A century
of Settlement

By William Kenny
Times Staff Writer

One hundred years can be considered a mere interlude within the context of music history. But for community-based music schools, it might as well be an eternity.
Yet, one Philadelphia music school has endured the last century with its oft-changing social, political and economic conditions and equally fickle popular tastes. In fact, Settlement Music School has thrived over that span to become the largest institution of its kind in the United States.
Throughout 2008, the folks at Settlement’s six Philadelphia area facilities — including the Kardon-Northeast Branch at 3745 Clarendon Ave. — will be celebrating their centennial with gala banquets, concerts and recitals featuring highly accomplished alumni and many talented present-day students.
Naturally, the events will allow the school to do plenty of personal horn-tooting. But it also stands to reason that the additional public exposure will help Settlement further its noble mission of delivering high quality instruction to Philly area residents of all ages, races, religions, economic standings, talent levels and musical preferences.
"We believe that everyone would benefit from music and dance instruction. It’s part of being human," said Robert Capanna, executive director of the school since 1982 and before that director of the Kardon-Northeast Branch. "And because it is such a part of being human, it really is a tragedy to deny that."
Settlement was founded on that very principle in 1908. It began when two volunteer instructors, Jeanette Selig Frank and Blanche Wolf Kohn, began offering piano lessons for a nickel at the College Settlement House, a social services center for immigrant families in the Southwark section of South Philly.
The concept was an instant hit as the founders recruited many professional instructors, including members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, to teach a broad variety of instruments.
"When the school was originally founded, it attracted many more students than expected and very soon became a growing concern," Capanna said.
In order to meet the need for more space, Settlement moved within Southwark twice. In 1917, the school erected its own building at 416 Queen St. Settlement continues to use the facility today as its Mary Louise Curtis Branch, named in honor of a major financial donor to the construction project, Mary Louise Curtis Bok Zimbalist.
In addition to music, the school continued to offer social services including employment assistance, Italian-language classes, vocational guidance, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops and organized athletics.
Settlement developed a conservatory division that in 1924 under the direction of Zimbalist established itself as an independent entity, the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music.
The school continued to solidify its role in the community through 1957, when Dr. Sol Schoenbach became executive director and implemented an ambitious community outreach program.
Under the leadership of Schoenbach, a former first bassoon player with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Settlement opened its Germantown branch in 1959 and its first Northeast branch in 1960.
"The school expanded very rapidly and made substantial (financial) assistance available to students," Capanna said. "They hired more faculty and really began recruiting students."
Originally located at the Frankford YMCA, the Northeast branch later moved to a site on Bustleton Avenue and in 1975 moved to its current building.
The branch is named in honor of Samuel and Rebecca Kardon, parents of the principal donor, the late Emanuel S. Kardon of American Packaging Corp.
Under Capanna’s direction since 1982, Settlement merged with the Jenkintown Music School then opened a fifth branch in West Philadelphia later that decade. Settlement opened its Camden branch in February 2006.
Settlement is now the largest community music school in the nation with six branches and 15,000 students. About 6,000 students participate in core programs such as individual instrument lessons, voice lessons, music theory instruction and ballet lessons. Another 3,000 take part in special daytime and summer programs, while up to 6,000 are touched by the school’s outreach efforts.
Most students are youths, but adults have access to the programs, too. They run the gamut from novice to advanced. Capanna believes that juxtaposition of abilities benefits each in different ways.
"The talented students see that they’re part of a continuum of abilities and the average students see the potential that’s there for them," he said.
The Kardon-Northeast Branch is unique among the school’s six locations in that it’s the only one with a true theater-style auditorium, according to William Peters, the branch director since 2004 and a guitar instructor there for 28 years. The venue seats about 200 and plays host to informal student recitals every Saturday morning, as well as formal recitals one Sunday per month. All such performances are free and open to the public.
"It’s a way of getting up there and finding out what it takes to be a successful performer," Peters said of the recitals.
The magic of Settlement, the branch director continued, is its ability to bring together students of all talents and levels of aspirations under one roof.
For some youth students, music is one of many extracurricular activities in which they take part. Perhaps it’s something for them to do after school and before their parents arrive home from work. For others, lessons at the school are the launching pad for professional careers in music.
And for many adults, studying an instrument satisfies a recurring curiosity or fulfills a lifelong dream.
"It really varies from student to student. That’s the challenge of being a community music school," Peters said. "They all come with different objectives.
"There are some students who are just going along for years, then a spark lights."
Regardless of the student’s goals, the school’s mission is to provide a professional education. All faculty members are professional musicians and certified instructors.
"It’s (about) being able to start a student off with the proper techniques," Peters said. "When you get a student who first comes here, you often end up having to fix a lot of bad habits."
Those students who continue through the program through their high school years often find themselves in position to win scholarships to college. Many have gained prominence as professional performers, as well.
Mario Lanza, Kevin Eubanks, Marc Mostovoy and members of the rap group The Roots are all alumni, as are noted figures in other professions, such as former Mayor Frank L. Rizzo, U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, actress Holly Robinson-Peete and actor Kevin Bacon.
There are plenty of success stories among those without famous names, as well.
"Seeing young students grow with their instruments is very exciting," Peters said. "I’ve had students start when they were five or six and I taught them through high school."
Many continue to play today, while others have gone into music education. A few have even returned to Settlement to teach, Peters added. But students don’t necessarily have to keep playing to consider their time at Settlement a success.
"You gain an appreciation of music that stays with you for your whole life, whether you continue playing or not," Peters said. ••
For more information about Settlement Music School, visit smsmusic.org or call 215-320-2600.
Reporter William Kenny can be reached at 215-354-3031 or bkenny@phillynews.com