MusiConnects is a non-profit arts education organization, founded by the Boston Public Quartet and based in Boston, Massachusetts. Their mission is to model and teach self-expression, peer leadership and community development through the transformative power of chamber music. MusiConnects is actively working in partnership with Boston public schools to provide free music education to students – in the hopes of also creating a thriving community to unite youth, families, and musicians. The Boston Public quartet is a professional, performing string quartet that regularly gives concerts across the Boston area, in traditional and neighborhood venues alike.
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History
Betsy Hinkle founded the Boston Public Quartet in 2007 in order to explore several needs of Boston Public Schools and the idea of social change through chamber music. In that same year, a residency was established by the BPQ at James J. Chittick Elementary School in Mattapan – this partnership provides a unique chamber music curriculum to students, while also fostering a sense of community and mentoring relationships. In 2011, a new program was piloted – Chamber Kids. This is a citywide chamber music program for primarily beginning and intermediate students who play violin, viola, or cello.
Residency at Chittick Elementary
The Boston Public Quartet is the Ensemble in Residence at James J. Chittick Elementary School in Mattapan. This permanent partnership provides private lessons in violin, viola, and cello, as well as chamber music and general music components, to elementary students. Lessons and rehearsals take place during and after school, as needed. The curriculum of this program is designed to teach technical instrumental skills, as well as self-expression, peer leadership, and community development. The model of the string quartet is used as a demonstration of a small community – where listening, communication, and conflict resolution are skills necessary to succeed in making music together. Through this residency, MusiConnects is also creating a sense of larger community – with all the students, their families, teachers, and musicians involved. This larger community is nurtured by annual performances by MusiConnects students, the Boston Public Quartet and local supporting musicians. Families of students, friends and residents of the area are encouraged to attend these concerts.
Chamber Kids
Chamber Kids is a new chamber music program, centered in Roslindale, MA. It was specifically designed to be all inclusive, seeking to bring young musicians from different backgrounds and neighborhoods together to experience chamber music. Chamber Kids participants are primarily beginning and intermediate violin, viola, and cello students. They come from private teachers and/or school based instrumental programs across the city. In weekly meetings, these children receive ensemble coaching from MusiConnects musician educators while creating music with peers in a non-competitive environment. In order to make the program accessible and affordable by all, Chamber Kids tuition is on a sliding scale.