Category Archives: News

BGCD Partners with Music & Youth for Summer Music Programming

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Original article published August 11, 2020 by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester. Re-posted with permission from BGCD.

This Summer BGCD has taken a whole new approach to music instruction with a new virtual component added to on-site lessons for members ages 10-18. Thanks to our partners at the Music & Youth Initiative who stepped up during this time to provide equipment for members to take home. Currently 24 members are taking 2 lessons a week for 60 minutes in Piano, Guitar, Drums, Bass and Sax. In addition, Music & Youth are providing Home Studio Kits for self-recording and on the go Mobile Studios which are part of the Teen program.

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Playing On

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Originally published on May 4, 2020 by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County.

Kids are drawn to music. Music has the ability to break down barriers and encourage vulnerability. Music production, from start to finish, also encourages collaboration, the use of math & science skills, and commitment. All of these are reasons we have Music & Youth Clubhouses in two of our locations, and we offer a mobile studio component. Kids love coming to the Music & Youth Clubhouses, and it is no surprise they have been missing their time there.

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How to Create a Cheap, Battery-Powered Production Workstation (article by Reverb.com)

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Original article published April 01, 2020 by Joel Handley at Reverb.com

Article re-printed with permission from Reverb.com

If you work at an after-school music program, maybe this dilemma will sound familiar: Your students want to learn how to make music, but maybe not the kind they find in their school’s classical, marching band, or choral curricula.

The Music & Youth Initiative came up with a cost-effective way to get powerful, contemporary music-making tools into the hands of students. The battery-powered workstation the group devised has everything students need to create modern pop, hip-hop, R&B, or other current music, and it will cost just about $1,000 total.

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Reverb Gives Donates $2,500-Worth of Musical Instruments to Music & Youth Initiative

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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.

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“Groovey” Camp for Youth in Foster Care

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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

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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.

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