About Boston Music Project
Our Mission
The Boston Music Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to ensuring the long-term social-emotional and musical success of Boston youth.
Boston Music Project by the Numbers
2,300+
Students Served Annually
65
Teaching Artists
30
Boston School Partners
83%
Tuition Free Programming
$225K
in FY24 Scholarships
Our History
2021 - 2022
Expansion to 10 Schools, 688 Youth, & 39 Teachers
During the 2021-2022 school year, we launched additional partnership programs and now serve over 650 Boston youth across 10 schools. Additionally, we introduced brass and woodwind instrumental instruction, along with digital music integrated with academic learning.
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Student-Produced Albums Available for Streaming
With our new school partnerships, our teams explored new creative directions for amplifying youth voices. Over the past year, students have produced a total of four original albums, including; creating original music inspired by the poetry of Maya Angelou ("Caged Bird"); capturing perspectives and emotions after a year-and-a-half of pandemic life and learning ("Amplify Massachusetts"); blending digital music with string instruments ("Eleventh Moon"); producing and learning about the process for public distribution ("Fuego").
2019 - 2020
Local and National Recognition
In 2019, we received an Official Resolution from the City of Boston acknowledging our program's commitment to providing high-quality music education and performance for students in the Chinatown community.
We received recognition from National Association for Music Merchants for the “Best Community for Music Education" in 2018 and the "Support Music Merit Award" in 2019.
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Community Concerts
Community performances continued with events at the Boston Children's Museum, Carter School, Boston Athenaeum, and
our Salon Series featuring both our students and teaching artists.
2015 - 2017
501(c)(3) Status
In 2015, we separated from BPS and became a full-fledged nonprofit.
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Launched Youth Leadership
We launched our Leadership Training Program for adolescents, focusing on what it means to be a mentor/role model. Youth Leaders work with our youngest musicians offering support in their lessons.
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Music For All
In 2017 with the help from an EdVestors Grant, we created the Beethoven Ensemble, an in-school music program for students with special needs.
2020 - 2021
Showing Up When it Mattered Most
We believe in the power of music to build community and serve as an anchor of certainty in challenging times. Staying true to this belief, two days following the COVID-19 school closures our administration launched an online learning platform that enabled our entire teaching faculty to provide
a safe and nurturing space for over 250 Boston youth at three Boston Public Schools to stay connected and continue with daily music studies from home.
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Expanding Programs and Deepening curriculum
During the 2020-2021 school year, we leaned into the challenges that the pandemic presented all of us and launched virtual Spring Break and Creative Summer programs to keep our musicians connected and creative.
Additionally, we developed our own 36-week Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum to align with our instrumental music curriculum. Both of these initiatives gave way to new programming ideas and set the stage for our program expansion.
2018 - 2019
Our First Full-Time Executive Director
During the fall of 2018, JQOP’s Board brought on its first full-time Executive Director, Christopher Schroeder.
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Continued Growth
In the fall of 2018, enrollment increased by 32%. During the academic year, we launched
a beginner orchestra, the “Boulanger
Orchestra,” for students in 2nd-5th grades that are new to music studies.
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Launched our Community Engagement Initiative
Community performances and collaborations with professional musicians became key components of our students’ success. During 2018-2019 students took part in 36 events in the local community aimed at developing confidence and self-efficacy, bridging connections in the Boston community, and strengthening their relationship with their community. Performances included HubWeek, Boston Public Library, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, City Hall, and Symphony Hall for the Mayor's State of the City Address.
2011 - 2014
Josiah Quincy Orchestra Program: The Beginning
In 2011, then principal, Simon Ho, and administrator Graciela Brecino, worked together to launch the Josiah Quincy Orchestra Program (JQOP). The goal, as it still stands today, was to bring daily, high-quality music education and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) to Boston's most vulnerable youth. In the first year, JQOP served 50 students with four hours of music a week.
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Steady Growth
When JQOP began, we only served one school. Our growth was gradual and steady. Students performed regularly at Tufts Medical Center and the Golden Age Senior Center in Chinatown.
Our Vision
BMP’s vision is to give every child an engaging and fun musical experience, performance opportunities to develop confidence and self-efficacy, high levels of musical proficiency, and a passion for learning that transcends all subjects. We serve youth of all ages to ensure that the following long-term impact goals can become a reality for all students:
Musical Excellence
All youth take part in weekly, small-group rehearsals in one of eight orchestras, receive weekly private lessons from our dynamic team of professional musicians and experienced music educators, and take part in multiple community performances each year.
Social Emotional Development
Our curriculum is specifically designed to help students develop self-confidence and intrinsic motivation, empathy towards a diverse community of peers, and the ability to problem-solve and make constructive and respectful choices.
Civic Engagement
Our focus on community involvement gives students more context for how they as individuals can make a positive impact in the world. Students will understand the importance of community engagement, the positive role that music can play in their communities, and the satisfaction of preparing and performing for others.
Creative
Self-Expression
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In addition to instrumental music instructions, students take part in a series of creative projects from our signature paper orchestra program, student composition workshops, digital music tech classes, and music projects that integrate academic learning.
