Community Music Center of Boston works collaboratively with a wide range of partners throughout Greater Boston to create programs that meet the needs of each unique community.
Community Engagement Programs
Our Reach
School Partnerships
CMCB’s school partnerships provide culturally inclusive and accessible music instruction to students in public, private, and other educational settings. Programs vary in length and content, driven by the interests and needs of partners. Some students receive full year instruction, while others participate in week-long intensives. CMCB offers individual, small group, and large group programming. Students pay no tuition or fees. Examples of current programs include general music, instrumental instruction (winds, brass, bucket drumming, piano, violin, and ukulele), chorus, songwriting, movement, music production, and music therapy.
2024-2025 School Partners:
- Boston Collegiate Charter School – Music Production
- The Croft School South End: Music and Movement
- Edison K-8: Bucket Drumming
- Guild Elementary: Brass and Winds
- Hurley K-8: Chorus, General Music and Music Exploration
- New Mission High School: Music Production
- Otis Elementary: Winds
- PJ Kennedy Elementary: Winds
- Shaw-Taylor Elementary: General Music
- Up Academy Dorchester: General Music
- West Zone Early Learning Center: Music and Movement and Music Therapy
The CMCB music program has… added considerably to the overall positive climate of our school.
Joy Salesman-Oliver, Principal, Higginson/Lewis K-8Community Partnerships
CMCB works with health and human service and family support organizations as part of its community partnerships. Participants include children, families, adults, and older adults. This program responds to a major barrier to access for individuals from disinvested communities: the burden of transportation to an arts organization’s central headquarters. To eliminate this barrier, programming takes place at community sites. Programming includes music instruction, music therapy, events, and workshops.
2024-2025 Community Partners:
- Bay Cove Human Services: Music Therapy
- BCYF – Blackstone: Music Exploration and Music Production
- Berklee College of Music: Music Therapy Supervision
- Carroll Center: Music Therapy
- Castle Square Tenants Organization: Music Exploration and Music Production
- May Institute: Music Therapy
- Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries: Music Therapy
- Price Center: Music Therapy
- Rogerson Communities: Music Therapy
- Smart from the Smart: Music Therapy
Music Therapy
The music therapy program at CMCB works with around 240 individuals per year in collaboration with schools and community partners. Our credentialed music therapists work alongside participants and empower them to address their goals. Common focuses include academic and cognitive skills, coping skills, communication and self-expression, promoting independence, motor development, and social skills.
Become a CMCB Partner
Interested in bringing music to your community or school?
Contact Chris Perry, Senior Director of Community Engagement Programs.
Funding
In recent years, CMCB’s Community Engagement Programs have been funded by supporters including: Alice Willard Dorr Foundation, Cambridge Community Foundation, CF Adams Trust, DCU for Kids, EdVestors, George Frederick Jewett Foundation East, Hermann Foundation, John W. Alden Trust, Liberty Mutual Foundation, Mabel Louise Riley Foundation, Oren Campbell McCleary Charitable Trust, Schrafft Trust, TD Bank Foundation, and in-kind donations from Johnson Strings.
This program is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which receives support from the State of Massachusetts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
CMCB’s partnership with the Boston Public Schools is funded in part by EdVestors BPS Arts Expansion, a multi-year effort focusing on access, equity, and quality arts learning for BPS students. This is supported by the Barr Foundation, The Boston Foundation, Katie and Paul Buttenwieser, Klarman Family Foundation, Linde Family Foundation, and other foundations and individuals.
