This post is the first among a couple of posts in which I will highlight and discuss various extracurricular and community music programs for youth in Chicago. Although this method is limited, I have spent a little bit of time looking at websites of various formal after-school or community music programs and have set up a least four interviews/visits. Located in various neighborhoods but often reaching beyond their block, many of these programs have explicit and implicit notions of social justice tied to their musical programs.
Since social justice is already on their mind and I needed to start writing, my goal for today is to simply map out their online representations by providing links. For the few programs that I was able to contact, I hope to use the interviews, visits, or media they provide to better understand their concepts and find ways in which our class blog can better contribute to their ongoing discussions and work. I will most definitely add literature,summaries, and analysis later. For the sake of continuity, all posts pertaining to this will be tagged as "music education". Feel free to make comments on what I have found , provide links to programs that I have overlooked, or make a post under the extracurricular tag as well.
This post first stemmed from a personal interest in music programs for children of all backgrounds, how these programs are conducted, what is taught, why it is taught, how it is taught, and what sort of access to children have to these programs. Growing up in an African American lower income family in Kansas City, MO, I was always interested in music but was not able to play an instrument until middle school when my parents bought me an extremely used clarinet. I wanted to play saxophone but my father (who himself played saxophone) and my band teacher sort of pushed me towards the clarinet. Fortunately, I fell in love with it (well at least for 7 years until I stopped playing when I reached college). My father introduced me to modern jazz but I somehow latched onto various forms of swing and big bang jazz from the late 1930s 40s and 50s, with the aspiration to be like Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman. (Later, I learned of other jazz clarinetists. However, I never actually took a jazz class because my high school focused on marching and concert band. The tiny jazz band had a conflicting schedule and all the clarinetists who participated played other instruments). And at the time, there were few free music programs, especially not within my area. In other words, although I loved music and my school had some opportunities, my musical instrument and style choices were limited by outside circumstances as well as personal choices. Coming to Chicago and enrolling in this course caused me to wonder about programs are readily available here in Chicago for youth and what specific issues they address (or don't address) here.
Although I had my own portrait of social justice within music education and extracurricular activities, my experiences were based on my time in suburban Kansas City. Thus, I started searching programs with an open-mind, wanting to hear from students and program coordinators. Unsurprisingly, I found a bunch of programs fairly easily, some of which are well-established and have been working with schools to help children for decades. Other programs have been founded by local/national celebrities or are tied to a religious organization. Still more work on a smaller level.
The following list of programs was provided through a simple Google search using a few combination of terms such as "music" ,"community" "children", "kids", "youth", "Chicago", "South Side", "classes" and "social justice". I then limited myself to programs that were for the most part "free". This list is by no mean exhaustive but rather highlights groups that established their web presence through some easily accessible websites. (Which means that this list has some bias for programs that have the resources and time to create and maintain a website).
Some of the programs that are extracurriculars were found on the Chicago Public School "After School Matters" website (http://www.afterschoolmatters.org/teens), which compiles after school programs for high school students and makes it easier for them to enroll in different programs. In addition a few programs were found through the Springboard Foundation run through the Chicago Community Trust and their affiliates (http://springboardfoundation.org), which lists "after-school and supplemental education programs" and they fund "grass-roots not-for-profit organizations that otherwise would have difficulty obtaining financial support" For those interested, these two websites have created a compilation of programs that go beyond my scope.
Thus, is in no particular order at all:
Rock For Kids
Kuumba Lynx
The Merit School of Music
http://meritmusic.org/about-merit/history/#.U4QUGV5rgds
(Note: Various programs, genearlly start in a Dynamic Starts of Bridges: Music Partners course. Some students are eligible for a scholarship that will help pay for their instrument. Uses Suzuki method.)
Some of the programs that are extracurriculars were found on the Chicago Public School "After School Matters" website (http://www.afterschoolmatters.org/teens), which compiles after school programs for high school students and makes it easier for them to enroll in different programs. In addition a few programs were found through the Springboard Foundation run through the Chicago Community Trust and their affiliates (http://springboardfoundation.org), which lists "after-school and supplemental education programs" and they fund "grass-roots not-for-profit organizations that otherwise would have difficulty obtaining financial support" For those interested, these two websites have created a compilation of programs that go beyond my scope.
Thus, is in no particular order at all:
Rock For Kids
http://www.rockforkids.org/what_we_do.html
Kuumba Lynx
Intonation Music
Hip Hop Detox
Harmony Hope & Healing
(Note this program works with homeless men, women and children)
Hooked on Drums
http://www.hookedondrums.org
(Note: no longer providing services, however, I thought it would be nice to add them to the list)
(Note: no longer providing services, however, I thought it would be nice to add them to the list)
South Side Music Program
(no website but they are listed on the UChiago Community Programs website http://communityprograms.uchicago.edu/full_listing.php?program=190) and I am working contacting them.
The Merit School of Music
http://meritmusic.org/about-merit/history/#.U4QUGV5rgds
(Note: Various programs, genearlly start in a Dynamic Starts of Bridges: Music Partners course. Some students are eligible for a scholarship that will help pay for their instrument. Uses Suzuki method.)
The Chicago Children's Choir
(Note: This is the program whose annual benefit concert Michael went to)
Girl's Rock!Chicago
Chicago School of Blues
Inferno
(Note, if I am correct, this is Ben's program)
People's Music School
http://peoplesmusicschool.org/index_files/about.html
The Soul Children of Chicago
http://soulchildrenchicago.org/page/contributions.php
(Note: This program requires auditions and is thus not as easily accessible)
The Chicago Academy of Music
http://www.chicagoacademyofmusic.org
Donda's House
http://dondashouseinc.org
Keys 4/4 Kids
http://keys44kids.com/about-us
(Note this program is a little different than the others. People can donate or sell used pianos. The pianos or the proceeds then go towards four different nationwide programs including their "Piano Placement Program" which provides pianos for low-income families who cannot afford them. It was not founded in Chicago but they have branch here.)
