Annual Report
Letter from the director Dear Friends and Supporters, After closing out six years of programs, and five years of my time here, I can truly say I am very proud of everything that this organization has accomplished. This past year, our program included five after school programs, four in-school string programs, and two K-4 general music programs. Make Music NOLA had a great year - including workshops with musicians from the international 1Beat tour, performances at the ACE Hotel, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and live on WHIV. We started our first string quartet and had our first ever orchestra rehearsal with Northshore Strings. Our Sanchez Center students even played their first ever wedding gig for one of our volunteers weddings. Moving into fall of 2017, over 75% of students in our after school programs are returning. We now have two chamber music groups and a large ensemble that rehearses two Saturdays a few times a semester. This August, Make Music NOLA will host the Crescent City Chamber Music Festival for performances at our in-school programs, and participate in a VIP Day at Conn-Selmer, Inc., along with representatives from nine other music and culture organizations in New Orleans. We ve got performances planned at more exciting venues and events in New Orleans, including A Studio In the Woods Forestival, and our annual music and art showcase with YA/YA. Thank you all for your support! Without our community, we would not be able to do the work we do! We are very excited about the future, especially our move to the Artspace building in 2018! Sincerely, Laura Patterson, Executive Director
Program Overview Mission Make Music NOLA is an intensive music-for-social-change program. The mission of Make Music NOLA (MMN) is to promote academic achievement, cultivate artistic expression, and promote the healthy growth and development of children in New Orleans through culturally relevant music instruction and performance. History Make Music NOLA began in September 2011 under the name Youth Orchestra of the Lower 9th Ward with only five students. Since then, the program has expanded to nine locations, including four in-school programs and five after school programs. Vision Training competent, engaged musicians Creating access through performance opportunities Forming a strong, supportive community Building up the confidence and musical ability of our students so that they can be competitive applicants to local and national programs Inspiring all students to achieve their greatest potential and think big Curriculum Make Music NOLA s curriculum focuses on New Orleans traditional jazz, while introducing students to pop, hip-hop, and classical music. Our string curriculum is coordinated by outstanding jazz violinist, Matt Rhody. During their first three years in the program, MMN violin students learn Saints Go Marching In, I ll Fly Away, IkoIko, I m Walking, A Closer Walk With Thee, among many other tunes. MMN uses the Suzuki method book for teaching the basics of string playing.
Student Profiles Louis, Violinist, McDonough 42 When I asked Louis, a second grader at McDonogh 42 Elementary, if he had some words to live by, he responded without missing a beat, Do your best and you may succeed in life. Clearly this seven year old already knows quite a bit about how to live. He follows his own advice when it comes to athletics he likes to run track and play basketball, baseball and football and also with music. This year, Louis and eleven of his classmates have begun taking violin lessons from veteran Make Music NOLA teacher, Matt Rhody. Louis has taken to the new instrument. His face lights up as he tells me how the class has been working on playing an A scale in a Mississippi River rhythm pattern. When I asked Louis what his favorite thing about being in violin class is, he replied, It is special to me because I get to learn a new instrument. Louis says that when he gets older he would like to play in the NBA or be a musician. Whatever path he embarks on, he s sure to be successful. As he says, he already knows the way. - Jordan Peota Louis and Mr. Rhody gettin' it right! Kahzi and violin strike a pose Kahzi, Violinist, Harmony Oaks Nice to meet you Kahzi, are you married? joked guest teacher Tom Bracy. Nope, just engaged, replied ten-year-old Kahzi, without missing a beat. I jotted down the anecdote and added razor sharp humor to my mental list of Kahzi s surprising qualities. I started this list during a conversation I had with Kahzi just prior to Tom s visit. Here s what I learned: Currently a rising sixth grader at Morris Jeff, Kahzi has his sights set on NOCCA, a prestigious performing arts high school in New Orleans. Having recently toured NOCCA with his fellow Make Music NOLA students, he told me that he was impressed with how you get to do your own thing there, an important consideration for such unique student. I asked Kahzi if he would like to study violin at NOCCA and he said yes, but he would also like to continue to create visual art. He went on to tell me that his preferred mediums are colored pencils, pastels and occasionally markers. Of course, he prefers pastels because of their ability to blend colors. I file budding illustrator next to musician and scholar. Kahzi s younger brother Nasir is also a Make Music NOLA violinist. Kahzi and Nasir are stand partners and often play duets together. I guess you can add role model to the list! We at Make Music NOLA wish him the best in all his future endeavors and will always have his back though he should probably postpone that engagement for at least a few more years. - Jordan Peota
