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On Friday, Grammy and Golden Globe Winner and Oscar Nominated actress, singer, and activist Andra Day surprised students at Taft Middle School in San Diego, CA to celebrate the launch of their new music program in her name as Music Will’s 2024 Benefit Honoree. In 2021, the San Diego native received keys to the city and continues to give back to her community. Music Will is the largest nonprofit music education program for schools in the United States. The event was brought about through Frank Ciriza, Taft’s dedicated music teacher, who has been working with Music Will since 2023. Under his guidance, the program has flourished, becoming a vibrant space where students can explore music in ways that resonate with their lives and cultural backgrounds. The kick-off event---a surprise visit for the students---welcomed Taft Middle School students to engage in a QandA with Andra Day and hear the story of her career and life in music. To round out the program, Andra revealed a gifted signed guitar for Taft Middle School.

Andra Day shared “I'm beyond excited to partner with Music Will to bring music education back to the community where I grew up. San Diego has always been a place of inspiration for me, and to now have the opportunity to give back by providing young people with the tools and resources to explore their creativity through music is a dream come true. Music has the power to transform lives, and I can't wait to see how this program will help shape the future of so many talented kids. This is just the beginning, and I'm so proud to be a part of the incredible work Music Will does."

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Mike Wasserman, Music Will CEO, shared “We were thrilled to welcome Andra Day to Taft Middle School and witness the incredible impact her generosity and artistry continue to make in the San Diego community. During the height of COVID-19, her song, "Rise Up", became a unifying anthem for the Taft community, offering comfort and inspiration as students, teachers, and families faced immense challenges. Andra’s visit was a powerful reminder of how accessible, culturally relevant music education inspires resilience, creativity, and a deep sense of connection. This partnership embodies the heart of Music Will’s mission to transform lives through the power of music education.”

For more than two decades, Music Will has provided access to music education to over a million students who might not have otherwise had access in their schools. It is now the largest nonprofit music education program for schools in the United States. Music Will is dedicated to expanding access to popular music education for students across California, with over 435 active teachers in 380 schools impacting over 53,500 students. Its modern band program has been adopted into the California Arts Education Framework which says of their curriculum: "Students are able to see themselves reflected in the curriculum and are culturally validated as the music is representative of their identity." Beginning in 2023-24, Prop 28 provides California public schools annual funding for arts education programs, which means that those schools can use their funds to work with Music Will.

With a curriculum as diverse as the students they serve, Music Will’s program spans a wide range of genres, including rock, hip-hop, pop, RandB, Latin, country, and more. They have long inspired young people with school visits by artists as well. Recent visitors have included singer/producer and multi-Grammy Award winner Babyface; songwriter/producer and multi-Grammy Award winner Pharrell Williams; Country music superstar Blake Shelton; acclaimed hip hop artist Wiz Khalifa, and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello.