A key component of Law Rocks’ mission is to promote music education for underserved youth. In 2023, due to our increased sponsorship and fundraising, Law Rocks was able to offer a new grant at each Law Rocks show: The Music Matters grant. This grant, continuing in 2024, is given to a local nonprofit that supports youth music education in each of our U.S. tour cities. Omi Crawford, director of Law Rocks, says of the grant initiative:
“Since our 2009 founding, Law Rocks has supported hundreds of incredible nonprofits, with an emphasis on youth music education organizations. The Music Matters grant is a natural evolution of our mission and a chance to formalize our support of amazing music education nonprofits across the country.”
Today’s spotlight is on our 2024 Law Rocks Atlanta Music Matters grant recipient, Atlanta Music Project (AMP). AMP empowers youth to realize their possibilities through music. The organization provides tuition-free, world-class music training and performance opportunities to young musicians across metro Atlanta, and we are pleased to be sharing more about the organization today.
Keep reading to learn more in our spotlight interview with Atlanta Music Project Development & Grants Manager, D'Laney Bowry.
Our 2024 Atlanta Music Matters Grant Recipient: Atlanta Music Project. Photo by Zachary Toth Photography, courtesy of AMP.
1) Can you tell us a little about the history of your nonprofit, as well as its mission and focus?
Operating in under-resourced communities, the Atlanta Music Project’s mission is to empower youth to realize their possibilities through music. Founded in 2010, AMP has always intentionally provided high-quality after-school band, orchestra, choir, and private lesson programs where they are typically not found. Since its inception, no audition or prior musical experience is necessary for acceptance into AMP’s entry-level programs. All tuition-free, AMP provides the instruments, class materials, teaching artists, and concert opportunities right in under-resourced communities.
AMP’s first programming was part of the after-school program at the Gilbert House, a City of Atlanta Recreation Center. AMP provided music instruction (music theory, choir, symphony orchestra, and group lessons for a variety of instruments) 5 days a week for two hours to 30 elementary school students with an annual budget of $150,000. AMP’s partnership with the City of Atlanta continues now for the 15th year. Today, AMP’s annual operating budget is $3M+, serving 600+ K-12 students through beginner-level ensembles (After-School Band & Orchestra, Preparatory String Orchestra, Choir, and Concert Band), intermediate/advanced ensembles (Junior/Senior Youth Orchestras & Choirs), private lessons (Academy), residencies (concerts, masterclasses, mentorship) by visiting professional musicians, and a four-week summer music festival and school (Summer Series).
A nationally recognized nonprofit organization, the Atlanta Music Project (AMP) is a leading model of the power of music training to unlock life-changing outcomes for youth. Operating in under-resourced communities, the mission of the AMP is to empower youth to realize their possibilities through music. AMP believes the pursuit of musical excellence leads to the development of confidence, creativity, strong personal and communal work ethics, and ambition: character traits that can be applied to one’s academic, professional, and personal endeavors.”
2) What is the best example of the way you’ve seen your organization’s work make a difference?
“‘AMP is not a place; it’s a second home!’ Da’Janel Chatmon, an 8th-grade soprano, recently exclaimed this as I chatted with her and her mother Dorriann about her first two years at AMP. An enthusiastic go-getter, Da’Janel joined the AMP Junior Youth Choir in the Fall of 2022 and began taking private lessons through the AMP Academy in the Fall of 2023.
The Chatmon family is full of music lovers; ‘my aunts are always singing and introducing me to different styles of music.’ While Dorriann makes all seven of her children learn and sing music at church, Da’Janel has always shown the most passion for singing. Still, Da’Janel was often shy about sharing her voice. During the first few years of the COVID-19 pandemic, she began questioning her musical ability and interest.
One day in August 2022 while scrolling on Facebook, an advertisement for AMP caught Dorriann’s eye. After reaching out for information, she asked Da’Janel if she was ready to take on this level of extracurricular commitment. Her response? ‘I was born ready.’ The next week she was attending her first AMP Junior Youth Choir rehearsal.
