In The News
See who is taking notice of the importance of music education
Nonprofits must step up to support teachers
ETM Board Chair Richard Bernstein highlights the importance of nonprofits’, including ETM, support for teachers, who in turn help young people in his op-ed in Philanthropy News Digest.
November 12, 2021
Universal Access to Music Education for All New York City Students Should Be a Top Priority
While Dr. Miguel Cardona, the US Secretary for Education says “music is a way for students to find themselves and learn critical thinking skills,” over 50% of New York City schools have no full-time music teacher.
September 16, 2021
Playing during a pandemic: How schools keep music education going
Schools have made significant changes to music programs during the public health crisis.
September 15, 2021
Music Gives Students a Break from Learning Loss Stress
After a year of remote schooling, the K-12 education sector is focused on reversing learning loss, seen in New York City’s recently announced $635 million academic recovery plan for the coming school year.
September 6, 2021
PS 21 celebrates first in-person concert since pandemic started
Students at PS 21 in Port Richmond were able to celebrate their first in-person school concert earlier this month.
June 29, 2021
Parlando: Musical Matters with Vivien Schweitzer
Two passionate educators – Dr. Kevin Johnson, instructional supervisor at Education Through Music, and Anne Fitzgibbon, founder and executive director of the Harmony Program – discuss the value of music instruction, the disruptions of the pandemic, and the many social and academic benefits that kids reap from a solid music education.
May 19, 2021
The Bronx Buzz | Penny Swift
Host of The Bronx Buzz, Gary Axelbank, is joined by Penny Swift, Executive Director of Education Through Music, to share her thoughts on the importance of teaching music as part of our rebuilding.
May 6, 2021
What New York City’s Education Sector and All Who Care About It Should Take Forward From a Year of Remote Teaching and Learning
Two weeks before schools closed last March, our team at the New York City nonprofit Education Through Music brainstormed ways to provide music lessons online so that students wouldn’t miss a beat.
April 21, 2021
Come together: Why music class is an essential refuge for students amid COVID-19 pandemic
We underestimate the importance of music at the expense of our youth.
February 26, 2021
Opinion: NYC Students Need Music Education Now More Than Ever
‘Fifty-five percent of city public schools didn’t have a music educator, even before the COVID-19 pandemic…one aspect of that rebuilding must be integrating music as a core subject in the curriculum and ensuring all city schools have certified music educators.’
January 29, 2021
Penny Swift on Wharton Business Daily
Penny Swift, Executive Director of Education Through Music (ETM), joins Wharton Business Daily host Dan Loney to discuss breaking down barriers in music education, how music can accelerate conversations around social justice, and the evolution of her organization.
January 15, 2021
ETM Executive Director Talks with BronxNet
ETM’s Executive Director Penny Swift sits down with BronxNet’s Dr. Bob Lee to discuss the importance of music education and how ETM is navigating challenges created by the pandemic.
January 5, 2021
New Yorker of the Week: Alfredo Hernández
Alfredo Hernandez traded his classroom in the Bronx for his kitchen in Flatbush.
December 14, 2020
Bronx teacher brings music to students during COVID-19
Bronx-based music teacher Jorge Quezada has had much more on his plate than singing since COVID-19 arrived, including keeping students’ spirits up and their minds focused on school.
December 4, 2020
NO INSTRUMENTS, NO PROBLEM: AMID THE PANDEMIC, THIS BRONX TEACHER IS EMBRACING NEW WAYS OF MAKING MUSIC
School looks a lot different during the pandemic. It feels different, too, and even the youngest children can sense the fear and uncertainty of the moment, said Alfredo Hernandez, a Bronx music teacher.
December 2, 2020
DRIVING FORCES ON WBAI
On Sunday, August 30, WBAI 99.5 FM City Watch Host Jeff Simmons talked with Penny Swift, CEO of Executive Director of Education Through Music (ETM). *Penny’s portion begins at about minute 42.
August 30, 2020
LEADERS’ SECRET REVEALED
Episode 23 Penny Swift Interview: Having a high performing team is the rule, not the exception.
April 22, 2020
EDUCATION THROUGH MUSIC
Reporter Stephen Powell takes us through an interview with Education Through Music’s music instructors, David Martinez and Carrie McKenna, highlighting Martinez’s efforts to provide music lessons to students from the comfort of their homes during these trying times.
April 06, 2020
BROADWAY STAR CARRIE COMPERE VISITS MUSIC STUDENTS IN HARLEM IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Education Through Music, a nonprofit that provides music education to 36,000 New York City students, and partner school P.S. 125 – The Ralph Bunche School in Harlem are thrilled to celebrate Black History month with Broadway’s Carrie Compere, formerly of The Color Purple on Broadway and Shout Sister Shout at the Seattle Repertory.
March 20, 2020
EDUCATION THROUGH MUSIC: BREAKFAST WITH THE BAND
Reporter Stephen Powell takes us through Breakfast with the Band presented by Education Through Music.
February 19, 2020
ARE PTAS HINDERING ARTS EDUCATION IN NEW YORK CITY?
