National nonprofit donates music education program benefitting more than 3,000 Connecticut Public School students.
HARTFORD, CT – Feb. 18, 2017 – On Saturday, February 18, as a part of a statewide initiative built on the success of its programs in Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven, Music Will hosted teachers from across Connecticut to gather and expand their music education background and rock out with their peers. To ensure all of their students have an opportunity to have music programs that are as diverse as they are, the educators were instructed in a new and innovative music program provided by Music Will, a leading provider of free instruments and music instruction to U.S. public schools.
This newest cohort of Music Will teachers received a donation of approximately 525 musical instruments including guitars, basses, drum sets, and keyboards, which they will use to provide music lessons to nearly 5,000 students. These teachers are the most recent group to receive professional development and resources from Music Will, building on the success of colleagues from 69 schools throughout Connecticut who have already established the curriculum in their classes and reach nearly 14,000 students annually. Support for this work was provided (in part) by the LEGO Community Fund U.S., and SpreadMusicNow and BeFoundation.
“Working in an urban school district and aligning with the Every Student Succeeds Act we need to strive to teach music that is culturally relevant and this program is just that,” said one of the participating educators. “The workshop revived my teaching and gave me passion for my work with students. For the first time in a LONG time I feel ready to rock (literally) and confident in my abilities as a music educator in my classroom. I needed this!”
Music Will’s music programs teach kids the popular musical styles of the past 60 years, from rock and reggae to Latin and R&B, among other genres. The method focuses on improvisation, composition, and getting kids to play on day one. The program, which is part of burgeoning national movement is known as Modern Band, and complements existing music electives such as jazz band, choral ensembles, marching band, and orchestra. At Music Will’s Modern Band workshops, teachers play guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums, write and perform their own songs, and learn how to teach a Music Will music program at their schools.
About Music Will:
Music Will is a national nonprofit dedicated to transforming lives by restoring, expanding, and innovating music education in our schools. The organization partners with public school districts to train teachers to run its innovative Modern Band curriculum, and donates all the accompanying instruments and resources necessary to teach popular music in a way that empowers students to experience instant achievement. What began as a single after-school guitar class has since exploded into a national movement that brings free, weekly music lessons to over 275,000 public school children through the efforts of more than 1,800 teachers in 127 school districts nationwide. To date, Music Will has served more than 500,000 students.
About Spread Music Now:
SpreadMusicNow helps ensure that children across the nation experience the life-changing benefits of music education. SpreadMusicNow is a national fund that invests in music instruction for under-served youth, helping to shape their futures and build lifelong success. For more information visit www.spreadmusicnow.org or call 203-938-9000.
