U.P. program brings music to underserved youth

Shane Murray believes all young people deserve the privilege and pleasure of learning to make music. The program she founded, Music 4 All Kids, offers lessons and instruments to young students at no charge, opening doors to a world of creativity, self-discipline, and a lifelong passion for making and sharing music

Murray understands the power and value of music. 

"I started playing the guitar at six. Music has played a large role in my life and has been beneficial in more ways than I can count," she says. Murray's program aims to share the benefits of music with Marquette area youngsters ages 6 to 18. Students receive access to free instruments and music lessons, as well as opportunities to let their talent shine in public performances.

MFAK emphasizes the exploration of music via four levels. Focus introduces the fundamentals of music, instruments, and basic music theory; Discovery gives students the opportunity to join an ensemble, increasing social networking and mindfulness skills; Application introduces students to music production, engineering, and multi-track recording, culminating in the production of their own CD; the final level, Experience, allows students to train to become a MFAK instructor, sharing their skills and knowledge, increasing their self-confidence, and instilling in them a lifelong passion for making music.

"My inspiration to begin MFAK came after time spent working in the social work field, while also playing music," says Murray. "I worked at a facility called the DePaul Residential Treatment Center. I was inspired by how progressive and successful their program was. We worked with a four-level system of growth using ideas from didactical behavioral therapy. The levels helped youth plan their goals, recognize their growth, and learn ways of coping.

"I came home to Marquette, started teaching guitar lessons, and soon I found myself applying skills I had acquired from my experiences in social work. I began giving lessons to children whose families didn't have the funds to pay for them. I started to announce that I was doing instrument drives for kids who didn't have an instrument to learn on. I began to realize that a program such as MFAK was really all I could do."

MFAK is open to all area students but maintains a special focus on the underserved, low-income families, and Native American youth. 

"I'm a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Band of Chippewa Indians," says Murray. "I've grown up in a traditional way. I've been aware of many of the obstacles that face Native youth and have always been passionate about trying to help. I'd like to start a Native drumming group through MFAK, as well as having local drum groups come in and show our students songs and some teaching from the drum."

Cassandra Freeborn, MFAK's director of operations, shares Murray's passion for making music accessible to all young people, and is invested in the program's present needs and its continued growth. 

"I ran into Shane in 2013 at the Hiawatha Music Festival, and she spoke with me about Music For All Kids and her hopes of growing the program.  It was clear to me that she would need help, and having experience in management and arts education, I offered to be a part of the organization." 

Asked what the program's greatest challenge is, Freeborn replies, "Funding. Currently, most of our funding goes directly to the kids, instruments, materials, and small stipends for teachers.  Without solid funding for an executive staff we sometimes have to turn down opportunities for expansion and partnerships. If we spread ourselves too thin then we run the risk of not giving our all to the students involved in our current programs.

"The secondary challenge we face is retaining teachers. We have a lot of great musicians who can help out here and there with MFAK, but for several reasons it is hard to retain consistent teachers."

With the excitement of learning about and making music comes responsibility and a need for discipline. MFAK has clear expectations for participants, along with tangible rewards for those who are willing to work for them.

"We require students to have either a good attendance record or showing improvement to participate in our program," says Murray. "We have expectations of respect; we require our students to be working toward the goals they've chosen to work for. We also have a 'Rock Star' system in which students earn stars for meeting certain expectations. Students can earn instruments, music equipment, or iTunes cards. We also have group stars in which a class can work for together to earn parties or outings."

"MFAK puts mentorship above music," says Freeborn. "We hope that our kids, who often lack positive adult role models, will gain a sense that the community cares about them, that we care about them. We also want to give our students a creative outlet to replace destructive outlets."

Willow Carr, 13, of Big Bay, credits MFAK with enhancing her ability to appreciate and perform music. "When you listen to music on the radio it's a nice beat, but when I listen now I can tell how they wrote it, like when the instruments come in. I can hear a lot of things other people don't hear."

Carr plays guitar, bass, and cello, and also does vocals. She enjoys the freedom of being able to learn songs she chooses for herself. "If you take (traditional) lessons you look at a book and you play classic songs that, like, not everybody likes. In MFAK we listen to the music and learn it. You listen to the song and you can learn the notes. We take a vote on what music we want to play and we go to that genre and we play whatever we want to play from there."

Carr has witnessed the transforming power of the MFAK program on some of her fellow student musicians. "A lot of kids are shy and they become friends, and it changes their lives. Some kids come in and they're from a rough family and they aren't good at making friends and they open up, and it changes them."

Carr says MFAK has broadened her vision of her future musical aspirations. "I would like to possibly record some music and sell some CDs and get out there and play for people."

Murray believes the benefits of making music extend into the rest of students' lives.

"Focusing on goal advancement, creativity, and self-esteem helps our students make better choices," she says.

"Some kids believe that they are really not good at anything. MFAK is for every child, and we believe every child can learn to play music." 

For more information, or to get involved with Music 4 All Kids, email Murray or Freeborn, or visit MFAK online here. 

Deb Pascoe of Marquette is a freelance writer and a peer recovery coach for Child and Family Services of the U.P. A former columnist for The Mining Journal, her book, "Life With a View ," a collection of her past columns, is available in area bookstores.