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Looking Back with Gratitude: Everyone Can Make Music Summer Program

November 16, 2023

Looking Back with Gratitude: Everyone Can Make Music Summer Program

During this season of gratitude, NEC shares its appreciation of our Boston community for allowing us to spread joy through music. This summer, we were joined on campus by 30 Boston elementary school students for Everyone Can Make Music, a free, two-week music learning experience for children entering grades 3-5. Press play on the video above for a recap of this remarkable program.

Everyone Can Make Music was funded through a $14.5 million anonymous grant secured by NEC and the City of Boston to increase access to high-quality music education, allowing NEC to offer the program at no cost. Boston residents and Boston Public Schools students with demonstrated financial need received priority placement. Students learned performance, theory, composition, and history from NEC faculty in courses titled “I Can Sing” and “I Can Play.”

“Everyone Can Make Music is a laboratory for creativity, friendship, and collaboration,” said Lautaro Mantilla, the program’s director and an NEC Prep faculty member.

It has been a joy to see Everyone Can Make Music participants continuing to build on what they learned this fall, as all participants from the program received full scholarships for lessons in the 2023-2024 academic year at NEC Prep.

NEC is incredibly grateful to our partners at the City of Boston, program sponsors at Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the anonymous donor of the $14.5 million grant for providing NEC with the resources to bring music and high-quality music education to our community.

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