Making Music: Michele’s Studio founder passes torch for Fishers music school

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By Sam Elliott

Although it’s recently received a new name and owner, the building at 11671 Maple St. continues to create music and teach the next generation of area musicians.

Michele Shetter founded Michele’s Studio in Fishers in 2007, following 16 years as a high school choral director, piano instructor and musical choreographer. Last year, the studio relocated from its original home near the intersection of 131st Street and Lantern Road to two facilities in downtown Fishers. Shetter will continue to own and operate Michele’s Studio’s Theater House, 11508 S. Lantern Rd., but has passed the proverbial torch for the music school to Geoffrey Kelsaw.

“Geoffrey was with us for two years at the other studio and almost one year here,” Shetter said. “He knows the comings and goings, and he’s always wanted to own his own studio, so it’s exciting. He’s keeping the same staff. It really is just kind of a passing of the torch. I was gone a lot, anywa,y since I’m at the Theater House about 90 percent of the time.”

Now known as Kelsaw’s Music Study, the school continues to offer students of all ages private and small group piano, guitar, ukulele and vocal lessons. Kelsaw plans to add an organ to one of the building’s practice spaces.

“I’ve worked with all ages, from children to adults,” Kelsaw said. “It’s very rewarding working with someone, just seeing where they are and what their goals and aspirations are in music.”

One of Kelsaw’s goals for the future of his studio is to offer more performance opportunities for both students and instructors.

“I want to open it up for the staff to do more performances,” he said. “Students would like to see those teaching them their craft in action. Two of our staff, Kristina Sharp and Levell Ross, Kristina is one of our piano instructors and Levell is one of our guitar instructors, we had them perform for the city’s recent downtown arts crawl, and we’re going to do that again with a September performance event. We just want to give them more exposure, and it’s good for the students to see their teachers do that.

“We’re going to try to do more performances with the students, as well,” he added. “We do that already, but I just want to take to it to the next level.”

Meet Geoffrey Kelsaw – Owner, Kelsaw’s Music Study

• Fort Wayne native

• Minister of Worship and Creative Arts, Mount Zion Baptist Church – 16 years

• Adjunct professor at University of Indianapolis – 11 years

• Choral Director, University of Indianapolis’ Voices of Worship

• Instruments played: Piano, organ, saxophone, clarinet

Kelsaw’s Music Study offerings

• Piano: Private and group (four students max per class) lessons, ages 5 and up; “Little Mozart’s” group classes, ages 3-5

• Voice: Private (ages 8 and up) and group (ages 5 and up, five students max per class) lessons

•Guitar: Private and group (four students max per class) lessons, ages 8 and up; ukulele private or group lessons recommended for ages 5-7

Michele’s Studio Theater House offerings

Upcoming children’s theater productions (weekly rehearsals begin in August with shows in December)

K-2nd grade: “101 Dalmatians Kids”

3rd-8th grade: “Elf: The Musical”

“Calmonic” Class — Specially designed class utilizes music, theater, art and movement activities to help students gain coping strategies for calming themselves in stressful situations. Taught by Shetter, who is applying to pursue a PhD in neuropsychology with plans for a thesis covering how performing arts can have a calming effect on the brain, the camp is designed for students experiencing but not limited to attention deficit or hyperactive issues, social anxiety, emotional meltdowns and behavioral issues.


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