About Education Through Music

We are the largest non-profit provider of direct & comprehensive music education as a core subject in New York City schools.

OUR PURPOSE

Music For All, All For Music

As New York City’s public school system struggled with budget cuts, inequities, and resourcing issues, and music education slowly became a luxury for too many schools, we were compelled to act. Not just through donating money, resources, or instruments, but also by developing a sustainable, truly unique music program and curriculum that will help combat the pervasive and growing divide in our city. Our ambition to contribute in a substantial, impactful way is foundational to our model and to our long-term goals: to continue to provide for more under-resourced schools and to help more children experience the benefits of music education.

ETM Partner School Students

Are Students of Color

91%

Are English Language Learners

16%

Have Special Needs

24%

Live Below the Poverty Line

86%

OUR MISSION & VISION

Changing Lives Through the Power of Music

MISSION:To positively impact the motivation, achievement, and self-confidence of underserved students by integrating music education into the core curriculum of under-resourced schools.

VISION: To be the leading music education organization whose expert teachers, high quality curriculum, and sustainable program positively impact schools, student learning, and lives.

OUR WORK

The ETM Difference: Our Unique & Sustainable Model of Music Education

Our program is built on partnerships with school leaders, best-in-class professional development for teachers, and a comprehensive, sequential, culturally responsive curriculum that is fully integrated into a school’s culture to positively impact all students.

> Learn More About Our Model

OUR HISTORY

Revolutionizing Music Education for Over 30 Years

Since 1991, ETM has been advancing educational equity and closing the gap in access to music education for NYC’s most underserved students while building a pipeline of high quality music teachers to strengthen the profession.

ETM's Impact to Date

Hours of music instruction

0 million

Students served

0 +

NYC school partners

Teachers hired to NYC DOE since 2011

Meet the Team

Music does not just define our work; it defines us as people. Learn more about our passionate team of professionals and teachers dedicated to spreading the joy of music.

Affiliates

The need for high-quality music education in under-resourced schools is not unique to New York City. The success of our comprehensive and sequential model of music education has enabled Education Through Music to expand its programs nationwide. Education Through Music-Los Angeles (ETM-LA), the first independent 501(c)3 nonprofit to bring the ETM model and its benefits to Los Angeles youth, launched in 2006.. ETM-LA began programming in 2 schools reaching 800 students its first year to a planned 43 schools reaching approximately 19,000 students today. Education Through Music-Colorado launched in 2019 and provides high-quality music education programming for nearly 2,000 students.