Statements
Mission
W.O. Smith/Nashville Community Music School makes affordable, quality music instruction available to children from low-income families.We transform lives through music!
Background
Established in 1984, W.O. Smith/Nashville Community Music School was the idea of Dr. William Oscar 'Doc' Smith. Dr. Smith (1917-1991) was a renowned jazz bassist, a member of the Nashville Symphony, and a thirty-year faculty member at Tennessee State University. W.O. Smith, a self-taught musician, always credited music as his ticket out of the ghetto.' W.O. Smith's dream of a community music school contained elements not found in other cities. Doc knew that interested and talented low-income children could not afford individualized instruction from traditional teachers or at local institutions that had high tuition costs. He specifically spelled out the need for a school where only underprivileged children could receive specialized instruction for minimal fees. Doc passionately believed that music uplifts people, and that needy children required access to it as much, if not more, than others did. In Nashville, he found a community that not only agreed, but also was willing to take his dream and turn it into a reality. Smith's ability to define the problem and inspire a solution helped to create an enthusiastic and persuasive board of directors, which included some of our city's important and influential citizens including Buddy Killen, Del Sawyer, Frank Sutherland, Jim Ed Norman, Don Butler, Connie Bradley, Bruce Hinton, Fred Cloud, Bill Hudson, Anne Brown, and numerous others. In 1984, the school opened with just 45 students and 20 volunteer teachers. In 2020, more than 220 volunteers will teach 600 students and help continue the legacy of Dr. Smith, providing social uplift through the power of music.
Impact
W.O. Smith Music School was created to support equity and social justice in community arts education. The school has served low-income, at-risk youth in the greater Nashville metropolitan area since 1984. For thirty-eight years we have served youth and children of color who have been a majority of the student population. Our students represent a wide range of communities. For the 2021-2022 academic year, our student demographics is 40% Latino, 38% African American, 10% White, 3% Asian, 4% are of mixed ethnicity, and 5% of students are of other ethnicities. The policies of the school enumerate that we are committed to providing music education to students that have been historically underrepresented based on socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, citizenship status, or religion. We believe in the fair distribution of programmatic, financial, and informational resources to all of our qualified students.
W.O. Smith Music School is characteristically active within the Nashville community. Students and ensembles spend time showcasing their talents for in-house concerts and recitals, and also perform for the public at venues throughout the city. W.O. Smith remains committed to providing performance opportunities to our students and sharing music with the public in the upcoming school year.
W.O. Smith became a member of the Berklee City Music Network in 2017. The Network is a consortium of over 40 community organizations across the United States and Canada committed to delivering high-quality contemporary music instruction to youth from underserved communities. As a member of the network, W.O. Smith receives access to the Berklee PULSE Music Method, as well as other resources and support from Berklee College of Music. W.O. Smith students have the opportunity to receive scholarships to attend the Berklee Five-Week Summer Program and the opportunity to receive full-tuition scholarships to attend the Berklee College of Music. In November 2018, W.O. Smith hosted the annual three-day summit of Berklee City Music Network schools in Nashville and was also named the Outstanding Network Partner for 2018.
Since 1998, all W.O. Smith seniors have graduated from their High School and have attended either a two or four-year college program. In 2021-2022, ten students are attending college as music majors in diverse areas including performance, education, audio production, songwriting, and music business. Each receives financial assistance the school through our Scholarship Fund housed at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. In 2020, our first W.O. Smith graduate received the Berklee City Music Scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music on a four-year tuition scholarship.
W.O. Smith Music School was honored with the 2022 "Applause Award" by Belmont University. The award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the arts in Nashville.
Needs
W.O. Smith Music School is always in need of qualified volunteer teaching artists. We encourage individuals that believe they have the abilities and experience necessary to teach at the school to fill out a volunteer teacher form on our website: http://www.wosmith.org/volunteer/private-teacher.
CEO Statement
Since 1984, the W.O. Smith Music School has provided music education to thousands of low-income children who would otherwise be unable to afford instruction. The hallmark of our success has been innovative thinking, hard work, and a commitment to arts education for all children. Our school has a long tradition of volunteer excellence, strong leadership from our board of directors, and wonderful partnerships with great organizations in one of the United States' most vibrant cultural communities. While we know our strengths, we are keenly aware of the challenges that lie ahead. Fulfilling our vision for the next generation will require a significant infusion of financial resources to achieve our goals. Exciting visions and bold leadership will make a critical difference. For the past thirty-seven years, W.O. Smith Music School has been committed to providing children the potential of a life made rich with music and music-making. We thank you for your consideration so that we may provide many more years of music education to so many low-income children in our community.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education |
| Secondary Category: | Youth Development - |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
Services are open to any student who qualifies financially, regardless of address or county of residence.
| TN - Davidson |