Street-Level Youth Media
http://www.street-level.org
(Note: They provide students with various media arts training, including the process of studio music production and they have a studio open to students who register and are accepted).
The Salvation Army Music Programs
1. Let the Music Begin
2. Metro Youth Gospel Arts
3. Metro Music Camps
http://salarmychicago.org/music/program-information/
The Mercy Children's Home: Essa Music Program
http://www.mercyhome.org/essa-music-program
(Note: The Mercy Children's Home is a home for struggling boys and girls. Thus, their mission and employment of music education is a little different).
CONNECT
http://chicagopresents.uchicago.edu/about-us/education-outreach
(Note: This program also seems to be no longer providing services and they worked directly with the music education in school but I included them anyways. Connect stand for Chamber Orchestra Neighborhood Network of Education, Curriculum, and Teacher. While providing music education in the South Side School and doing hand-on-work with children, they also focused on new ways to train teachers.
El Valor: Enriching Youth
(Youth Musicians Program)
http://www.elvalor.org/enriching_youth
(Note: El Valor tends to work specifically with Latino children and their families and their music program appears to follow this trend as well.)
Graffiti Zone
http://www.graffitizone.org/Contact_Us.html
Not just graffiti but open mic nights where the children can perform whatever genre they like.
Music for Kids
http://www.musicforkidschi.org/Music_For_Kids/About_Us.html
Based in the Edgewater neighborhood.
Little Kids Rock
http://www.littlekidsrock.org/about/what-we-do/
(Note: Not based in Chicago, but we have a branch here).
Old Town School of Music
General website: http://www.oldtownschool.org
Webpage to financial aid: http://www.oldtownschool.org/aboutus/financialaid/
Random End note:
After I add some summaries, I have lots of questions and themes I would like us to explore, if I/we have the time. For example, after looking at a lot of these programs and their various statuses as non-profit organizations and/or ties to the Chicago Public School system, I am curious about the process of attaining funding and the sort of biases in the funding application process. I am also curious about the longevity of projects and how finances and other outside factors contribute to a decrease in longevity. For programs that aren't genre specific, I am also interested in how they present a variety of music styles and what styles end up getting left out. And because so many programs extend beyond in and after-school music education, I am interested in the broader issues that they address through all of their programs)
People's Music School
http://peoplesmusicschool.org/index_files/about.html
The Soul Children of Chicago
http://soulchildrenchicago.org/page/contributions.php
(Note: This program requires auditions and is thus not as easily accessible)
The Chicago Academy of Music
http://www.chicagoacademyofmusic.org
Donda's House
http://dondashouseinc.org
Keys 4/4 Kids
http://keys44kids.com/about-us
(Note this program is a little different than the others. People can donate or sell used pianos. The pianos or the proceeds then go towards four different nationwide programs including their "Piano Placement Program" which provides pianos for low-income families who cannot afford them. It was not founded in Chicago but they have branch here.)
Street-Level Youth Media
http://www.street-level.org
(Note: They provide students with various media arts training, including the process of studio music production and they have a studio open to students who register and are accepted).
The Salvation Army Music Programs
1. Let the Music Begin
2. Metro Youth Gospel Arts
3. Metro Music Camps
http://salarmychicago.org/music/program-information/
The Mercy Children's Home: Essa Music Program
http://www.mercyhome.org/essa-music-program
(Note: The Mercy Children's Home is a home for struggling boys and girls. Thus, their mission and employment of music education is a little different).
CONNECT
http://chicagopresents.uchicago.edu/about-us/education-outreach
(Note: This program also seems to be no longer providing services and they worked directly with the music education in school but I included them anyways. Connect stand for Chamber Orchestra Neighborhood Network of Education, Curriculum, and Teacher. While providing music education in the South Side School and doing hand-on-work with children, they also focused on new ways to train teachers.
El Valor: Enriching Youth
(Youth Musicians Program)
http://www.elvalor.org/enriching_youth
(Note: El Valor tends to work specifically with Latino children and their families and their music program appears to follow this trend as well.)
Graffiti Zone
http://www.graffitizone.org/Contact_Us.html
Not just graffiti but open mic nights where the children can perform whatever genre they like.
Music for Kids
http://www.musicforkidschi.org/Music_For_Kids/About_Us.html
Based in the Edgewater neighborhood.
Little Kids Rock
http://www.littlekidsrock.org/about/what-we-do/
(Note: Not based in Chicago, but we have a branch here).
Old Town School of Music
General website: http://www.oldtownschool.org
Webpage to financial aid: http://www.oldtownschool.org/aboutus/financialaid/
Random End note:
After I add some summaries, I have lots of questions and themes I would like us to explore, if I/we have the time. For example, after looking at a lot of these programs and their various statuses as non-profit organizations and/or ties to the Chicago Public School system, I am curious about the process of attaining funding and the sort of biases in the funding application process. I am also curious about the longevity of projects and how finances and other outside factors contribute to a decrease in longevity. For programs that aren't genre specific, I am also interested in how they present a variety of music styles and what styles end up getting left out. And because so many programs extend beyond in and after-school music education, I am interested in the broader issues that they address through all of their programs)
More to come.....
Best,
Caressa Franklin
Best,
Caressa Franklin
Have you checked out Old Town School of Folk Music? I've always been interested in what they do for social programs and outreach. They do offer scholarships--I think there is info on the website.:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.oldtownschool.org/
Thanks Michael for the addition--if you don't mind, I will just edit my original post and add them to the bottom of the list.
ReplyDelete