Congratulations to our 1st quarter grant recipients:
Bowling Green, KY: Drakes Creek MS: This middle school in a suburban and rural area of south-central Kentucky has decided to start a new music program with guitars due to strong demand from their students (they already have an orchestra and band program). They’ve been offered matching support for 24 guitars.
Chicago, IL: Chicago Bulls College Prep Music Program: This private high school offers free tuition and rigorous academics in Chicago Near West Side,, one of Chicago’s most underserved areas. Their music program consists of orchestra and guitar, and has a strong need for more inventory; all of their instruments need to be shared, CFKF has offered matching support for 4 new instruments to help them build their inventory.
Chicago, IL: The Peoples’ Music School: This school provides a tuition-free music experience to students K-12 to underserved students around Chicago. They are growing quickly (tripled ins size since 2015 to over 900 students); they partner with the Chicago Symphony for performance opportunities; they provide private lessons, orchestra and music theory to all of their kids. We’ve offered $2000 in matching funds to encourage this quickly growing initiative.
Clarksdale, MS: Griot Arts: Clarksdale is a small community in central Mississippi that has a rich history of blues music. This small school offers music education to students grades 3-12; they have a strong need for increased inventory as they grow. They’ve been offered matching support toward 14 new instruments to provide more access to this great program.
Dallas, TX: Dallas Symphony Orchestra: This is our second grant to the DSO; their Southern Dallas Residency program is expanding rapidly, supporting underserved kids grades 1-5 with free music instruction and events. We’ve offered $3000 in matching funds to again support this exciting initiative.
Detroit, MI: Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts: This quickly growing new school serving students grades 9-10 in Detroit has inspired over 1/3 of the students to become involved in music; they need a new infusion of inventory to keep pace with demand. They’ve been offered $2000 in matching funds to encourage this growing initiative in an economically challenged area.
Detroit, MI: Detroit Public Schools Foundation: This large public school system requested support for its orchestral program for kids grades 5-12; they have a strong need for more inventory as the program grows, as well as for replacement of aging and unplayable instruments. The system as a whole has made a substantial new commitment this year to music education, an exciting development after years of terminated music programs. This system’s student population comes from one of the highest poverty rates in the U.S.; they’ve been offered $2000 in matching funds to support this very encouraging new initiative.
Fall River, MA: Atlantis Educational Foundation: This public charter school is launching a new string program in Fall 2020 for kids grades 4-8 in Fall River, an economically challenged community with high rates of poverty. They need a starter inventory of new instruments to be able to launch the program, and CFKF is offering $2000 in matching funds to support them.
Ft. Collins, CO: Off the Hook Arts: Off the Hook Arts is a recent private initiative aimed at creating musical opportunity for disadvantaged kids grades 1-5; they are expanding quickly at 2 locations in Ft. Collins with their Meadowlark program offering violin and guitar instruction. This is the only musical opportunity for underserved kids in the area; CFKF is offering $2000 in matching funds to continue encouraging this private program’s growth and the underserved kids they support.
Portland, OR: Bravo Youth Orchestra: This program serves kids grades pre-K-9 in one of the poorest areas of Portland, providing music instruction to over 600 students in 6 schools in the Roosevelt School District there; we’ve offered $2500 in matching funds to continue encouraging this program’s expansion.
Sedona, AZ: Chamber Music Sedona: This different model for string education by a chamber music society offers private instruction, access to public concerts, and music appreciation initiatives to kids grades 7-12 around the area. They’ve been offered $1478 in matching funds to support this interesting model’s needs.
Winooski, VT: Winooski Schools: This program serves kids grades 5-12 in Winooski, which is close to Burlington. The town has the lowest per capita income in the state. The student body is truly international; a total of 25 languages, many African, Far Eastern and Middle Eastern dialects, are spoken. CFKF has offered $2,000 in matching funds to encourage this diverse public school system.