Nervous going into her first Wednesday night rehearsal, Dorriann picked Da’Janel up after and anxiously asked how it went. ‘Oh it was marvelous, darling!’ she responded and has yet to question her musical interest or ability again. Now Da’Janel is constantly singing and has already performed in 25 AMP concerts, including twice for Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens! Her favorite performance thus far is the 2023 AMP Youth Choirs Holiday Concert: ‘I had a solo in a piece and at the end of it there is this beautiful high note. During the first performance, I was nervous, but in the second show that note really blossomed. I felt so strong and the amount of support I received after was unbelievable.’
By fully committing and showing the willingness to step outside her comfort zone, Da’Janel has shown tremendous musical growth in just 20 months at AMP. Perhaps more importantly, she has found a community that provides her security to grow into the person she wants to be:
“AMP has brought who Da’Janel is out: her character and the way she talks and carries herself. As a single parent, it’s hard to help all your children pursue their interests fully. For you all to love her like you do and push her drive without asking for a dime, AMP is a blessing and makes my heart smile. When you walk through the doors, you feel at peace; that’s how you know AMP is founded on love.” - Dorriann
’AMP takes part in growing you as a person and finding out who you are, what you like, and who you like to be around. It teaches you time management, self-control, responsibility, maturity, and to sing out. You may not notice it in the moment, but when you’re out in public, you’re not afraid to raise your voice and not be silent.’ - Da’Janel
AMP Youth Orchestras & Choirs Joint Concert at Ray Charles Performing Arts Center | Photo by Qu West Photography, courtesy of Atlanta Music Project.
3) What are some upcoming initiatives that you are planning for?
AMP has officially started its 15th season of programming! We are excited to welcome back our students and get to work in the pursuit of excellence with all of them. Throughout this upcoming season, AMP will bolster its music theory offerings (by request of the students), tackle increasingly-challenging music, and cultivate performance opportunities that expand our students’ world and further aid in them realizing their possibilities.
In November 2023, AMP received two transformational gifts totaling $4.6 million: one from the Chestnut Family Foundation and another from an anonymous major donor. These extraordinary donations will forever change the trajectory and impact of AMP, including two new restricted endowments: a $2M Travel & Tour Endowment to support annual performances outside of Atlanta and a $500K Maintenance Endowment to support the maintenance of AMP’s instruments, uniforms, and the AMP Center. AMP students have already reaped the benefits of the Travel Endowment:
- In April 2024, the AMP Senior Youth Orchestra traveled to Ottawa, Canada to participate in an artistic-cultural exchange with the École Secondaire Publique De La Salle (AMP Co-Founder & CEO’s alma mater). AMP students performed two concerts including one alongside the De La Salle students and took in the sights, sounds, and food of the city.
- In July 2024, the AMP Senior Youth Choir traveled to Auckland, New Zealand to compete in the World Choir Games (the largest international choral festival and competition in the world) to compete in a ‘choir olympics’ against choirs from Australia, Canada, China, New Zealand, and the Philippines. With a score of 26.39/30, the AMP Senior Youth Choir was crowned “Category Winner of the World Choir Games - The Open Competition” (the top award for their specific competition category) and received a “Golden Diploma Level VI” for clinching the second highest score across all competition categories. In addition to the competition performance and taking in the Auckland culture, AMP performed in two Friendship Concerts in Auckland, where they performed alongside youth choirs from Australia, Canada, China, New Zealand, and Taiwan, in free, public concerts.
Our students have no intention of slowing down and already, AMP has several exciting opportunities throughout the next season! Collaborative performances and exchanges are currently being planned with the Spartanburg Youth Philharmonic, Singing Girls of Texas, and Uniting Voices Chicago. Additionally, the AMP Senior Youth Choir has been invited to participate in the Pro Musica International Choral Festival next July in Albany, NY. Our choir students will get to spend one week singing and learning amongst peers from across the United States and Canada. With only 150 high school musicians invited to perform, they will work with Conductor-in-Residence Rollo Dilworth and take part in the world premier of one of his pieces.
