Kidznotes

KIDZNOTES CATALYZES SOCIAL CHANGE BY PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE MUSIC EDUCATION, LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND CHARACTER-BUILDING EXPERIENCES TO CHILDREN WITH THE FEWEST RESOURCES AND THE GREATEST NEED.

INSPIRED BY THE "EL SISTEMA" MODEL OF YOUTH ORCHESTRAS, KIDZNOTES CATALYZES SOCIAL CHANGE BY PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE MUSIC EDUCATION, LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND CHARACTER-BUILDING EXPERIENCES FREE OF CHARGE TO CHILDREN WITH THE FEWEST RESOURCES AND THE GREATEST NEED. STUDENTS ATTENDING DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SEVERAL PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE NORTH CAROLINA TRIANGLE AREA WHO QUALIFY FOR FEDERAL OR REDUCED LUNCH ARE THE PRIMARY PARTICIPANTS IN THE KIDZNOTES PROGRAM. DURING THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR AND IN THE MIDST OF PANDEMIC, KIDZNOTES MATRICULATED 279 STUDENTS IN PROGRAMMING FROM TITLE I SCHOOLS IN DURHAM, SOUTHEAST RALEIGH AND EAST WAKE COUNTY, WITH TWO ADDITIONAL PRE-K CLASSES IN CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO CITY SCHOOLS. WITH THE MUSICAL ENSEMBLE AS OUR GUIDE AND AN EXPLICIT MODEL FOR AN IDEAL SOCIETY, KIDZNOTES INSTRUCTION TAKES PLACE AFTER SCHOOL, TWO TO FOUR DAYS WEEKLY AND PRIMARILY IN A GROUP SETTING. ADDITIONALLY, THE KIDZNOTES EXPERIENCE INCLUDES COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC PERFORMANCES; STUDENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT; EXCEPTIONAL INSTRUCTION AND SUPPORT FROM WORLD-CLASS TEACHING ARTISTS AND GUEST-ARTIST COACHES, CLINICIANS AND MENTORS; MEANINGFUL FAMILY AND PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT; AND SUPERVISED ENRICHMENT DURING CRITICAL AFTER-SCHOOL HOURS.STUDENTS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN "FAMILY FUN FRIDAY", A VIRTUAL ENRICHMENT EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE VIA ZOOM ONCE A MONTH WHICH FEATURED MUSICAL GUEST ARTISTS, INFORMATION SESSIONS FROM COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY CREATIVE ACTIVITIES. DURING PANDEMIC, STUDENTS WERE ALSO OFFERED ONE-ON-ONE LESSONS TO ALLOW FOR EXTRA TIME ON NOTE RECOGNITION AND TECHNIQUE REVIEW. IN RESPONSE TO THE NEED FOR CREATIVE, CULTURALLY RELEVANT, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL ONLINE LEARNING RESOURCES, KIDZNOTES INTRODUCED A NEW SYNCHRONOUS, VIRTUAL "K-1 PROGRAM" DURING THE SCHOOL DAY FOR PRE-K, KINDERGARTEN AND 1ST GRADE CLASSES IN FOUR PARTNER SCHOOLS, WHERE WHOLE VIRTUAL CLASSROOMS PARTICIPATED IN MUSIC EDUCATION EXPERIENCES THAT WERE "SONG-CENTRIC AND MOVEMENT-BASED.KIDZNOTES'S PROGRAM IS ORGANIZED AROUND THE CORE VALUES OF DIVERSITY, RIGOR, COLLABORATION, EMPOWERMENT, AND JOY PROVIDING MAXIMUM IMPACT ON STUDENT OUTCOMES, WHILE ALSO OFFERING ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY MUSIC INSTRUCTION THAT IS FREE AND ACCESSIBLE TO EVERY STUDENT. THE KIDZNOTES PROGRAM IS UNIQUE, MULTI-FACETED AND RIGOROUS. IT INCLUDES: PROVISION OF A FREE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT FOR EVERY CHILD HUNDREDS OF HOURS PER YEAR OF FREE MUSICAL INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE PARTICIPATION IN LARGE AND SMALL ENSEMBLES OF ORCHESTRAS, BANDS AND CHAMBER GROUPS FOCUSED, ONE-ON-ONE SUPPLEMENTAL AND ENRICHMENT INSTRUCTION SPECIAL WORKSHOPS, CLINICS, AND MASTERCLASSES FOR MUSIC AND SOCIAL JUSTICE EXPERIENCESKIDZNOTES' TEACHING ARTISTS ARE HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS AND INCLUDE EXPERIENCED MUSIC TEACHERS WORKING IN TRIANGLE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS WELL AS INDEPENDENT MUSIC EDUCATORS. THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) TAKES SHAPE IN THE SMALL AND SUPPORTIVE ENSEMBLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT (AVERAGE 8-10 STUDENTS) CONTRIBUTING TO POSITIVE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS, MENTAL HEALTH, AND IMPROVED ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.