​MDU is excited to offer a one-of-a-kind acoustic guitar signed by none other than Kiefer Sutherland! This acoustic Yamaha guitar was signed by Sutherland at a private event in 2016. Along with being an incredible actor on hit television shows, such as 24 and Designated Survivor, Sutherland is also a talented blues musician. This guitar will go fast, so visit Charitybuzz http://bit.ly/2OtGQFe now and get your bid in! All proceeds from the sale of this guitar will benefit Music Drives Us.

​Music Drives Us excited to announce that we will be coming back for WGBH Pledge Night! MDU is seeking volunteers to support us for the WGBH Pledge Night on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at the WGBH studio. This event will raise money for WGBH to support their mission – enriching people’s lives through programs and services that educate, inspire, and entertain. The event will start at 6:00pm and will be broadcasting live – you must be 18 years or older to participate. If you are interested, please contact Elena Carbone at Elena@MusicDrivesUs.org. We appreciate your support!

Mark your calendars! The Big 4 Charity Tribute is coming back to Sammy's Patio in Revere, MA on Friday, August 16 and Saturday, August 17. Local super groups will cover 8 of the biggest metal bands EVER all for charity. The bands being covered will be Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and many more!
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For the 4th year in a row, a portion of ticket and raffle sales will go to Music Drives Us, so we hope you'll consider joining us for a good time and a great cause! Tickets are available at the door.

The Music Drives Us team had the pleasure of traveling to the 2019 Summer NAMM in Nashville, TN from July 17 to July 20, 2019. The NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Show is held both in Southern California in January and in Nashville, TN during the summer.
 
The Summer NAMM unites the music, sound, and entertainment technology communities with registrants from different countries and regions. Exhibitors use the show to showcase their brand, introduce new products & innovations, connect with media bases, and train their team through free education sessions.

NAMM was a blast! MDU had the chance to look through various vendors, see what the next up & coming trends are for instruments, and attend multiple social media seminars. Vendors included big names such as Fender & Gibson, and many other small companies that had something for everyone. The social media seminars taught us everything from how to up your Instagram game to properly taking a live video. The MDU team learned a lot and can not wait to put all we learned to use!

​Music Drives Us was the official charitable beneficiary of Boston Calling for the third year in a row! Boston Calling Music Festival was a three-day, multi-stage festival featuring the biggest and best acts in live music, comedy, and visual arts. It was held at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston, MA on May 24, 25, & 26, 2019. Thank you to all who supported us by purchasing VIP and Platinum tickets, stopping by our tent to learn more about our mission, and those who donated by riding the ferris wheel.

The festival had a great turnout! Music Drives Us volunteers and staff were able to sell our Signature and Classic Guitar Pick Bracelets while informing people of our mission to keep music in our schools. We also provided an installation of musical playground equipment that will be donated to a local park in the Boston area.

A big thank you to the staff and organizers of Boston Calling for making this all happen. We truly appreciate your support! 

On Tuesday, May 14 Music Drives Us had the pleasure of visiting our Music in Our Schools Month contest winner Attleboro High School! Throughout the month of March, MDU held a contest in which we asked local high schools and organizations to post videos/pictures of students performing. Whoever posted the most unique content won a grant from MDU. Out of the many schools and organizations who participated, Attleboro High School came out on top! Congratulations to the students and staff at Attleboro High School! 

On Saturday, April 27 Founder of Music Drives Us, Ernie Boch Jr., was honored and recognized by not one, but two local schools that have been impacted by Music Drives Us.

The first award was given by Norwood High School and honored Ernie as the Fine Arts Advocate of the Year. As a dedicated proponent of the arts, this award was an honor to receive. Many thanks to Norwood High School!

The second award was the Lyon Pride Award, which was presented at the 2019 Rising Star Gala hosted by the Mary Lyon School in Brighton, MA. The Lyon Pride Award recognizes an individual or corporation who has demonstrated a strong commitment and passion to helping Boston’s students succeed, excel, and feel welcomed, especially those with special needs. The Lyon Pride Award has been awarded to Mayor Marty Walsh, Maryann Crush, Rep. Kevin Honan, and Dr. Mary Nash, founder of the Mary Lyon School. Ernie Boch Jr. also granted the Mary Lyon School with a $10,000 donation the night of the Gala. Thank you to the Mary Lyon School for recognizing Music Drives Us!

Music Drives Us is excited to return as the official charitable partner of Boston Calling 2019 for the 3rd year! We have a limited amount of Platinum and VIP Tickets available! Platinum and VIP Tickets come with an endless amount of exclusive amenities to make your festival experience the best it can possibly be. All proceeds from ticket sales will support our mission to keep music in our schools!

Platinum and VIP Tickets Now Available! Purchase yours here: http://bit.ly/2IFro4y
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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 24, 25, & 26, 2019. 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 24 – 26, 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 or taking a ride on the Ferris Wheel! We will have giveaways, merchandise, an interactive activation, and so much more to support our cause!

Music Drives Us was thrilled to support 40 amazing events and organizations taking place during ArtWeek! On Tuesday, April 9 at the Boch Center, Music Drives Us had the pleasure of meeting with the representatives from each event and personally awarding them with their Music Drives Us ArtWeek Grant. State Representative Paul McMurtry and Senator Diana DiZoglio also joined us for the presentation of these Grants. Congratulations to:

Andover Choral Society presents Florence Price, ARTS FIRST Festival at HARVARD Highlights, Boston College Arts Festival Children's Activities, Boston Minstrels at City Heart/Prudential Center, Cape Symphony Open Rehearsal,
Chestnut Street Revue Open Rehearsal, CIC ArtWeek: Global Arts, Eats, & Beats– Japan Edition, CIC ArtWeek: Humpday Hoedown, Classical Concert with Trio Spirito, Coffee Break Concert - Solo Piano Classics, Community Drum Circle for Healing, Explore American Music with Mark T. Small, Franklin High School Jazz Open Rehearsal, Irish Step Dancing at the MAC, Jazz Band Showcase (Lynn Public Schools), Join Us for Jam Night!, Jordan Reniz Vocal Performance and Workshop, Lessons on the Music and Dance of Pakistan, Making the Klezmer Music in INDECENT, Melt the Mic (Cypher and Lyrics Lounge), Musica Franklin Fun Fest, Nigra Sum Sed Formosa: I Am Black But Beautiful, Now You Can Take Off Your Clothes: An American Conductor Lost in Translation, Old Time Fiddle Session and Community Gathering, Open Cantata Rehearsal: BWV 28, Open Jazz Rehearsal & Q/A with Craig Skeffington, Open Rehearsal with Eureka Ensemble: Experience Your Eureka Moment!, Orff Percussion Jam, Palmer Artisan Festival, Process Art Party: Found Object Instruments!, Rockin' The Secrets of Plymouth Rock, Rubber Biscuit (band for all ages), Songs and Stories about the Natural World, SSC Youth Orchestra Concert, The Cows Go Moo! Story hour with Jim Petipas, The First Annual Great Northeast Jug Band Festival, Viva Portugal!, Vivid Colors: Organ Voices & Elements Theatre Costumes, and When the Land Speaks. 

Check out our story in the Fall River Herald News from this past Thursday March 13, 2019! B.M.C. Durfee High School in Fall River was the recipient of a $10,000 grant from MDU. Keep rockin' Durfee!