“Try getting a young person to tell you how they’re feeling and you’re most likely going to get a shrug of the shoulders in response. Give the young person an instrument and teach them to use it and see what happens.”
- John Kilbey, Sounds of the Street

Many of the youth we serve have lived in more homes than they have had
birthdays. Nearly all are victims of abuse and have significant barriers to learning and developing healthy relationships. Music provides a non-traditional way for youth to develop many of the skills necessary in order to overcome these obstacles.

MVM provides rock camps, hip-hop workshops, and individual music mentorship. We encourage youth to believe in themselves in order to create something that means enough to give back. To read our Mission, Vision and Values Statements click here.

Learning to Learn

Playing music is a novel experience for many of the youth we serve. We teach basic musical concepts such as time, tone, pitch, and rhythm. We provide a safe place to overcome obstacles in order to learn new concepts.

Finding Your Voice

Participants discuss the connection between music and expression. They are encouraged to express themselves in a positive manner during individual lessons, drum circles, group jams, and songwriting collaborations.

Tools of the Trade

Participants learn to play electric, acoustic and bass guitars, keyboards, drums, and other percussion. In addition, instruction is given on singing, recording, mixing, and music production.

Recording Your Voice

MVM mentors lead group and individual sessions where students record, mix, and engineer the songs they write. MVM guides the students with songwriting and facilitates a recording of the music.

Sharing Your Voice

MVM students are encouraged to work with their peers both collectively and individually throughout the creative process. They are given the opportunity to share their musical experiences with significant people in their lives through public performances. Participants are given the recordings of their songs in order to leave the program with a tangible product of their experience.