​On Wednesday, May 30, Music Drives Us made a special grant site visit to the Curley K-8 School in Jamaica Plain, MA!
The Curley K-8 School originally received an Organizational Grant back in 2015. Music teacher Melanie Bourgeault single-handedly started the school’s music program and was in need of funding to sustain it. Now, years later, the Curley School has brought an additional music teacher on board and has many musical opportunities including a general music class, a band program, a choir, and an annual theater program.
With the expansion of the music program, Curley K-8 School recently applied for an Instrument Grant, requesting funding for unique instruments students might not otherwise be exposed to. Some of the instruments MDU was happy to provide include a tabletop electronic drum kit, cajons, djembes, conga sets, fiberglass shekeres, lap harps, rainsticks, and more.
It was wonderful to see the students play and enjoy their new instruments! Keep it up, Curley! 

​We are so excited to announce that Live Like Steel Panther For A Day is now live on Charitybuzz! This package includes a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet the members of Steel Panther! Join Michael Starr, Stix, Lexxi, and Satchel for an inside look at what their lives are like as rock ’n’ roll legends. Steel Panther will sign and personalize a black acoustic guitar just for you. Not only will you meet the band at an exclusive pool party, but you will also watch them perform a special set for a live broadcast on WAAF, Boston’s number one rock station. After the set, you and three friends will be transported to the House of Blues, Boston to enjoy a VIP experience! Here, you will hang out with the band and get a picture with them before they take the stage. You will also get a signed 8x10 glossy photo of Steel Panther to take home with you, as well as first access to merch shopping. Bidding for this unbelievable experience starts at just $500, and all proceeds from this auction benefit Music Drives Us! You don’t want to miss this chance to hangout with the hard rockin’ quartet! Bid now!

Music Drives Us is excited to announce the launch of GuitARTS – our inaugural public art project to promote the arts and importance of music education in the Town of Norwood, MA and throughout New England!

We are seeking 15 local artists in the Greater Boston Area interested in publicizing their artistic style through beautifying and painting fiberglass guitars. These guitars will be displayed prominently in various public and participating private spaces throughout Norwood this fall!

MDU went to the Town of Norwood's Selectmen Meeting on Tuesday, May 22, to pitch the idea of GuitARTS. Take a look at the Norwood Bulletin's article for more details!

For more information about the project and to apply, visit bit.ly/2IY42Yp!

MVY The Person of the Week for May 24th, 2018 - Ernie Boch Jr., Founder of Music Drives Us
May 24th, 2018 - Ernie Boch Jr., Founder of Music Drives Us, a registered 501(c)(3), New England nonprofit organization supplying grants to music programs designed to effect positive change for people of all ages. We seek out organizations and individuals interested in using music as a tool to better the lives of people in all segments of society. 
 

Music Drives Us celebrated National Teacher Appreciation Day by awarding a $1,000 grant to a teacher who has inspired many.

Congratulations to Mark Todd from Holyoke High School, the winner of the Teachers Who Inspire Contest! Organized by the Boch Center, he was nominated among many other amazing teachers to win the grand prize, which included the MDU grant. As part of the grand prize, he and his class also won tickets to see the Sound of Music at the Boch Center Wang Theater. Before the show, we presented him the grant on stage in front of his excited students in the audience.

While accepting his check, he revealed in his acceptance speech that he had 250 unused sick days from all of his years of teaching because of his passion to inspire his students through music.

We were thrilled to meet and support such a deserving teacher. Congratulations again, Mark!

Take a look at the article from MassLive, which featured our special National Teacher Appreciation Day celebration!

Music Drives Us is excited to return as the official charitable beneficiary of Boston Calling 2018! As the official charitable partner of Boston Calling, we have a limited amount of Sunday VIP tickets available! All proceeds from our VIP Ticket sales will support our mission to keep music in our schools! 

Purchase your VIP Tickets here!

Sunday VIP tickets include:VIP Passes provide you access to all the perks of General Admission, plus:​

• Dedicated VIP fast pass entrances into the festival.
• Entry to exclusive VIP viewing areas at all three of the outdoor stages. VIP viewing areas provide the perfect vantage point to enjoy the festival with easy access to VIP cash bars and private VIP upgraded bathroom facilities.
• Access to an exclusive VIP Lounge featuring signature cocktails, an expanded beer & wine menu, upgraded dining options, phone charging stations, and air-conditioned restrooms. 
• On-site VIP event staff to assist you throughout your festival experience.

Boston Calling Music Festival is a three-day, multi-stage festival featuring the biggest and best acts in live music, comedy, and visual arts. It is held at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston, MA on May 25, 26, & 27, 2018. The event will provide easy access to all performance areas, incredible concessions, indoor arena, and many surprises to be announced. 

Music Drives Us will be there May 25 – 27, and we invite you to join us!
 
If you have already purchased your tickets for Boston Calling, you can still support Music Drives Us by visiting us at our booth! We will have giveaways, merchandise, and so much more to support our case!

Music Drives Us is excited to announce that we will be the charitable beneficiary of South Shore Country Festival 2018! For every ticket sold, $1 will be donated to our foundation. These proceeds will support our mission to keep music in our schools.

The second annual South Shore Country Festival will take place on Saturday, September 8th at the Marshfield Fairgrounds. Come see top country artists perform! The concert will feature Easton Corbin, Uncle Kracker, Jimmie Allen, and Everette. We invite you to join us for a fun event!

You can purchase tickets here: http://bit.ly/MDUSSCMF

This year’s ArtWeek was one to remember! During the 10-day innovative festival, there were more than 530 events in 155 neighborhoods and towns across the Commonwealth. ArtWeek offers unique and creative experiences that are hands-on, interactive, or offers behind-the-scenes access to artists or the creative process. With 12 different genres of art and culture to choose from, there was an event for everyone. All of the events were cost effective, and many were free!

This was Music Drives Us’ second year in a row supporting ArtWeek along with the Boch Center. Ernie Boch Jr, the Founder of Music Drives Us, said: “Supporting cultural initiatives that emphasize arts in society is the heart of our mission at Music Drives Us. The cultural experiences offered during ArtWeek across the state of Massachusetts are extraordinarily important in keeping the arts alive and viable for all sectors of humanity.”
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We were very proud to support nine wonderful events offered during ArtWeek 2018. We hope you got to enjoy some of the great events that took place this year! 

Presented by Highland Street Foundation and produced by the Boch Center, ArtWeek is an award-winning, 10-day innovative festival featuring hundreds of creative experiences offering ways to experience arts and culture. Born in Boston in 2013, ArtWeek expanded its footprint across the Commonwealth for the 2018 festival. The 2018 spring festival is April 27 - May 6. 

Music Drives Us expanded our partnership with ArtWeek to provide grants for events during the 2018 festival. Nine recipients were selected and received a $500 performance grant to support the presentation of their event during ArtWeek. 

​ArtWeek has an excellent Calendar of Events, detailing all of the different arts and culture events happening during the festival. The calendar allows you to select the type of event you are interested in, narrow down the city or region, and even select the day you would prefer to enjoy an event. 

ArtWeek has also been featured in the news! WCVB Chronicle did a segment on ArtWeek, featuring an event that happened in our hometown of Norwood, MA! 

Music Drives Us visited the House of Blues on April 25th to present Blues SchoolHouse with support for the next three years. The founder of MDU, Ernie Boch Jr, was accompanied by Ken Casey and Tim Brennan of the Dropkick Murphys, Don Law, president of Live Nation New England, and Nurit Smith, executive director of the Music Forward Foundation. Take a look at the Boston Herald article for more information about our visit!