For Music’s Sake {Austin Soundwaves}
One organization’s mission to provide high-quality music education to all
Words by Sommer Brugal Photos by Shelby Bella
What does it mean to make music – and music education – accessible and equitable for all? For Austin Soundwaves, it means partnering with schools to provide high-quality music education, regardless of location or the community of students it serves. Not only that, but it also means providing more meaningful experiences to students after school and supporting them through college and beyond.
“We really believe that music is a federally mandated subject,” says Patrick Slevin, Soundwaves’ executive and artistic director. “It shouldn’t be a privilege or something extra only affluent school districts can offer.” The organization partners primarily with Title 1 schools, where the “biggest gaps” are, but works to build relationships with all schools in Central Texas.
Austin Soundwaves was founded in 2011 by the Hispanic Alliance for the Performing Arts, a program designed to encourage Hispanic participation in the arts and provide music education for youth. It was modeled after a music education program that began in Venezuela in the 1970s called El Sistema.
At the time, Patrick says El Sistema was positioned as a social program, not a cultural one. The framing, even today, has enabled music educators to ponder what is possible through learning music. It allows educators to re-frame the social change that can come about through music.
That impetus can be seen in the two pillars of work guiding Soundwaves’ efforts: bringing music into schools and teaching the historical inequities that surround music and music education over the centuries. The latter, according to Patrick, has become a focal point for the organization’s after school initiatives, such as the Draylen Mason Fellows program.
Named in honor of the young musician who was killed in the 2018 package bombings, the program links activism with music by challenging high school fellows to learn about different social justice issues and create performances based on what they’ve learned.
“We do think that music is important for music’s sake,” he acknowledges, “but we also believe that there are positive benefits outside of music.”
Soundwaves has served hundreds of students annually and has achieved 100% high school graduation and college acceptance rate since its founding a decade ago. The organization’s culture of support and continued mentorship enables that success.
Moving forward, the organization will focus on setting ambitious goals, such as ensuring all Austin schools have a high-quality music education program within the next five years.
Reaching such a milestone, Patrick says, “will enable Soundwaves to continue its mission of providing accessible and equitable music education for all.”
Instruments of Austin
This program is a subset of the organization’s yearlong donation efforts, including a week-long donation drive held in November.
When people donate their instruments, Soundwaves asks: “What does this instrument mean to you?” What started as a simple question has enabled the organization “to collect stories that are funny, raw, and real,” says Julie Faulkner, development and communications director. The stories are just like the people who own the instruments. Passing those stories along to Soundwaves’ recipients adds a special meaning to the donation.
Still, students don’t always know who donated the instrument, but Julie hopes to create a clearer connection between the donor and recipient and make the program more interactive.
Contact:
austinsoundwaves.org
2235 E. 6th Street, Suite 107
@austinsoundwaves
