CMA Foundation Grants $1 Million To Metro Nashville Public Schools

Pictured (L-R): Nashville Mayor Megan Barry; Joe Galante, CMA Foundation Board Vice Chairman; Darius Rucker; Greg Burns, Nashville Public Education Foundation Board member; Anna Shepherd, MNPS Board Vice Chair; Chris Henson, MNPS Interim Director of Schools; Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer; John Esposito, CMA Board President and Warner Music Nashville CEO and President; John Huie, CMA Board member and Agent at CAA. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

The CMA Foundation has continued its steadfast dedication to keeping music in public schools, with a recent $1 million grant to aid teachers in Nashville’s music classrooms.

The grant will go toward several initiatives, including providing instruments and music education for more than 85,000 students in Davidson County. It will also support Music Teachers at the Core, which will recognize up to 50 exceptional Metro Nashville Public School teachers with a $2,000 cash award. Additionally, the grant will support side-by-side coaching and expanded professional development opportunities to strengthen music education teachers in Davidson County.

Darius Rucker was on hand alongside Nashville Mayor Megan Barry to announce the donation. Also in attendance were students from Nashville School of the Arts, Hume-Fogg Magnet High School, and the W.O. Smith Music School.

“Having access to an instrument in an environment that encourages creative expression is such a powerful thing,” said Rucker. “A defining moment in my life was when my mother gave me my first guitar – I can honestly say it completely changed my life. In that moment, a newfound passion and creativity were born where skills like writing and poetry took on a new role. So, to know that we, as artists with CMA, are helping kids get the option for that kind of discovery is really incredible.”

Darius Rucker announces a $1 million grant to Metro Nashville Public Schools on behalf of the CMA Foundation at the National League of Cities annual conference Friday in Nashville. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

“When this program began, it was important to fund the purchase of instruments, which hadn’t been purchased in decades,” said Joe Galante, Vice Chairman of the CMA Foundation and a member of the CMA Board of Directors. “Now that we have instruments in every Metro school, the CMA Foundation has expanded its support to include teacher education, which is critical in developing and maintaining strong, sustainable music programs.”

“I am grateful for the CMA Foundation’s deep commitment to our city,” Barry said. “It is a shining example of what is possible through strong public–private partnerships, and it is showing the country the value and importance of music education. Nashville is proud to be Music City, and we are incredibly fortunate to have such a strong investment from the music industry.”

Funds for the 2015 grant were raised through the CMA Music Festival. For 2016, the CMA Foundation has earmarked $2.6 million to in- and after-school music education programs across the country, bringing the foundation’s total contributions, including the Metro grants, to $13.6 million. CMA and the CMA Foundation have invested $10 million in 10 years in a public–private partnership to strengthen and improve music education in Nashville schools.