Social Emotional Learning Benefits
Music education has a profound impact on children's cognitive development and social emotional learning (SEL).
Music making is a vital component of childhood development and can be especially impactful at a time when loneliness, anxiety, and depression are skyrocketing among young people.
OUR MISSION
Sound Foundations champions investment in public charter school music programs. We are a coalition builder bringing together funders, educators, school leaders, parents, students, musicians, and community partners to promote student success in school and in life.
Why Music Education Matters
BRAIN BENEFITS
Music primes the brain for learning and helps students develop emotionally. Researchers recommend music education for every child across all grade levels.
FUNDING GAPS
Despite the proven, positive impacts of music on academic performance and emotional well being, when budgets are reduced, music is often cut.
OUR SOLUTION
We are combating the pervasive and harmful underfunding of public charter school students by investing in music education.
“Grant funding from Sound Foundations is transforming opportunities for our students by making it possible to offer a dynamic music program that extends far beyond the classroom. These investments make it possible to provide innovative, high-quality enrichment opportunities that would otherwise be beyond our financial reach, ensuring our students have access to experiences and pathways that prepare them for success in college, careers, and life.”
- Julie Locey, CEO, Vertus High School
Our Impact
Of the 9,000 students in Rochester’s charter schools, fewer than 2,000 are meaningfully engaged in music education. Sound Foundations’ goal is to expand access to high-quality music programs across the charter school sector.
Our work will not be complete until every charter school has a robust music program available to every child who wants to participate.
"Consistent exposure to music, like learning to play a musical instrument, or taking voice lessons, strengthens a particular set of academic and social-emotional skills that are essential to learning. In ways that are unmatched by other pursuits, like athletics for instance, learning music powerfully reinforces language skills, builds and improves reading ability, and strengthens memory and attention, according to the latest research on the cognitive neuroscience of music."
[SOURCE: How Music Primes the Brain by Holly Korbey]
We measure our impact by tracking the academic performance and growth of music students vs. their non-musical peers.
We will work with charter schools to evaluate the correlation between music education and attendance, behavioral improvement, and parent engagement.
And we will use this data-driven approach to inspire all charter schools to make music education an integral part of their long-term strategic plans.
Ultimately, by advocating for charter school music programs, we will spur investment in Rochester’s next generation of scholars. Sound Foundations is proudly leading the way by distributing grants to fund music programs for qualifying charter schools. As we continue to demonstrate the profound impact music is making on young people’s lives, we invite more funders to join the movement.
“The impact of our music program has been meaningful and measurable. Our K–2 students begin every Tuesday morning with Music Mindfulness, a practice rooted in self-regulation. We have observed a consistent pattern of stronger behavioral days on Tuesdays. We believe this is directly connected to students beginning their day with tools and strategies they can draw on throughout their school experience. This is a remarkable outcome that speaks to the holistic value of the program Sound Foundations made possible.”
- Lindsay Swanson, Co-Founder of Innova Girls Academy
"I cannot imagine my life if I didn’t have a music program in my school."
- Beyoncé
