Description
The Downtown Music Initiative is a community program that is run by volunteer musicians who offer free music lessons to youth from low income families. The Downtown Music Initiative is a community program that began on July 3, 2013. It is funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and offers free music instruction on the piano, violin, voice, guitar and drums to students from low income families in Windsor. The DMI runs on Mondays and Wednesdays at Central United Church (628 Ouellette Ave) and Thursdays at New Song church (999 Drouillard Rd.) The lessons are offered by musicians in the community who volunteer as instructors and students are lent instruments to take home.
Downtown music Initiative students put on two concerts every year and take part in community events that require musicians. So far the DMI students have provided live music at the Downtown Windsor Farmer’s Market and will be featured at the Ford City Art’s and Heritage Festival in September. Performances of young musicians at community events have enhanced the events by providing free entertainment and have attracted other children to engage in music education – which will promote growth in the artistic community. Learning about music, having accountability to practice daily and preparing for community performances develop focus and improved self-esteem – learning these traits through music education and performance is an opportunity that DMI students could not otherwise afford. Furthermore, as students continue to study their instruments and eventually play at an advanced level they would have skills to gain employment as music instructors or study music education at the post-secondary level.
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RECENT FACEBOOK POSTS
facebook.comAttention all DMI volunteers, teachers, students, and parents... we are BACK! It's been a long drawn out boring month for me as I got caught with some administrative work and did some grant writing. Believe me, I'd rather be teaching! So lessons start up on Wednesday February 1st at your regular time and room, unless you were notified differently. MONDAY students remember that there are no more Monday lessons, you will be attending lessons on Wednesdays and I will tell you your specific times son. Thanks everyone for your patience!
ATTENTION: There will not be any DMI lessons throughout the month of January. Melissa will be taking this month to do very important grant writing to support the DMI. Take advantage of this rest and time off, but please do continue practicing at home. Sincerely, Melissa & Joe
Hello everyone. I just want to say thank you to all again so very much for a wonderful recital last night. The children did an amazing job and we should all Count our Blessings. This is a reminder that It's officially our Christmas break at all locations. There are no lessons so please do not go to your lessons. Lessons will resume sometime in the New Year in January. Enjoy your Christmas break with family and friends and have a happy holidays. Merry Christmas everyone!
Attention teachers, parents and students involved at this Wednesday's December 14th recital, please be practicing your recital songs and please be ready to go. This does not include the students and teachers who were involved at the last recital that was Sunday November 27th. However you are more than welcome to come and be a spectator. More details about Wednesday's Recital will come tomorrow. Please take note that all the DMI Lessons at all locations will now, as of today, officially be on Winter Break until January 2017. The only exception is the Wednesday December 14th Recital. Enjoy the Winter Break everyone and build a snowman!
I am so excited and pleased to announce that the following students have been chosen as Ambassadors for the Downtown Music Initiative to be featured at the Windsor Endowment for the Arts' AGM. Cloey Bennett (Ann Bennett) (Jody Drouillard, Mom) with Dave Marentette, teacher, on Guitar Shanice Brown (Beeb Brown, mom) Eliana Cheng Nour Elharake (Salem Elharake, dad) Cater Krumme (Amanda Nickerson, mom) Serenity Talbot (Tamika Talbot, mom) Dallas Talbot (Tamika Talbot, mom) Sara Cabrera (Marcela C. Noel Cabrera, Mom) Louise Cheng I couldn't be more proud to have these students represent the DMI. You guys have already made my Friday night amazing.
Music builds us up!
This is going to be a great recital, this Sunday at 1pm at Central United Church!
Music builds us up!
Downtown Music Initiative
For this week:
ATTENTION ALL DMI LOCATIONS ARE CANCELLED THIS WEEK. (August 21-28) Melissa, Joe and Sabrina are all off this week on a vacation week HOWEVER, the students that are performing at the FORD CITY FUNDAY AUGUST 27th will have a rehearsal/practice this week with Melissa. PLEASE CONTACT MELISSA FOR THESE DETAILS. Have a great week!
Our gala is quickly approaching and we need help! Can anyone help spread the word about the gala, help with ticket sales or help with silent auction items? The following is information about the DMI and our upcoming gala: The Downtown Music Initiative is a community program that provides free music lessons and instrument lending to youth ages 6 – 17 from low-income families. Our program is made possible through volunteer local musicians; private donations, the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Windsor Essex Community Foundation. We are also funded through special events such as hosting rock concerts, which feature local musicians; a symphony concert with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra as well as our annual gala. The DMI started on July 2013 with 20 students and 8 volunteers. To date we now have 106 students, three locations and 50 regular volunteers. We offer free music lessons on the piano, violin, cello, voice, woodwind & brass instruments, guitar, bass, drums and harp. We also run two student rock bands and a multicultural choir. This is a volunteer-run organization and our locations are strategically placed in neighbourhoods that are mainly populated by low-income families (Downtown, Ford City and in Sandwich Town) so that students can have access to music lessons, an opportunity they would not otherwise receive. I am inviting you to participate in our upcoming Rock n’ Roll Gala by either purchasing a table or providing a silent auction item for the event on September 30th, 2016. Money raised at this event during the dinner and silent auction will help raise funds for the DMI program expenses. The gala event last year was held at the Serbian Centre on 6770 Tecumseh Rd. E. We had over 160 people in attendance and we raised $11,200 ($3000 of those funds was obtained through our silent auction). This year the Rock n’ Roll Gala will be held at the Serbian Centre and the cost for a ticket is $60, or you can purchase a table of 8 for $420. Anyone who donates a silent auction prize or purchases a table will have opportunity to promote their business by displaying posters, signs or banners. Thank you for your consideration and if you have any questions or for more information please contact myself (Melissa Miner) at 226-347-6409. Sincerely, Melissa Miner, B.Mus, MSW Executive Director of the Downtown Music Initiative
There will be no lessons tomorrow, (Monday, August 8th). Enjoy another beautiful summer day!
DMI resumes this week on Wednesday, August 3rd at our Downtown location (Central United Church, 628 Ouellette ave) and Thursday, August 4th at our Ford City location (New Song Church, 999 Drouillard Rd). For those who take lessons on Saturdays at our west-end location: We will not have lessons in the west end until September. However, any violin student can join our Wednesday at 5:30 class downtown. Please note: unless you received notice about your teaching being away your lesson day/time is the same as it was last year. If you are a student and cannot make it, please Text Or Facebook message Joe Ritchie: 519-890-8851 so that he can let the teachers know. If you are a teacher and are away during the month of August and can't teach please text or FB message Joe so he can let the students know. Looking forward to some sweet sounds of music!
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