Podcasts Other The Idealist.org Podcasts The Musical Peace Corps: Kiff Gallagher's Music National Service Initiative

The Musical Peace Corps: Kiff Gallagher's Music National Service Initiative

Published: March 9, 2009, 8:10 p.m.

Kiff Gallagher is founder of Peacelabs Music and the Music National Service Initiative (MNSI). In 2008, The Aspen Institute named MNSI's MusicianCorps \u2014 a developing AmeriCorps-type program that\nwill enable musicians to serve in low-income schools \u2014 one of the top\nten public policy proposals that would strengthen the United States.

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According to The Aspen Institute:

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Music reaches youth. \u2026 Music education develops habits\nof self-directed learning that drive lifelong success, and it can\ninspire community cohesiveness and service. Yet, most schools are\nexperiencing significant cutbacks. Particularly effective at reaching\ndisengaged youth, music can be an effective vehicle for a public\nservice corps that meets social and civic goals.\n\n
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The MNSI project has recently received $500K from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation\nto pilot a 10-month fellowship program in the Bay Area. After a summer training institute, Fellows would take up their\nservice in public schools, engaging in these kinds of activities. The program is set to launch its first cohort in August 2009.

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Idealist's\nAmy Potthast talks with Kiff Gallagher about the need for music and\narts education in the schools, about his role in developing the\nnational service legislation that shaped AmeriCorps in 1993, and the\nfuture of the Music National Service Initiative.
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Also check out this story on NPR.