy and content with what I've learned since last fall, when I was smitten by a stroke and a nice lady named Gail Summers took me under her musical wing.

And now Gail's Music Studio Inc., a well-known resource for music and musicians in Southern Pines, has moved to a larger facility, located at 10327 N.C. 211 East, Aberdeen, next to Jim's Gems and Gold. It has also adopted a unique method of presenting its lessons, programs and services. The grand opening is slated for Sept. 15 from 1 to 5 p.m.

There are not too many septuagenarian music students such as me, but GMS could certainly handle more.

Since it's a nonprofit enterprise, donations are now accepted for general purposes or specific programs and can be made on the website: http://pianist-gail.tripod.com/gailsmusicstudio/. Gail's Music Studio (GMS) hopes to be tax-exempt in the near future, so all donations for lessons and services will be tax-deductible.

"I have always wanted to be able to bring high-quality music instruction to those that couldn't afford private lessons," Gail says. "Also, moving into a larger building is the beginning of fulfilling a 40-year dream."

The enhanced studio is dedicated to encouraging, supporting and training young musicians of all skill levels, and providing free music lessons to children who can't afford them. GMS incorporates a well-rounded musical environment that includes lectures, classes, workshops and performances, in addition to lessons - a virtual musical kaleidoscope.

The new building will allow an expansion in the musical services now offered. In addition to private piano and voice lessons, GMS offers an After School Music Camp.

Every class offered during camp time is included with supervised informal fun activities, such as arts and crafts, listening stations where campers can finish homework, computer music games, and much more. The Wii Music and Music Movie Time are for families on Thursday and Friday afternoons.

Wii Music is a free-form music game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It focuses on creating arrangements of existing songs by controlling the members of an on-screen band. In order to do so, players choose from a wide selection of musical instruments that are played by mimicking the required actions using the Wii Remote.

GMS also provides piano classes for adults or kids; music and movement for toddlers or any school-age child; and lessons with the flutophone, often referred to as a plastic flute. It is the ideal instrument for children, as it is affordable, while still facilitating the full chromatic scale. The flutophone is frequently used to gain a child's interest in music.

Speech or hand therapy classes, music appreciation (especially for music credits for home-schooled children), and theory classes are also available.

GMS's most exciting addition is the Kid's Youth and Young People's Choirs. Too many times, children want "voice lessons," but the child's vocal chords are just not mature enough for formal training.

These choirs, directed by GMS volunteer/instructor Summers, will allow the children an outlet for their singing desire and give them a solid foundation in breathing and standing correctly, along with proper enunciation and pronunciation.

Such training presents a vocal springboard until the adolescent singer can take real voice lessons.

Check out this exciting new musical concept. Gail's Music Studio would be happy to discuss with you specifics, and answer any questions you may have.

Just phone or send an email to the address below. Phone: (910) 783-8863; email gailsmusic

studio@yahoo.com

Andy Thomas lives in Pinehurst. Contact him at

dahtmuth58@aol.com.