My lineage of professional musicians is the product of an unexpected plot twist; the children of poor immigrants, my great-uncles decided to reject the typical life of Massachusetts factory work and alternatively pursue music. Barely teenagers and barely able to hold a conversation in English, music lessons were their launching pad towards a lifetime of unique opportunities and experiences. This was the start of a family tradition that is well and alive today and consequently, I was privileged enough to have music education both at home and in school. As budget deficits force music programs out of school curriculums, students today are denied such opportunities. This is especially detrimental for inner city schools where studies have proven the ability of music programs to increase graduation rates, attendance and language skills while driving down alcohol and drug abuse.
I know that the presence of music education in my life is responsible for providing me with countless professional, academic and personal opportunities and I view my advocacy for music in education as a personal responsibility. My faith in the power of music education is confirmed every day with my work as a piano and vocal instructor. However, my students attending the private facilities where I teach do not represent underprivileged youth. My dedication and confidence in music education inspired my platform, Project MIOS. Standing for “Music In Our Schools”, Project MIOS is dedicated to promoting involvement amongst at-risk and ESL youth in music while making such programs accessible in their communities.
Music equips students with a priceless gift that is truly theirs---a universally recognized skill, an identity that cannot be repossessed and a limitless opportunity. The Spanish word mios appropriately translates into “mine”. As a tennis instructor at an English immersion school, I witnessed students using sports to cope with frustration from not being to communicate in their native languages. While athletic activities are regulated by guidelines, this non-verbal form of communication places no boundaries on creative expression and showcases each individual. Like math, music is one of the few disciplines in American education where a non-English native language is not a handicap.
This campaign will motivate at-risk and ESL students to participate in music-related activities by starting dialogue on the future of music programs, compiled from speaking with local students and teachers. To further the discussion, Project MIOS will focus on building an online community of interested students, teachers and artists. Across social media platforms, #projectMIOS identifies events and individuals exemplifying the positive effects of music education and projects embodying the Project MIOS mission.
With 20 established and versatile acts from around the world already serving as artist ambassadors, Project MIOS is producing a compilation CD to establish a scholarship fund to provide promising at-risk students with access to quality music instruction. Receiving over 200 submissions, artists were chosen for their excellent musicianship and commitment to our mission. With 100% of proceeds going towards this scholarship fund, each CD sale will ideally provide a child with a 30 minute private lesson. In return, scholarship recipients are asked to musically mentor a younger student after completing their scholarship-funded instruction. This format attracts determined young students, strengthens school music programs by nurturing their talented musicians and creates a peer to peer ‘pass it on’ effect.
Music is the universal language. It’s the language that my suburban in-home piano students share with my students attending the inner-city Boston school where I volunteer. It’s the language that my great-uncles learned to overcome poverty and discrimination. It’s the language that celebrates diversity and combats adversity. Every person can recall a time where music has had a special impact on his or her own life. So while music is something that is ours as a whole, it is also something that is mios. And it is our responsibility to protect what belongs to each of us.