This December, the city’s Department of Education released a report about PTA fundraising and spending in NYC public schools. The DOE’s report paints a disappointing but predictable picture: Schools that serve students from wealthy families raise exponentially more money from their PTAs than those that serve students from low-income families.
January 24, 2020
BRONX MUSIC TEACHERS LOOK TO TAKE $20,000 GRANT A LONG WAY
The next generation of young musicians from the Bronx is getting a $20,000 grant from Edenwald-based Teddy Cars. The automobile dealership on Boston Road announced it is distributing the funds equally among 10 school music programs.
December 07, 2019
THE FORGOTTEN ART OF TEACHING THE ARTS: SUPPORT THE CREATIVE SKILLS IN A LOCAL INDUSTRY DRIVING THE CITY ECONOMY
Last month, City Controller Scott Stringer released a wonderfully detailed report on New York City’s creative economy. Among other revelations, the report finds that “an astonishing 12% of all creative industry jobs in the United States are located within the five boroughs — compared to less than 3% of all jobs nationally.”
November 18, 2019
THROGS NECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHOIR EXPANDS TO ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT
A Throgs Neck elementary school wants to empower their students through music by creating a new choir with fourth and fifth-graders from more than 20 schools in the district.
October 21, 2019
PROVIDING MUSIC EDUCATION TO THE STUDENTS OF DENVER
Research shows that when music education is provided as part of the core curriculum in students have more motivation for school, overall improvements in their capacity to learn, and boosted self-confidence.
October 2019
EDUCATION THROUGH MUSIC FEATURED ON ABC 7 NY “TIEMPO”
On January 14, 2018 Education Through Music was featured on the ABC 7 NY public affairs show “Tiempo” which highlights topics of importance to the Hispanic community in NYC.
January 14, 2018
AN EARLY START
Education Through Music had its annual benefit at Cipriani 42nd Street.
April 14, 2013
NEW YORK MIDDLE SCHOOLERS GET COUNTY MUSIC LESSONS
As the Bronx middle schoolers harmonized in their auditorium and plucked out basic chords on ukuleles and guitars, in walked their music instructor, Liz Rose — a Grammy-award winning country songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee.
October 14, 2015
JOSHUA BELL HOSTS AN EDUCATION THROUGH MUSIC BENEFIT
Jared Kushner chivalrously held the elevator door open for a gaggle of guests arriving at the Flatiron triplex penthouse of violinist Joshua Bell. The group had come to listen to a performance by Bell on behalf of the nonprofit Education Through Music, which supports music curriculum in underprivileged schools throughout New York City.
January 16, 2013
GRACE HIGHTOWER DE NIRO IS TEACHING ROBERT DE NIRO HOW TO SING THE HOKEY-POKEY
As a girl, Grace Hightower De Niro tried playing the alto saxophone, but she preferred singing and joined the school choir. She has since dabbled in singing, including a song on the Precioussoundtrack and a performance at the Carlyle. “I actually put it on hold,” Hightower De Niro said at the Education Through Music Children’s Benefit gala on Wednesday.
April 11, 2013
A HEARTWARMING SURPRISE FOR AN INSPIRING MUSIC TEACHER
When Ellen and Shutterfly heard about music teacher Melissa Salguero’s school, P.S. 48 in the Bronx, New York, being burglarized, they knew they had to get involved, and boy did they! They gave the P.S. 48 Music Program $10,000 worth of musical instruments and a $50,000 check!
January 11, 2016
VIOLINIST RINGS BELL FOR SCHOOLS
Even Meryl Streep and Glenn Close sometimes find themselves under the weather. The actresses were set to host a cocktail party at the home of violinist Joshua Bell Tuesday night, but a spokesman for the event announced, midevening, the actresses were “in bed with the flu—it’s a crazy epidemic that’s been going around.”
January 16, 2013
BRINGING MUSIC BACK TO SCHOOL
A bicoastal nonprofit group is leading the charge for music education in two of America’s biggest cities.
December 2017
NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT: EDUCATION THROUGH MUSIC IS FILLING A GAP IN AMERICA’S EDUCATION SYSTEM
Students in public schools across the United States are finally experiencing an important switch to quality education, with more schools implementing music education programs that are proven to steer children toward academic excellence.
January 04, 2018
EDUCATION THROUGH MUSIC
Music is much more than a form of entertainment. It can help people through a variety of life’s challenges, including physical and mental illness. But, it can also have an impact in the classroom. On this week’s Cityscape, we’re talking with the folks behind Education Through Music, a program that works with inner city schools in New York City.
November 15, 2017
EDUCATION THROUGH MUSIC ON NY1
NY1 profiles the Education Through Music partner school program, serving 20,000 students throughout New York City.
October 3, 2014
Una buena educación musical es clave para generar entusiasmo y compromiso escolar
La especialista estadounidense cree que, para avanzar en este sentido, en Chile hace falta generar más investigación local al respecto. Para eso se necesitan recursos que no solo vengan de fundaciones o filántropos interesados.
November 12, 2017