The Make Music NOLA Team Board Members Joe Butler Chair Fred Neal, Jr. Vice Chair Bill Mague Treasurer Tyler Trew Allison Tassin Blake Haney Make Music NOLA Staff List 2016/17 Laura Patterson Executive Director Jordan Peota General Music Teacher and Program Assistant Matt Rhody Lead Violin Teacher and Curriculum Development Tucker Fuller Violin Teacher Gabrielle Fischler, Violin Teacher Joelle Britt Violin Teacher Michael Olejniczak Violin Teacher Nathan Money String Teacher Charles Lumar Cello and Bass Teacher Leah Hennessy General Music Teacher
Program Sites 2016/17 NORDC/Sanchez Center After school violin/cello/bass program avg. of 10 students in attendance 3 days a week, 4 hours of instructional time 3 community-based concerts, 1 wedding ceremony performance Students performed on the solo recital and NORDC Cultural Programs Showcase Lafayette Academy In-school violin program 12 students 4 days a week for one hour a day 2 community-based concerts McDonough 42 In-school violin program 12 students 4 days a week for one hour a day 2 community-based concerts and a Grandparent s Day Breakfast NORDC/Gernon Brown After school violin/viola program avg. of 10 students in attendance 3 days a week, 4 hours of instructional time 3 community-based concerts, including one at an Ogden Museum Family Day Students performed on the solo recital Workshop with Northshore Strings Featured on WDSU s Making A Difference Arise Academy 10 K-4 General Music Classes 4 5-8 String Classes on Violin, Cello, and Double Bass 280 of students served 4 in-school performances Mildred Osborne 10 K-4 General Music Classes 250 students served 3 in-school performances KIPP Leadership Primary After school violin program two days a week avg. of 6 students served 2 community concerts, 1 performance at the KLP Arts showcase KIPP Believe Primary After school violin program two days a week avg. of 8 students served 3 community concerts, including the Ogden Museum Family Day Student performed on the solo recital Harmony Oaks Community Center After school violin/viola program avg. 10 of students in attendance 3 days a week, 4 hours of instructional time 3 community-based concerts, 1 performance live on WHIV Students performed on the solo recital 123 students in string programs 500 students in general music programs 1,132 hours of string instruction 980 hours of general music instruction 16 student performances 6 guest artist visits and workshops 2 field trips to NOCCA 45 comp tickets to Jazz Fest and Musical Excursions Performances at UNO distributed to student families
By the numbers 9 Program sites 3 community centers 4 in-school programs 5 after school programs 6 charter schools 9 teaching artists 123 students in string programs 500 in K-4 general music 1,132 16 2 hours of string instruction 980 hours of general music instruction student performances 6 guest artist visits Field trips 45 Comp tickets awarded to local music performances 38% 67% of students 62% of students 46% 54% 62% practiced 67% at developed an home and demonstrated significant progress after one year in the program understanding of strong basic technique on their instrument after one year in the program 46% of students in after school programs are reading music on their own or beginning to read music on their own after two years in the programs
Financials FY16/17 Revenue: $149,529 Foundation: $55,687 Contracted Services: $65,520 Government: $ 4,284 Individual: $9,094 Corporate: $8,180 Other: $6,764 Carry-Over to FY 18: $5,838 In-Kind Donations: $8,000 in instruments and program supplies Expenses: $153,509 Salary and Fringe: $119,963 Contract Services and Fees: $2,109 Other: $31,437
The Future Make Music NOLA is planning to expand our services by offering private lessons, additional opportunities for chamber music, and additional large ensemble rehearsals on Saturdays. Next fall, Make Music NOLA will move our administrative offices and add additional after school programs at the Bell School Artspace building in the Treme. We plan to expand our after school programs in the classroom space at Bell. This will allow MMN to establish a home base and accept additional students in our string program. Although Make Music NOLA has many national partners and contacts, travel is often cost prohibitive for our staff and students. We hope to increase our involvement at the national level over the next few years. We appreciate your support and we hope that you will continue to support the growth and expansion of our programs as we continue to provide high-quality, tuition-free music education to students from low income families.
Many Thanks to Our Sponsors: Individual Donors Maatouk and Associates Colby Johnson Gregory Holt Rusty Levy The Moring Charitable Trust Diane and Andy Plauche Connor Long Douglas Howard Mike Bender The Linda and Jim Marchand Wedding Fund