Music School faculty member Mychal Gendron gives a guitar lesson to Nathaniel Nichols, 6, of Johnston at the school’s new headquarters in East Providence yesterday.

The Providence Journal / Sandor Bodo

The smell of fresh paint hung in the air yesterday as guitarist Mychal Gendron waited for the first of a half-dozen Suzuki students to arrive at his studio in the new Carter Center for Music Education, open yesterday for the first day of business. Gendron is one of about 70 faculty members who teach at the 31,000-square-foot facility, which is under the wing of the Rhode Island Philharmonic and located at the orchestra’s offices on Waterman Avenue in East Providence.

The center, said to be the largest orchestra-operated music school in the country, boasts 31 private rehearsal studios, classrooms for early childhood education and music therapy, along with two large rehearsal halls for student and community orchestras. In a pinch, the Philharmonic, which is based at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Providence, could also rehearse there.

“It’s better than a dream come true,” said Gendron, who will teach guitar at the center six days a week. He has 34 students.

The Carter Center, named for longtime Philharmonic supporters John and Letitia Carter, who gave $2 million toward the project, is home to the Music School, which opened 21 years ago and merged with the Philharmonic in 2000. Gendron has been teaching at the school since the beginning and said the wait has finally paid off.

“To have our own space is the answer to everyone’s prayers. You can’t find this anywhere else, certainly not in the state. It’s a phenomenal environment for fostering music.”

In the past, the school gave lessons in classrooms at the Nathaniel Greene Middle School in Providence. Because it shared space with the public school, it could only give lessons after classes, during the late afternoon and evening.

But the Carter Center is open all day and at night, which means it’s able to serve retirees and pre-schoolers.

Construction on the center began back in March 2007, when the orchestra announced a $12-million capital drive to pay for renovations and to boost its endowment. Seven million of that amount will go for the purchase price of the building and fixing it up. To date, the orchestra has raised $6 million, said the music school’s director Annette Mozzoni.

As the center was undergoing renovations the roof was raised to accommodate the two large rehearsal halls.

No students were on hand by midday yesterday, but Mozzoni was there to give a tour. Special care has been taken to make sure the rehearsal studios are quiet, she said. Sound proofing lines the walls and there is foam insulation in some of the floors. To keep sound from transferring, none of the duct work leads to adjoining rooms.

Rehearsal studios have new Kawai pianos awaiting some of the 1,600 students enrolled in the school. Because the center ended up replacing the windows, money was not available to purchase the 18 keyboards for the piano lab or equipment for a recording studio. But the rooms are complete and just awaiting the finishing touches, which could be funded by a corporate donor or grant, said Mozzoni. Wooden floors have yet to be installed.

There is a special wing for jazz, rock and blues, which as of yesterday had drum sets and keyboards spread about the rooms.

The Providence Singers are leasing several studios for office space, and plan to rehearse there. The Rhode Island Music Educators Association will also be housed there.

At this point the Philharmonic devotes about half its $4-million budget to the school. It is hoped that investment will translate into future audiences for the orchestra, said Mozzoni. If nothing else, it will certainly foster a more music-literate public, at a time when music programs are being cut in the schools.

“I’m surprised more orchestra don’t do this,” said Mozzoni.

Students who can’t afford lessons can apply for scholarship money, said Mozzoni. Last year, the school gave about $80,000 in financial aid.

The center accepts students as young as eight months to its early childhood programs. When kids are 3 or 4, they traditionally sign up for Suzuki classes. Gendron, who heads up the Suzuki program, is one of nine Suzuki teachers.

Mozzoni said the center is big enough to accommodate three times the current enrollment, or 4,800 students. The building, the former Meeting Street School, has about 200 parking spaces.

Other amenities include a faculty lounge with a full kitchen and a lounge where parents can wait for their children during lessons or rehearsals.

The rehearsal halls can be used for concerts and sit up to 200 patrons.

The Music School closed its branches in Barrington and Providence and now maintains just one satellite, in East Greenwich.

The Carter Center, at 667 Waterman Ave., East Providence, is open Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday 9-7 and Saturday 8-5. For information call (401) 248-7001.

cgray@projo.com