Music Makers provides music instruction and performance opportunities to Madison's children in our various community centers. Our goal is to enrich the lives of low-income children, supporting the long-term development of music performance skills and higher education goals. Scholarships for lessons and instruments are available to any motivated student.

Our goals

• To bring young people of different backgrounds together in a community setting to share music-making.
• To build disciplined musical and performance skills in a nurturing, non-competitive, and culturally rich environment.
• To inspire a high level of excellence, leading to future success.
• To eliminate barriers to participation for low-income young people.

The program

Students are taught in small group classes by experienced strings teachers with help from volunteer mentors. They frequently perform in their own communities and in public spaces. The University of Wisconsin School of Music has provided significant project support.

Music Makers Board of Directors

Dawn Berney, Jackie Colbert, Mary Clare Murphy, Gene Rankin, Miriam Schneider, Paul Ly, Maria Viteri Hart, Eugene Purdue, Athena Skaleris

Music Makers Teachers