Press release:
ArtSpace Charter School’s music students will be granted the opportunity to work with three members of Grammy Award winning bluegrass band, Steep Canyon Rangers, thanks to the support of the Oskar Blues Can’d Aid Foundation.
On November 18th, selected music students at ArtSpace will take part in a 90 minute music workshop with one of three members of the band — Nicky Sanders (fiddle), Graham Sharp (banjo), and Mike Ashworth (percussion and guitar). The workshops are an opportunity for these students to get a glimpse of what it takes to become a nationally recognized professional musician. However, the partnership does not stop there.
In conjunction with the workshops, the school will also receive a class set of acoustic guitars to support the school’s music program. ArtSpace is a Title I school where more than 40% of the community qualifies for free or reduced lunch. Many families at ArtSpace struggle to provide instruments for their students. Meg Boerner, ArtSpace music teacher said, “We have a great desire within our student body to sing, play and perform and frequently they express wanting to learn guitar.” A class set of guitars will bring access to hundreds of students and shape the school’s music program for years to come. Years of research has shown that increased exposure and participation in the arts increases student achievement resulting in higher graduation rates and test scores.
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