Music is all around us. Today, in our homes, cars and offices we can easily listen to any musical performance we choose. What’s more, we instantly download our favorite music and make digital playlists to share with our friends. But music offers much more than the enjoyment of listening. The study of music, the joy of holding an instrument in your hands, indeed learning to be in command of an instrument can have a wonderful impact on us … if we choose to engage.
Southern Highland Music Foundation (SHMF) is a 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and reinforcing the positive effects of music in our communities. Since its founding in 2013, our main focus has been providing assistance and enrichment to public school music programs.
In addition to providing classroom teacher support, SHMF donates new musical instruments, provides repair services and coordinates recording studio services to help students prepare for professional-level performance experiences.
Our support to public schools is funded through individual donations and from grants from the Georgia Council for the Arts. Donations to SHMF are also used to create scholarship opportunities for students who might not have the opportunity to take part in lessons due to financial constraints.
But our music outreach is not just limited to public school students. SHMF’s goal is to provide musical enrichment for students of all ages.
Our approach to education builds on your musical interest and encourages peer-to-peer sharing of knowledge which reinforces the learning process. This model of hands-on learning was the corner stone of the renowned Foxfire organization. Foxfire’s music program ended many years ago, but SHMF continues its musical legacy.
This is your invitation to join us in our mission to provide music instruction for people of all ages: those who want to learn about music and its historic and regional roots.
Future blogs will focus on music learning opportunities, choosing instruments, the ‘practice of practice’ as well as interviews with SHMF leaders on such practical matters as instrument maintenance, tuning and expanding your musical skills.
Please donate what you can to support SHMF and be sure to contact us to for more information or to volunteer.
##