Here are some exerpts (from a transcript issued by the White House) from Michelle Obama's recent speech at the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School:

“We believe strongly that the arts aren't somehow an 'extra’ part of our national life, but instead we feel that the arts are at the heart of our national life. It is through our music, our literature, our art, drama and dance that we tell the story of our past and we express our hopes for the future. Our artists challenge our assumptions in ways that many cannot and do not. They expand our understandings, and push us to view our world in new and very unexpected ways…..

"It's through this constant exchange -- this process of taking and giving, this process of borrowing and creating -- that we learn from each other and we inspire each other. It is a form of diplomacy in which we can all take part."

Our mission is to set your student up for success in the performing arts. That means our teachers focus on the building blocks of arts education: theory, technique, history, repertoire/choreography, and performance strategy.

We have two to three recitals per year, monthly performance opportunities through our Performance Outreach Program, and we will prepare your student for any auditions or adjudications that pique their interest.

KAMA also means convenience. Auto-debit, online enrollment, up-to-date website calendar, email, Facebook and Twitter updates, sibling discounts/multiple student priority scheduling, and a location in Keizer Plaza on River Road---close to grocery stores, coffee shops, a book store, and a variety of restaurants.

Keizer Academy of Music & Arts was founded in 2009 by pianist, Sara Greenleaf Seitz, and cellist, Noah Seitz.