Music Will - Largest Non-Profit Music Program In U.S. Public Schools - Wins Telly Award

Announces National Advisory Board Including Artists Tom Morello, Wyclef Jean, Kristin Chenoweth, Caroline Jones And Music Industry Executives

Modern Band Summit National Teacher Conference July 9-11 in CO

 

Thursday, June 26 - Music Will - the largest non-profit music education program for schools in the United States -  has announced that their Band Together: Music Education Unites Students Across America campaign has been named Best General Not-For-Profit in branded content featuring non-for-profit organizations, services, or facilities, in the record breaking 46th Annual Telly Awards. The Telly Awards honors excellence in video and television across all screens and is judged by leaders from video platforms, television, streaming networks, and production companies. This year’s winners include Pixar Animation Studios, Hearst Media, ESPN, LinkedIn, NATO, MTV Entertainment Studios, NASA, the LA Clippers (NBA), Sawhorse Productions, Telemundo and more.

On the heels of this win, they have also unveiled their brand new National Advisory Board, composed of artists and music professionals who are passionate about creating lifelong music makers. United by a commitment to increasing access and participation in K–12 public school music programs, members deepen Music Will’s connections across the music industry to advance their mission of transforming lives through music education. Introducing this new board of professionals will help forward Music Will’s mission and build awareness within the music industry, supporting the future of developing music makers. 

The new advisory board consists of award-winning artists Bashiri Johnson, Caroline Jones (Zac Brown Band), Darryl McDaniels (Run-D.M.C.), Harry Miree, Jon Secada, Kristin Chenoweth, Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), and Wyclef Jean.

Industry executives include Brad Turcotte (Artist Management, Vector Management), Brittney King Brock (Music Industry Executive & Founder of Moms In Music), Craig Kallman (Chief Music Officer, Atlantic Music Group), Ellen Mangan (Founder of EJM Artists), Erica Krusen (Sr Dir Cultural Influence, Gibson, Inc | Global Executive Dir, Gibson Gives, Foundation), Hannah Gold (Senior Talent Buyer & Producer - Newport Festival Foundation & Dreamcatcher Events), Justin McIntosh (Artist Management, JTMC Entertainment), Kelly Ridgway (VP Global Marketing - CTK Enterprises), Kelly Voigt (SVP, Global Communications, Concord), Lee Dannay (VP A&R, Thirty Tigers), Madeline Nelson (Founder and CEO, Purple Cow Innovation), Paul Peck (President and Co-Founder, Fandiem), and Dave Wish (Founder & Chief Vision Officer, Music Will).

Longtime supporter of Music Will, Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) said, "In a time when music and arts education are under attack and schools are facing devastating cuts, programs like Music Will’s are nothing short of revolutionary. I’m proud to join the organization’s National Advisory Board to help amplify this work. Now more than ever, we need to band together and fight for every kid’s right to make noise, find their voice, and be heard.”

Musician Caroline Jones (Zac Brown Band) shared, “I was lucky to have music woven into my education from an early age, as it shaped who I am as an artist and as a person. That’s why I’m so passionate about the work Music Will is doing to make music education accessible, inclusive, and empowering for every student. I’m honored to join the National Advisory Board and help ensure more young people have the chance to find their voice through music."

Music Will is also set to host their Modern Band Summit this July 9-11, 2025 at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. This unique three-day national teacher conference will gather educators from across the nation for a transformative experience of workshops, artist talks, jam sessions, experience the Modern Band curriculum and more. This year’s theme will center on Culture Bearers. The summit will celebrate and elevate those who practice and pass on their cultural legacies in music communities. These practitioners are especially embedded in American roots music, hip hop, the disabled music community, and many others. For more information on this year’s summit, registration and how to get involved visit musicwill.org/modern-band-summit.

Music Will Honorees Wyclef Jean, Sara Bareilles, Kristin Chenoweth & Jackson Browne

This April 9, Music Will held their annual benefit at Gotham Hall in New York City. The evening honored Wyclef Jean, Sara Bareilles, Jackson Browne and Kristin Chenoweth, raising over one million dollars to support Music Will’s mission to transform young lives through innovative, popular music education programs in public schools. With the forward momentum this year’s benefit and celebrity partnerships will provide, Music Will can reach their goals to reach more students and kids across the country. Over the next five years, Music Will aims to impact 11 million students annually through their direct programs.



ABOUT MUSIC WILL

Music Will is the largest nonprofit music education program for schools in the United States. Since 2002, they have provided teacher training, curriculum, and instruments to over 6,000 schools across all 50 states, impacting over 1.8 million students to date. Their mission is to transform lives by transforming music education, while making it equitable and accessible to all students. Music Will's inclusive modern band curriculum is as diverse as the students they serve, spanning a wide range of genres including rock, hip-hop, pop, R&B, Latin, country, and more. 

The program's inception dates back to 1996 when Dave Wish, a first-grade teacher in East Palo Alto, CA, began giving free guitar lessons to his students in response to the lack of a formal music education program at his school. What started in one elementary school in a single city has spawned a national movement, expanding to more than 1,000 school districts nationwide. Through partnerships with teachers, districts, departments of education, and industry leaders, the organization is expanding opportunities for students to engage in music programs that reflect their diversity and interests. Their collaboration with over 100 colleges and universities also ensures future teachers are prepared to foster student-led, culturally responsive learning from day one. Learn more at musicwill.org.

 

For more information please contact musicwillpr@shorefire.com