Congrats to the talented youth musicians from the Berkshire Partners Blue Hill Club and Mattapan Teen Center!
Category Archives: News
Boys & Girls Club of Waltham Studio Clubhouse on NBC 10 Boston
Check out this great segment on NBC 10 Boston, featuring the Waltham Studio Clubhouse!
Reverb Gives Donates $2,500-Worth of Musical Instruments to Music & Youth Initiative
Boston, MA (June 2019) — Music & Youth Initiative is excited to announce that it has received a $2,500 grant from Reverb Gives, the charitable arm of Reverb.com, the online marketplace for musicians to buy, sell, and learn about new and used musical instruments. Thanks to Reverb Gives, Music & Youth will be able to put more instruments into the hands of youth in the Music Clubhouse program.
Continue readingMusic Clubhouse Member and West End House Featured on CNN
A recent “Champions for Change” segment on CNN highlights Music & Youth’s partner organization, West End House, and features their incredibly talented Music Clubhouse member, Carolina.
Congratulations, West End House and Carolina! We are so proud to partner with you!
Watch the video here.
Continue reading
Club Story: Making Music in Metro Atlanta
Club Experience Blog post by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America
October 17, 2018
“Groovey” Camp for Youth in Foster Care
With the help of a compassionate music mentor and the Music Impact Network, underserved youth have transformative musical experience
When professional bass player, Geena Spigarelli, considered what she might do while on break from touring this summer, she considered a number of things. Then she recalled how fulfilled she felt when she was a music mentor with Kids in a New Groove (KING), an Austin-based organization that provides free, private music instruction to youth living in foster care.
“I reached out to KING Executive Director, Laura Wood,” Geena says, “And we came up with the idea for a brand new Summer Music Camp.”
It was sure to be a success— if only Geena could figure out what to do for whole a whole week with 20 kids, many who were living in a group home and had no prior music experience.
That’s where Music Impact Network came in. Continue reading
Teen’s Workforce Experience Builds Path to Success
Bank of America Awards $25K Grant to Music & Youth Initiative’s Youth Leader Program
Boston MA, July 19, 2018— The Music & Youth Initiative’s Youth Leader Program, which provides workforce development opportunities for teens who have demonstrated excellence and leadership potential in their after-school Music Clubhouse programs, recently received a $25,000 grant from Bank of America. With this generous support from Bank of America, teens are getting opportunities to mentor younger members while gaining valuable work experience, including organizational, administrative, and professional skills.
High school senior and recent Youth Leader, Monte, is one outstanding recipient of this opportunity. Monte was thrilled to find out recently that he earned his spot at Berklee College of Music – full tuition paid for. Those who know him well aren’t at all surprised: Monte is the complete package. Not only does he have musical expertise, but he has shown exceptional character and maturity in his position as Youth Leader at the Boys & Girls Club.
Clubhouse Transformed: An Interview with HSTF’s Celina Miranda
Celina Miranda, Executive Director of Hyde Square Task Force
Music & Youth has proudly partnered with the Hyde Square Task Force, a leading community organization in Jamaica Plain, Boston, for over 10 years. In their own words: “Our work is guided by our mission: to develop the skills of youth and their families, so they are empowered to enhance their own lives and build a strong and vibrant community.”
Recently, the Hyde Square Task Force Music Clubhouse underwent a major renovation, doubling its size! Gary Eichhorn caught up with Celina Miranda, Executive Director of Hyde Square Task Force, to find out how this renovation is making a difference in the lives of the youth HSTF serves.
AARP 2017 Purpose Prize Fellow: Gary Eichhorn, CEO, Music & Youth Initiative
“It’s really not about the music. It’s about the kids and their development and their growth. Music is what gets them in.”
By JON MARCUS, 
, 2018
It’s a typical afternoon at West End House, a Boys & Girls Club in Boston, where a cacophony of drumbeats competes with the sound of dribbling basketballs and fitness classes. “This is a relief of stress for me,” a 17-year-old enthuses over the din. Rapping and performing on the drums, bass guitar and keyboard “is how I express my feelings and get everything out. It gives you that confidence that you can do whatever you want to do.”
That’s the idea behind this Music Clubhouse and 17 additional ones in Massachusetts, Texas and Georgia. They’re part of a network being built by a retired tech executive and amatuer jazz guitarist as a way to draw in teenagers vulnerable to other temptations, who often drift away from youth centers like West End House and the other services they offer. “It’s really not about the music. It’s about the kids and their development and their growth. Music is what gets them in,” says Gary Eichhorn, that former CEO.
‘Something magical that draws you in’
Wyclef Jean’s musical praise hits high note for Lowell High School junior
By RICK SOBEY, rsobey@lowellsun.com, MARCH 8, 2018
Lowell High School junior Brian Terrero-Batista had a week to remember — meeting Wyclef Jean, receiving VIP tickets to his show, and jamming out with him post-show. See video at lowellsun.com. SUN / RICK SOBEY
LOWELL — Brian Terrero-Batista starts finger-picking and percussion- tapping his guitar on stage.
Wyclef Jean — the three-time Grammy award winner — bobs his head, swaying back and forth.
He’s catching a vibe from the 17-year-old Lowell High School junior.
“Everyone always says they think it (the unique strumming and tapping) is so cool, and then Wyclef hears it and goes wide-eyed,” Terrero- Batista recalls from last week. “That was pretty awesome.” After jamming out and talking about music at UMass Lowell last Thursday, the pop superstar handed the high schooler VIP tickets to his show in Boston later that night.