Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit music program for children, provides free music classes and instruments to elementary school students in underfunded public schools.
Trained volunteers use donated instruments to teach an innovative curriculum that focuses on popular music styles such as rock, funk, blues, rap and hip-hop. They encourage students to compose, perform and record their own music. Some of these works can be heard on Little Kids Rock's three CDs or on the organization's website.
The program is made possible by volunteer-fueled, grassroots fundraising efforts and generous grants made by high-profile, local musicians such as the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir. Other musicians, including B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt and John Lee Hooker, support the program.
Founded in 1996, LKR is headquartered in San Francisco and serves schools throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, New Jersey and Memphis. It will open chapters in Boston and Chicago later this year.
For more information call (415) 948-1200.
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