HISTORIC WALL TIMELINE 11

HISTORIC WALL TIMELINE INSTALLATION

• Drumming students were immersed in the world of drumline percussion (snare, quad drums, and bass drums). Drumline holds a deep-rooted expression for cultural relevancy, West

Philadelphia has several drumline groups and is part of a healthy tradition in this part of the city. More importantly, connecting with HBCU culture and traditions create a viable pipeline of future skilled drumline instrumentalists who can attain college scholarships and compete with collegiate drumline organizations across the country. The Mann Center is fortunate to have Jesse Mell from Mad Beatz Philly, lead the drumming program which will culminate in a virtual performance for families to enjoy over the holidays. • Choir students learned foundations for vocal technique, voice projection, and choral repertoire thanks to Anne

Dugan from Sister Cities Girlchoir. This choral group not only learned to sing choral repertoire they learned to write lyrics, melodies, and harmonies in composing music as a mode of self-expression. Choir students used online software programs to build beats and layer their songwriting skills for fellow choir students to sing and enjoy. The choir class culminated the fall semester with a virtual performance of both learned choral repertoire and personal student compositions. With a comprehensive curriculum, Motion &

Music Academy is designed for students to build upon their attained skills and continue to develop year after year. The

MMA program will eventually have students with different levels of skill mastery. • Music Industry Training Program (MITP): During the pandemic, the Mann, in partnership with the School District of Philadelphia, Live Nation Philadelphia, Live Nation

Urban, and DASH, completed a successful first 6 months of the MITP program, even with the pivot of implementing the classes virtually via Zoom. Through the program partnerships, MITP students had the opportunity to meet music industry executives and producers. Students learned about the paths the special guests took to get to where they are today. Guest speakers included the Regional Promotions Director for RCA Records, Senior VP of Creative at Sony

Music Publishing, among others. A silver lining with virtual sessions was that special guests could join our class from

Los Angeles and New York. Through two virtual touchpoints weekly, the goal was to have all the students, through digital audio workstations, interact with the digital media presented to them in terms of “this works” and “this doesn’t work” as opposed to good and bad, laying a foundation for collaborative creativity. Students gained a base knowledge of music business practices, the process creative material takes from inception to the record label which created the foundational knowledge needed to build upon this 3-year program. Soft skills learning included: Work readiness, how to make a resume/cover letter, how to apply for a job, how to interview, entrepreneurship, business readiness, professionalism among many other topics. • Voices of Hope : A Black History Month Celebration With over 124,000 views through the Mann Music Room: Learn platform, Education & Community Engagement Department presented the Mann Center’s annual Black History Month

Celebration, Voices of Hope. The 2021 season’s central themes were love, hope, social justice, the impact of the pandemic within African American communities, and how the city came together to grow stronger. Voices of Hope is a community event that celebrates African American culture and iconic Philadelphia innovators within the health and wellness field. Historically, the Mann has produced

Voices of Hope as an incredible gala of performances attended by hundreds, highlighting prestigious honorees and public speakers. During the pandemic, with the need to go virtual, the reimagined Voices of Hope continued to celebrate the work of black artists in our community with four very special Mann Music Room: Learn performances.

Each week of February, a new performance was released featuring a different genre of music, along with an activity guide exploring the importance of black artistry and its significance worldwide.

Socially distanced audience members safely enjoy The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Hail to the Heroes concert, a free concert of gratitude for COVID-19 frontline workers.