MUSIC MATTERS: THE STATE OF MUSIC EDUCATION – VORTEX MAGAZINE

“…For kids in the corrections system, living in foster care, or in residential mental treatment centers, the deep, transformational power of music as therapy is also evident. Ian Mouser, founder and executive director of My Voice Music, notes the significant dificulties a young, growing nonprofit faces, especially during the peak of the economic crisis, yet MVM has still managed to meet the challenge of helping at-risk and marginalized youth with emotional or behavioral problems. MVM partners with many schools and its programs are focused on individual songwriting and recording projects for students based on their musical genre interests, such as hip-hop, pop and rock. Unlike the schools, most of these exceptional nonprofits’ goals are not necessarily to provide formal music education.

We help youth find and strengthen their own voices by guiding them through their own musical journey and providing them with pathways to grow as musicians, community members and individuals,” Mouser says. At MVM summer rock camps, nontraditional peer-to-peer lessons are taught by volunteer high schoolers who mentor and teach middle schoolers as a way to incorporate these goals. “Imagine how cool it would be to be a kid and have some older high schooler teach you how to play guitar or drums?” Mouser illustrates…”

Read the full article here:  Vortex Magazine – Music Matters: The State of Music Education