Library tunes up with new music lesson scholarships

Youngsters will be reading more than books at Lee-Bardwell Public Library this year – sheet music’s on the score for summer 2026.
It’s coming in a partnership between the Pacific Avenue facility and the Suzanne Bardwell Music Foundation, hosting area musicians Andrew & Kate Kirby to bring music lessons for interested kiddoes.
Owners of Big Sandy Music Hall, “They travel all over the country,” according to Gladewater Mirror Publisher Jim Bardwell, fronting 10 scholarships for the summertime musical outreach beginning in June.
According to Library Director Brandy Winn, the husband-and-wife musical duo will offer three sets of music lessons for children in two age groups, 3-to-8 years-old and 9-and-older.
“I think it’s a fantastic idea,” Winn said. “The 3-to-8 will be a general music class that will incorporate different music instruments and singing and all that. The 9-plus will be guitar-only.”
The first five applicants in either age group will have their tuition paid for by Bardwell in memory of his late wife, who died in January 2022.
“I think it’s going to be neat. Suzanne really loved music. She’s like me, she couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, but she appreciated music,” Bardwell quipped. “It’ll be something to get kids in the library who don’t normally come to the library. Once they’re there for the music, maybe they’ll be introduced to books.”
The music lessons are open to more than the first 10 students, Winn emphasized, at a cost of $25 per child, per class. To sign-up a young would-be musician for the lessons, contact Winn at 903-845-2640 to put the child on the roster for the Kirbys.
“They’ll be at the Summer Reading Sign-ups to do a demonstration and show how their teaching works,” Winn added.
That summertime kick-off is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 30, at Lake Gladewater’s Ferguson Park.
“There will be a children versus fire department Revolutionary War re-enactment,” Winn said excitedly, eager to incorporate the America 250 semiquincentennial celebration by having the kids square-off against the emergency responders, water “cannon” vs. water guns. “I predict absolutely chaos, and I love it.”
Winn is currently recruiting food trucks for the event in addition to families. The food truck fee is waived for any operation already signed up with City Hall. For more information or to reserve a spot, call 903-845-2640.
“We’re going to open registration June 1 online,” Winn said. Find the sign-up via https://tlt.ad/B