Our Mission
Our mission is to provide an intensive artistic and social program to children in underserved populations, using music education as a transformative and empowering tool to teach life skills.
Music and the arts are a natural teacher for many of the life skills and habits of mind that make us successful in life. Children who learn music develop a set of skills that serve them for the entire lifespan:
Confidence, Commitment, Communication skills, Creativity, Collaboration
Passion, Problem-solving, Physical dexterity, Perseverance
Focus, Finesse, and FUN!
Our Impact
Music touches the soul, enables us to learn through our senses, and lifts our spirits. Sultry melodies and driving beats inspire our bodies to motion. The benefits of a comprehensive music education should be made available for all and not just a privileged few. In the spirit of El Sistema, we Sing, we Play, and we Strive!
225+
children SERVED
Since MusicWorks began in 2014, more than 225 students have participated: Learning life skills, inspiring creativity, developing personal responsibility, building self esteem and promoting teamwork.
83%
Students Reading at or Above Grade Level
Students participating in MW consistently score higher than their peers in reading. Students with academic success go on to bright futures and build strong communities
2
participating schools
MusicWorks now serves students from two Buncombe County Schools:
Leicester Elementary School and MW alumni from Eblen Intermediate School.
Our Program
In the spirit of El Sistema we enrich the lives of our students and community through our intensive music program. Our multi-pronged approach helps to develop healthy minds and bodies working in concert together. Below are some of the key building blocks of our program.
Academic Enrichment
Our specialists, certified teachers, work with students to complete homework and to develop skills in reading and math. We take pride in working together with classroom teachers to meet the needs of each student.
Play
Students have the chance to exercise, to get out the wiggles out, to enjoy cooperative games like soccer, kickball, and basketball each afternoon.
Healthy Snack
Hall Fletcher provides us with a daily snack. Parents often supplement with donations of fresh fruits and vegetables. Several times a month, special guest artists join us for snack to demonstrate their skills and talents on various instruments.
Music Instruction
Students work with master musicians and music educators in the areas of rhythm (bucket band), music theory (musicianship), singing (choir), and instrumental music (strings, winds, percussion). We schedule full orchestra, sectional, and individual rehearsals each week.
Social and Emotional Intelligence
We use research based methods to teach social and emotional intelligence skills designed to help students develop skills for both academic and social success. We work tireless to ensure that MW! students learn self-regulation and executive function skills that help them pay attention, remember directions, control their behavior, making friends, manage emotions, and solve problems. For more on how we do this, see here.
“With each MusicWorks performance, the children improve at playing; it fills them with self-confidence and reinforces the need for teamwork, an important skill that they can use later in life. MusicWorks and the benefits that it's brought to my daughters lives is invaluable.”
Dianna, mom of Analise and Clarissa
Get Involved
Community is core to our program. From volunteers to donors, students to parents, staff to board members, together we are working diligently to nurture our future leaders, musicians and community members. Your help matters.
Sign Up For a Program
Interested in enrolling your child in Musicworks? Sign up today and secure your spot.
Volunteer opportunities
Volunteers like you help make our program possible and ensure the success of our children.
Make a Donation
Your generous donation helps to make our program accessible to all of our vibrant and diverse community families.