4) What is the greatest challenge your organization faces?
AMP is currently in year 5 of a 12-year lease for our headquarters and we are already at space capacity. In 2023, the AMP Board of Directors established a Real Estate Committee to lead the planning of AMP’s new space: the AMP Campus. For research purposes, the Committee has visited the headquarters of similarly positioned youth arts nonprofits in Memphis, Los Angeles, and throughout Atlanta. The Committee has also identified the ideal location for the new AMP Campus as Pittsburgh Yards, just two minutes from the AMP Center. Working with the property owner, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the Atlanta Beltline (which runs next to the property), AMP will lease the land but own whatever structure(s) we build.
AMP's most persistent challenge is that while we pay our bills consistently (overhead, teacher compensation, class materials, etc.), our contributed revenue arrives inconsistently. Much of AMP’s funding is, in essence, reimbursement funding as the majority of grant funding arrives months after the grant award notification, and government funding is typically disbursed only after AMP has fronted the cash for the expenses incurred.
The Center for Effective Philanthropy’s “Funding Nonprofit Endowments: Foundation Perspective and Practices” (2024) highlights that most endowment funding goes towards more wealthy or decades-established nonprofits. However, donors are beginning to view funding endowments and reserves as an equity strategy. As an organization that serves youth in the heart of their under-resourced communities, AMP believes it has the responsibility to fundraise to promote the organization’s sustainability and support our annual programming. To that end in addition to annual fundraising efforts, AMP has a $333,333 Operating Reserve for operating or payroll expenses when our cash flow is insufficient and three endowments: 1) $1.2M general endowment, 2) $2M travel and tour endowment, and 3) $500K instrument/building maintenance endowment.
AMP After-School Band & Orchestra Music of the African Diaspora Festival Concert | Photo by Qu West Photography, courtesy of AMP.
5) What does the power of music mean to you?
For me, music is a friend that will always understand what you’re going through and be there with you every step of the way. Through the good , the bad, every rough patch and every accomplishment, there is always music to get through it all.
I believe music has the power to teach us about ourselves. Learning it teaches how strong we are. Working through difficult passages allows us to learn patience and perseverance. Performing for an audience builds confidence and listening to different genres and composers widens our palate. We can all learn what we are capable of and how to problem solve through what we thought we weren’t all through the power of music.
Working at AMP, I get to see this real time in our students everyday. Watching them work with our talented teaching artists to realize the things they didn’t all know they were capable of. I’ve seen students who came in quiet and reserved grow into those who dance on stage and laugh out loud: all because of what AMP has done for them, because of what MUSIC has done for them. Seeing the euphoric look on a student’s face when they figure out a hard passage or hear the crowd cheer for them after a solo performance…it is truly a magical experience.
6) How will the Music Matters grant be used?
All awarded funds from the Music Matters Grant will be used toward expense line items directly benefiting AMP students throughout our celebratory 15th season: teaching artist fees, class materials, and AMP Center overhead. All AMP’s programs are offered tuition-free, but a $25 registration fee is requested of students and payment plans and waivers are offered to alleviate any heavy financial burden. This means that AMP must fully fundraise each year to support all administrative and programmatic expenses, although AMP does have an operating reserve and general endowment to assist in any unexpected expenses or shortcomings in fundraising efforts.
In order for AMP students to truly succeed they must have access to the best, and often expensive, materials (instruments, music, folders, transportation, etc.) and a safe, clean, enriching space to learn and grow. At 7,500 square feet, the AMP Center houses offices, 10 rehearsal rooms, instrument storage, and a 175-seat performance and event space. AMP creates an ecosystem of progress and care through program intensity and cross-generational community building. AMP has become a home for students where they can come to learn skills on an elevated level, create lasting friendships with students from various schools, and find mentorship with AMP teaching artists and staff who root for their success: musically and personally.
Learn more about Atlanta Music Project.