COMPTON, Calif. – Working to empower high school students through music education, Music Unites is a nonprofit foundation founded by VP Brand Marketing at Epic Records, Michelle Edgar. The nonprofit just launched its summer program, Music Unites: Summer 2020 MusicVersity, in partnership with the Compton Unified School District.
Music Unites’ goal is to help educate and support at-risk high school students through music in order to teach them lasting life skills. The summer program, MusicVersity, is free and available to students online.
“The daily news has been our greatest obstacle. ...As laws change, we change,” said Paige Powell, the press director for Music Unites. “We are having to adjust and pivot daily, but with the unknown future of education this fall, we want to lead the charge in providing music education solutions as it goes virtual.”
With COVID-19 shutting down many opportunities for students, Music Unites navigated the obstacles to create a virtual music program.
“This summer’s MusicVersity was built for and around the obstacles of COVID-19. Technology is our greatest tool, and we’re leveraging it to make this program as accessible as possible,” said Edgar.
In the program’s classes, students will learn about the music business, digital, and live music. The classes align with college and career readiness standards so students can acquire many lasting take-aways.
“It is crucial for programs to provide students with innovative and easily accessible options for creative learning. Self-expression may be more important today than ever before,” said Edgar.
MusicVersity is entirely online, allowing all students across the country to be able to join classes, not just local students. The program features music industry professionals who will teach virtual lessons to students, including Taylor Swift’s music director, Linda Perry, and jazz artist Jon Batiste of Columbia Records.
Edgar said that one of the most important components in the program are the professors teaching the classes offered.
“Our performers and professors have decades of experience and insights to share with students eager to get their foot in the door. In the music industry, there’s nothing as valuable as mentorship and honest advice,” said Edgar.
The MusicVersity program lasts four weeks. Classes started on July 15 and continue every Wednesday until August 5. Students are invited to attend one session a week, with flexibility available on which weeks and classes they want to attend.
Each week features three different lesson options, ranging from learning the ins and outs of the music industry and business laws, music marketing on social media, singing lessons, and storytelling.
If students attend a session for all four weeks, they will receive a free pair of Skullcandy headphones, courtesy of Skullcandy.
“At the start of COVID, our partners at the Compton Unified School District came to us with a need to continue music education for their district, and we felt that this offering would help students stay engaged and focused in creative learning,” said Edgar.
Several months ago, MusicVersity classes were offered to students of Dominguez High School in Compton in order to continue their music education once their classes went virtual. The students of the Music Unites Centennial Choir partnered with Aloe Blacc to sing the Compton Unified School District’s graduation song.
“MusicVersity has taken on many forms in the past few years but this year we are getting especially creative,” said Edgar.