Recent Press

Albuquerque Academy's Advocate, August 2008: "Música del Soul"

Aaron Baca, ’01, started Musica del Sol, a music program for underprivileged elementary school students during his senior year at the Academy.

Noticing kids without opportunity beyond the Academy’s gates, Baca started the program to bring music to students who lacked other exposure. An accomplished cellist, Baca first lent a hand to Atrisco Elementary, where he worked with 13 students and taught them to play violin. Now, the after school classes meet regularly at several other schools, helping them explore new musical techniques.

Vicki Gonzales, an avid supporter of the program, helped Baca apply for city funding to further develop the program, according to current Vice President and Artistic Director Jacqueline Cieslak ’07.

After planting the Musica del Sol seed, Baca left for college. He is still involved in the program, as he is the President of the Board of Directors.

Around the same time, former director Elaine Davidson helped to establish the program as a non-profit organization that is free to participating schools. Over the years, Davidson found enough teachers to expand the program to three other elementary schools, including Bellehaven, Emerson and Griegos, according to the program’s Web site.

Teacher Patrick Clark became particularly interested in the program and became executive director by 2006, the program’s Web site said. He still supports and sustains the program by presenting to schools and finding teachers, according to the Web site.

Academy students continue to intern with the program. Interns are not paid, but involvement does count as community service. Academy students have been exceptional and further involvement would most certainly be appreciated, Clark said.

The program provides equipment and salaries for the teachers with $40,000 from the city of Albquerque. This funding provides the minimum for a successful program, Clark said. “We are at the crisis point budget for teachers right now,” Clark said. More funding would provide the program with enough teachers at each school. “Ideally, there would be two teachers at each school.,” Cieslak said.

Musica del Sol shows students the art of music at a young, impressionable age. By learning how to play a musical instrument, students practice both focus and dedication. “It takes a certain amount of discipline and confidence to play a musical instrument.” Clark said. Though APS middle schools offer music programs, not all elementary schools provide such programs. “

For students economically or socially unstable, music is probably the last thing on their mind. But the program can provide the perfect distraction for those who really need it. “Many factors put kids at risk: socioeconomic status, school, education, neighborhood. School and education are the easiest to change and music and art education can act as a buffer against risk factors,” Cieslak ’07 said.

The program focuses on kids who are most at risk, according to Cieslak,. The program recruits third, fourth and fifth grade students at less fortunate elementary schools, Clark said. “Musica del Sol gives kids exactly the character traits they need to develop. It becomes the ideal thing, the perfect alternative to getting into trouble.” Clark said.

Albuquerque The Magazine, November 2007: "Music of the Heart"

Música del Sol provides free instruments, sheet music, and education for elementary school kids.

Ashley W. adjusts the A-string peg of her half-sized cello. She plucks out a tune using the low strings as a deep beat and the A-string to add occasional flourish. It's not classical music or rock music. It's something in between, a piece Ashley composed herself for her Música del Sol string orchestra class.

Like all APS elementary schools, Ashley's school doesn't offer orchestra or band classes. However, Ashley is one of more than 70 students currently learning a string instrument through Música del Sol, a non-profit program that provides free instruments and instruction to students at four local elementary schools, three of which are Title I schools (meaning students live in low-income households).

"This program is partly about helping kids to not get caught up in the wrong things, put them on the right track in life," says Patrick Clark, executive director. Students rehearse twice a week after school, using instruments and sheet music provided free of charge. Now in its seventh year, the program runs on a $40,000 yearly budget from the City of Albuquerque. Like other extracurricular arts programs around the country, its founded on the theory that arts education can help students help themselves.

"I see the influence playing these instruments has on kids," Clark says. "These kids actually practice their instruments because they know that's how they get better, and I think that probably has a great influence on the way they treat their schoolwork."

This is certainly true for Ashley, who says she works harder in school because her parents won't let her play cello if she doesn't. She also says that music has led her to develop interests in areas seemingly unrelated to music.

"Ever since I've gotten into music, I've gotten into science," she says. "When I was little, a tree was just a tree, but there's like a million and one different facts about trees, kind of like in music. I learned that it's not just getting the bow and [playing], there's a lot more to it."

The program relies on three paid teachers and several volunteer student interns. Clark says he'd like to have eight teachers; two per school. However, budget and advertising constraints have prevented him from seeking out more teacher help.

"I'm really under stress to get the budget I need," he says. "The program can't fully flourish until we have two teachers at every school."