Legendary soul singer Sam Moore of Sam & Dave will join superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho and other representatives from Miami-Dade County Public Schools alongside the national nonprofit, Little Kids Rock, to announce their new, three-year partnership, “Modern Band Miami.”
The partnership will expand music education in hundreds of schools throughout the district over the next three years. Participating schools will receive over one thousand new musical instruments, curriculum and other resources.
“Modern Band Miami” will more than double the size of the district’s modern band programs. These classes teach children to play today’s popular music styles, such as rock, pop, Latin, hip hop and more. Students in the program learn to play electric guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and other contemporary instruments. Modern band students also learn to compose their own music and to improvise.
The event will take place on August 15th at 9 a.m. at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, Florida.
School children from the district and their music teachers will perform with Moore to celebrate the partnership.
“I have a truly blessed life,” said Moore. “I can think of no better way of expressing my gratitude than to give the gift of music to children in the community that I grew up and had my musical roots grounded in.”
Superintendent Carvalho adds: “Miami-Dade County Public Schools is looking forward to expanding contemporary music programming in all of our elementary schools. Over the years, our partnership with Little Kids Rock has made an everlasting impact in music education through the donation of more than 2,000 instruments and countless hours of professional development for our educators.”
“The district and its teachers are deeply committed to equity and to providing music education to all of their students,” says Little Kids Rock CEO and founder, Dave Wish. “Modern band programming helps reach even more children with the transformational gift of music education and it does this by providing instruction that is culturally relevant to them. We are thrilled to be working with the district to expand their existing and excellent music programs.”
This expansion is part of a challenge grant by the Wildflower Foundation to help Little Kids Rock expand modern band programs throughout the state of Florida. The foundation is matching donations raised for Florida music programs by Little Kids Rock up to $1,000,000.Donations can be made here.
