About
The PlaySmart Summer Practice Challenge was created by Indianapolis music teachers Katherine Peters and Deanna Caldwell. They know that music students often lose proficiency over the summer because they don’t practice. This is frustrating for the kids when they return to school, but also for their directors, who have to re-teach skills in class. Playing music is fun, but being frustrated is not. The puzzle was how to allow a large number of students to make progress at their own pace, get valuable instruction, earn incentives, and interact with peers and teachers—even if they can’t do it in person. The solution: the Summer Practice Challenge.
We want each student to feel encouraged by this program. Encouraged to play their instrument. Encouraged to see that the community of music students is still there when school is out. Encouraged to know that there are still signs of beauty and hope in this difficult season. – Deanna and Katherine
Deanna Caldwell
Strings
As a middle school or high school student Deanna Caldwell probably would not have told you that she was going to be a musician. Then college happened. Deanna attended Illinois Wesleyan University double majoring in music and psychology. Music because she'd been doing it her whole life, and psychology because the way people think is fascinating. While at college, a most wonderful thing occurred: music became a real joy and something that she loved sharing with other people. So out went the psychology major and Deanna graduated with her bachelor's in music performance. But the way people think is still fascinating, so after graduating Deanna went on to get her masters in counseling at Trinity International University while teaching at the Jack Benny Center for the Fine Arts. Deanna then attended the Jacob School of Music at Indiana University for graduate work on viola. She has played with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, and the Carmel Symphony Orchestra. Deanna is based in the Indianapolis area and has been teaching for over 20 years.
Katherine Peters - President, PlaySmart Music
Flute, Clarinet, & Saxophone
A teaching musician with over 20 years’ experience, Katherine Peters helps students, teachers, and fellow musicians learn, teach, and play better. She excels at putting concepts into practical, applicable lessons that can be delivered one-on-one in the studio or to a lecture hall full of musicians. The underlying message in her teaching: you can do this. Katherine is also a published composer/arranger. Her arrangements have been performed by middle and high school students, community ensembles, and church ensembles. She plays with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra and the Indiana Wind Symphony, and she is the director of the Indianapolis Clarinet Ensemble.
Katherine, her husband Matthew, and their daughter live in central Indiana. They sponsor a beautiful little girl in Nicaragua through Compassion International. Find out about Compassion here, and please consider releasing a child from the financial and emotional bondage of poverty.