NAMM Foundation Awards $445,000 to Support Innovative Music Learning Programs

The NAMM Foundation announces the 21 recipients of the NAMM Foundation's 2012-2013 program grants, allocating $445,000 in funding. The grants support innovative community-based music learning programs that expand access to active music making and its many benefits.

The new grants, while only a small portion of the National Association of Music Merchant's (NAMM) overall annual multimillion-dollar-reinvestment into the music products industry, help organizations operate programs designed to increase interest and participation in making music among teachers, seniors, college students and school-aged children. Since 1994, the NAMM Foundation has supported worthy U.S. and international music-making programs with more than 13.7 million dollars in grant-making support.

“Through its support of these community programs, the NAMM Foundation supports  music-making opportunities to  people of all ages and backgrounds, allowing them to experience the many benefits of playing music,” said Mary Luehrsen, executive director of the NAMM Foundation. “NAMM members through their involvement at the annual NAMM Show and membership in NAMM allow these programs to flourish.”

During the recent National Association of Music Merchants’ (NAMM) Board of Directors’ meeting, the following programs received approval:

Australian Music Association
The Australian Music Association is the trade body for the music products industry, representing wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers and associated services for musical instruments, pro audio, print music, lighting and computer music products. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of Wider Opportunities Whole Class Instrumental Program, providing professional development for instrumental teachers, classroom teachers and community musicians.

Carolina Studios Corp.
Carolina Studios Corp’s mission is to provide youth a safe after-school and summer environment that promotes productive use of time through music technology and other media arts enhancing creative, educational and career-focused initiatives. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of its Music Technology Program, to include a “Mobile Studio” that will visit six Title 1 middle/high schools and the Windwood Farm Home for abused and neglected children.

Coalition for Music Education in Canada
The Coalition for Music Education in Canada’s mission is to raise the awareness and understanding of the role that music education plays in Canadian culture, and to promote the benefits that music education brings to young people. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of its Music Monday program, a public awareness initiative that engages thousands of music makers and the media in the opportunity to celebrate music making's vital role in school and in life and to launch their Wise Voices for Music® program. The Wise Voices for Music program provides opportunities for Canadian youth to express their passion for music. 

Dallas Wind Symphony
The Dallas Wind Symphony is the leading professional civic wind band in the United States today. Comprised of 50 woodwind, brass and percussion players, the band performs an eclectic blend of musical styles ranging from Bach to Bernstein and Sousa to Strauss. NAMM Foundation funding will help expand its Strike Up The Band youth concerts recruitment initiative, which supports the Dallas Independent School District’s sixth grade band recruitment efforts and creates visibility for the program and its Summer Music Institute, which consists of two-week long band camps designed to give low-income urban Dallas band students intensive training in a fun, friendly atmosphere, under the guidance of musicians from the Dallas Symphony.

Guitars and Accessories Marketing Association
The Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA) is a trade association comprising of guitar product manufacturers and distributors. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of Teacher Guitar Workshop, a professional development program providing music educators with the basic skills and tools necessary to introduce and teach group guitar instruction in schools.

Guitars In the Classroom
Guitars in the Classroom (GITC) trains and equips classroom teachers to integrate singing and playing guitar into children’s daily school experiences. By providing instruction, access to instruments, resource materials, and program supervision, GITC empowers educators to transform classrooms into musical environments that bring out the best in every student, engaging them in studies across the curriculum. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of The AMIGO Project: Achievement through Music Integration, to include early childhood education (ECE) and in-classroom coaching based on last year’s pilot.

Latino Arts, Inc.
Latino Arts, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to bringing cultural awareness, artistic educational experiences, and high-quality programming to the Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin communities featuring Hispanic artists. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of the Latino Arts String program, an in-school and after-school music education program serving students ages 4 to 17 where students learn classical musical skills while learning and incorporating Latino music and traditions.

Litchfield Performing Arts, Inc.
Litchfield Performing Arts’ mission is to enhance the achievement of students and music educators of all ages and skill levels by providing instruction from jazz professionals in a non-competitive environment. NAMM Foundation funding supports the organizations’ emerging teacher training program Litchfield Jazz Camp & the “Road Tour” Mentoring program where selected students become Resident/Teaching Assistants.

