Fall is in the air. The leaves are changing color, the temperature is dropping, and our programs are back in full force! That means there is a new batch of students excited to learn how to play the guitar, and thanks to one company, we’ve got new instruments for them! Kennedy Violins, a leading provider of high-quality string instruments located in Washington State, has made a generous donation of 102 acoustic guitars to our programs. The donation is valued at over $35,000 and means that we have guitars for students at multiple of our locations to use.
Providing instruments for our students has been a staple of our programming since the beginning. One of our goals at Rock to the Future is to break down barriers that traditionally would stop students from being able to play music. We provide all our students with the instruments they need to complete our programs, thanks to donations from organizations like Kennedy Violins, as well as other organizations and individuals throughout the community. It is also worth noting that our programs require no prior musical experience or auditions, other traditional barriers to music education.
Kennedy Violins also believes in the transformative power of music. With this donation, the company aims to support Rock to the Future’s mission of breaking down those barriers to music education, and fostering creativity and confidence in children and teens in every neighborhood of the city.
“This generous donation from Kennedy Violins will provide countless students with the tools they need to learn, express themselves, and grow through music,” said Josh Craft, Rock to the Future’s Chief Music Officer. “We’re also excited to provide students with their own guitar to have at home!”
This partnership between Kennedy Violins and Rock to the Future highlights the shared belief that music can be a powerful force for positive change. Through this donation, the organizations hope to inspire a new generation of musicians and leaders, enriching communities and creating brighter futures for Philadelphia’s youth.
But just because we’ve got these guitars, doesn’t mean our job is over. Our programs serve over 1100 students annually and they need instruments! If you have an old guitar/keyboard/drumset gathering dust in your basement, let us know. We can get it into the hands of a student who is going to use it to start their musical journey.
Fill out our Donate An Instrument form and we’ll be in touch!