“Music with United Sound” is a new 16-week, three-credit course in collaboration with Elkhart High School, and allows Goshen College students to learn a string instrument alongside high school students with disabilities.

The course is a part of the nationwide United Sound Program. Within the college, the program is run by Hillary Harder, Community School of the Arts director and GC chapter leader, alongside Tracy Weirich, special education teacher and Elkhart High School chapter leader. It offers high school students a college-level experience.

United Sound said, “Our mission is to remove barriers and foster social change through music.” In the classroom, everyone is celebrated, regardless of their role. The 10 Elkhart High School students get the opportunity to learn to play violin, viola or cello. 

The program celebrates every small victory in learning a string instrument and also provides an opportunity for Goshen students to experience peer mentorship. The syllabus states, “GC students will receive training in rhythm, melody and string instrument techniques, which they will implement through hands-on mentorship with the Elkhart students.” 

Harder holds classes on Thursdays, to educate the students on topics surrounding disabled students, such as ableism, providing the GC students with education and context on the subject area. 

Harder said, “Elkhart High School’s special ed program serves students from high school all the way to young adulthood.” The Elkhart High School students are “new musicians,” who are learning alongside their GC peers.

Harder explained that “for Goshen College students, they can earn their Global Study Term credit through this class … it is very much a cross-cultural experience, people in Goshen College do not get to interact with their age group peers who have disabilities.” 

Harder touched on the music theory side of the course that students get to learn.” she said. saying, “They use graphic notation, which uses images for the notes … What United Sound [has] done very well is that they have taken the basics of learning a string instrument and made them very accessible.”

Carmen Merino, a senior biology major, describes the class as “the most supportive learning environment I have been in. It is a learning environment built on shared trust. We laugh with each other, not at each other. We build each other up.” 

According to Merino, this level of trust is vital for the student’s learning, and affording to laugh can raise spirits and offer relief in light of new and challenging experiences. “Honestly, the environment is unconditionally supportive and positive,” she said. 

This sentiment was backed up by Weirich, who told the class: “As long as we try, it is more than enough. You are enough,” 

The love for this course also extends to GC faculty. Todd Johnson, K-12 coordinator for the Center for Community Engagement, organizes events within the program. He said, “It really gives me a humbling experience to work with kids in need.” 

Harder shared similar sentiments. “My favorite part of the course is seeing the bond between the peer mentors and the new musicians,” she said. 

“I have been just blown away at the enthusiasm and the energy and the really genuine care that the GC mentors have brought to the course … society as a whole has a tendency to label people based on what they can’t do, what we’re here to do is celebrate what they can do.”

Music with United Sound will host a free concert in the Church Chapel Fellowship Hall on Tuesday, Dec.10 at 6:30 p.m., open to all members of the public. The concert will showcase the students’ hard work in the classroom.