Little Kids Rock
Little Kids Rock’s mission is to restore and revitalize music education in U.S. public schools. It provides free musical instruments and music instruction to underserved schools across the country. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of its Modern Band program to Atlanta and Nashville. The program will bring instruments such as keyboards, drums, electric basses and guitars, microphones and amplifiers—as well as curricula, song charts, and instructional videos—to at-risk students and their teachers.

Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation
Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting music through donations of musical instruments to young musicians. NAMM Foundation funding supports its Instrument Donation program, which helps after-school programs serving underserved youth primarily attending Title 1 schools. Funding will support the purchase of new instruments and/or repairing of damaged instruments in the programs’ inventory for one of two title 1 schools.

Music For All
Music For All/UK is the charity for the UK musical instrument industry whose mission is “Making More Musicians!” NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of the travelling Learn To Play Stand School Tour, introducing thousands of children to a variety of musical instruments in schools in the United Kingdom and supporting music instruction programs.  This effort is done in collaboration with the music dealer network in the UK.

Music Haven Inc.
Music Haven’s mission is to imbed as a professional string quartet in an urban community and contribute to community development goals through performance and music education, empowering young people, their families, and professional musicians. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of the organization’s After-School Lesson program, providing a creative outlet for youth and families who have little or no access to high-quality music education, mostly due to economic circumstances, time and transportation limitations.

National Piano Foundation
PianoNet is the official site for the National Piano Foundation, a comprehensive guide to pianos, including the history, manufacturing, related noted artists, important publications, and more. NAMM Foundation funding supports its Teacher Scholarship program to help train piano teachers to create and grow a successful RMM program.

National String Project Consortium
The National String Project Consortium (NSPC) is a coalition of String Project sites based at colleges and universities across the United States. The NSPC is dedicated to increasing the number of children playing stringed instruments, and addressing the critical shortage of string teachers in the United States. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of the Nurturing and Sustaining Six String Projects program to support the fifth and final year for four more sites.   

Orchestre A L’Ecole
Orchestre A L’Ecole, a non-profit music trade association in France, aims to develop the musical abilities of young people in schools in disadvantaged areas. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of the Orchestre A L’Ecole, a music education and training program that was created by the association.

Percussion Marketing Council
The Percussion Marketing Council’s mission is to provide professional marketing and advertising campaigns, programs and activities that bring increased public awareness to drumming, thus increasing the number of people playing all types of drums. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of the Roots of Rhythm interdisciplinary music education program and the Percussion in the Schools assembly program to serve schools throughout the United States

Percussive Arts Society, Inc.
Percussive Arts Society (PAS) is a non-profit, music service organization. Its mission is to promote percussion education, research, performance and appreciation throughout the world. NAMM Foundation funding supports the Find Your Rhythm! Community Outreach program designed to engage fourth and fifth grade students in active music making using rhythm-based instruments. The program serves low-income youth from Indianapolis city schools.

San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory
The San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory instills excellence in the musical and personal development of students through rigorous and inspiring musical training experiences. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of the Community Opus Project, providing community-based music programs for at-risk youth in San Diego County and efforts to work community-wide to reinstate music education programs.

Street-Level Youth Media
Street-Level Youth Media educates Chicago's urban youth in media arts and emerging technologies for use in self-expression, communication, and social change. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of its Audio/Music Production program, which includes beginning- to advanced-level music and sound technology workshops in community- and school-based sites during after-school hours, as well as media arts integrated workshops.

Technology Institute for Music Educators
The Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI:ME) is a non-profit organization with a mission to assist music educators in applying technology to improve teaching and learning in music. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of TI:ME’s Technology Leadership Academy, a program for pre-service music education majors focusing attention on the emerging interest to reach non-traditional music students with technology-based music programs.

Youth Radio
Youth Radio promotes young people's intellectual, creative, and professional growth through education and access to media. NAMM Foundation funding supports the expansion of the D.S.S.C.O: DJ Sound System for Community Outreach program, a teen and young adult program that engages local DJs as guest instructors to train students in technology and music making.

For more information about the NAMM Foundation's grants and scholarships, please e-mail grants@namm.org.

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About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit organization with the mission of advancing active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs from the international music products industry. For more information about the NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.