Shanda (Symonds) Fordyce has been teaching music since 2000 and specializes in all things wind! She offers instruction on saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, flute, french horn, music theory, and more! She’s even taught a didgeridoo lesson before (hello circular breathing!). Shanda enjoys teaching all levels and has had multiple students earn a prestigious place in the Iowa High School All-State Band. She also enjoys being a part of her church worship team and would love to help you with vocal harmonization and keyboarding from chord charts. If you are a parent who would love to learn/re-learn how to read music to pick up your old instrument again or help your kiddo learn their band music, she’s your girl! Shanda has such a huge passion for music education and you can see her eyes light up every time she starts talking about it!

Shanda earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music Business from Monmouth College and has played with the Jack Shultz Orchestra, Denny Whaling and Black Diamond Big Bands, and multiple community bands. During their time in Des Moines, she also taught music classes at Birchwood Montessori. As a student, she was involved in SCIBA, Drake, and Conference honor bands, concert, jazz, pep, and marching bands and was the recipient of several awards-including the Louis Armstrong Award for Musical Excellence. She earned more than a dozen “I” Excellent ratings for her individual solos on various instruments and small group performances.

Being a homeschooling mother to her own 3 children led Shanda to become the founder and creator of Central Iowa Homeschool Band and Instrumental Music classes in 2017-specializing in facilitating a love for music and teaching her young students foundational skills that can be used with any instrument as they grow! The offerings for this group vary by the semester/school year and is tailored to the ages, abilities, instruments, and desires of the students and families involved each semester. Pre-k through high school. It is a huge labor of love and her passion shines in this group. She is always open to suggestions/requests! Shanda is thrilled to partner with CIML to expand the daytime musical offerings to the Central Iowa homeschool community!