President Obama and others championed the idea of an expansive Artists Corps during the 2008 campaign, but one group isn’t waiting for the government to use the arts to change communities across the United States. In 2009, Music National Service (MNS) launched MusicianCorps, a domestic “musical Peace Corps,” in four cities across the US. MusicianCorps recruits, trains and places talented musicians in under-resourced schools, low-income communities and health care settings for a year of “music public service.” The goal of the program is to promote service through the arts, strengthen 21st century skills and bring diverse communities together through music.
The inaugural class of MusicianCorps Fellows completed National Training Camp last year and is deployed throughout the country. David and Rebecca in New Orleans are introducing new music programming in public elementary schools. Meagan, a certified music therapist, is bringing music and engagement to children, veterans and seniors at University of California, San Francisco and other hospitals in the Bay Area. Carla, a certified music instructor, Aaron in Seattle, Jason in Chicago, and Samuel in Oakland are providing instrumental instruction, digital production and arts integration programs to neighborhood youth.
Their efforts caught the attention of NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, who featured their work on the “Making a Difference” segment this month.
Brian Williams isn’t the only one taking note – The Aspen Institute named MNS “1 of 10 policy innovations that will strengthen American communities” and Congressional supporters of MNS, like NY Congressman Joe Crowley, galvanized bipartisan leadership for a “Musicians and Artists Corps” amendment in the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.
MNS hopes that this first class of MusicianCorps will serve as a model that can be replicated nationally across a variety of art forms, not just music. Be sure to check back here over the next month as we feature the amazing work of one MusicanCorps first Fellows each week beginning April 26th.