Latinx Youth Music & Technology Outreach
Seattle IT celebrates Orquesta Northwest, a 2023 TMF grant winner, working to enhance community life by providing diverse and inclusive classical music programs, events, and performances featuring Latino arts and culture. Orquesta NW used its TMF grant to strengthen music education using technology.
The Technology Matching Fund (TMF) was established in 1997 to support the community’s efforts to close the digital divide and encourage a technology-healthy city. Since 1998, over $5 million has been awarded to community organizations working to ensure their communities have access to essential skills, technology, and connectivity to participate fully in civic life.
In the fall of 2023, Orquesta NW received a $34,800 TMF grant for its outreach to Latino families and enhanced learning for participants in weekly youth orchestra instructional sessions at Casa Latina. A loaner program was established to provide iPads and foot pedals for use without charge by Latinx youth participants and their families, ages 12-20, as well as the necessary support in Spanish to use the iPads effectively during instructional sessions and at home.
Classroom and performance music is one of the best subjects to teach using technology. Adding digital devices into Orquesta Northwest’s youth orchestra curriculum enhanced participants’ progress with their instruments. The iPad and foot pedals engaged them differently and helped them play better in an ensemble. Instructors and participants noticed that using iPads to practice between instructional sessions significantly improved the participants’ progress with their instruments. It made it fun, and they practiced more often.
Some of the advanced participants were given composition homework. One assignment was to access the Garage Band App on the iPad and create an original “jam.” Here is a story from the lead instructor of the youth orchestra:
“The assignment to compose something was largely ignored, which was not too surprising to me, but a few students came the next week with something to play for everyone. One of these students had been my most difficult student to teach, as he was a little less advanced than the rest and had a difficult time concentrating. I felt bad because he really was a little over his head, but I didn’t have time to focus on everything that he needed because I had a full ensemble to take care of. He brought a piece called “Sam’s Jam,” and it blew everyone away. Our jaws hung wide open listening to his music. It was so good. Since then, he has composed many other pieces and obviously has a real talent there. He has gone from always feeling like he is behind, to feeling like he has something special to offer, and that is because of the access to the pad. This confidence has encouraged him to work harder on his violin, and he is doing better there too.”
Orquesta Northwest’s TMF-funded project enabled Latinx youth orchestra participants to compete on an equal basis with other aspiring youth musicians and composers. Without the opportunity to participate in this project, these young musicians would not have benefited from access to the technology provided and enhanced musical education. To learn more about Orquesta Northwest and its programs, visit www.orquestanw.org
Technology Matching Fund Grants are part of the City’s Digital Equity Program. TMF was established in 1997 to support the community’s efforts to close the digital divide and encourage a technology-healthy city. Over $5 million has been awarded since 1998. The fund continues the legacy of Bill Wright, a Central District community leader who embodied the program goals of creating digital equity and opportunities for all, and of using technology tools to engage residents, improve communications and strengthen communities.
The City of Seattle’s Information Technology Department (Seattle IT) oversees the City’s Digital Equity Program. To learn more about digital equity programs like the Technology Matching Fund Grant program and past winners, reduced-cost cable and internet opportunities, and other programs, visit www.seattle.gov/tech. Seattle IT is a trusted partner that provides secure, reliable, and complaint technologies, enabling the City to deliver equitable and responsive services to the public.