In Thursday’s (6/30) Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN), David Waters writes about “young students in the Harmonic South String Orchestra, a new summer music program in South Memphis” known as Memphis Music Initiative. The program “is working to close the music gap in Memphis…. [Executive Director Darren] Isom says only 5 percent of the city’s students have access to high-quality music instruction outside of their schools…. ‘Music is so important to Memphis, but so many kids don’t have access to it, especially after school and in the summer,’ Isom said. The Music Initiative is supporting summer music programs for 500 kids in Memphis. … The strings program is led by Michelle Johnson, who has taught music in Memphis schools for more than 30 years…. Last year, the Music Initiative asked her to start a new summer strings program…. Johnson and Isom are planning to continue and expand the strings program during the school year.” Says Johnson, “Music makes you feel better, about life and about yourself…. We have a lot of troubled students. This music takes them away from their troubles into a world of beauty and collaboration and accomplishment.”
Posted July 1, 2016
