Program
2010 IMW Sites:
Chicago Park District: Chicago International Charter Schools: CPS:
Fosco Park Avalon Park Campus Ward Elementary
Fuller Park Wrightwood Campus
Taylor Park Bucktown Campus
Russell Square Park
Each partner site provides IMW with classroom space and recruitment support, while IMW provides a backline of donated instruments, instructors and curriculum. At each location, up to three age groups of 6-8 students meet once or twice per week for 60-90 minutes. Over each term, IMW Instructors work closely with the students as they explore each aspect of the pop band format- drums, bass, guitar, keyboards and vocals- before choosing their niche and forming a band with fellow students. The students explore the instruments as a group- first studying the drum set and basic pop rhythms. When a base level of proficiency in playing and nomenclature is reached, the students move on as a group to units in piano, guitar, bass, and vocals. After a few weeks of instrument introductions, the students begin to play in an ensemble setting, rotating through the instruments. Songs are chosen by the students, either from their own suggestions or from writing and listening exercises. The next few weeks are spent rehearsing these songs as an ensemble and making band related decisions such as band name, line-up, and set list. If more than one song is prepared, the students are encouraged to switch instruments for each song played. The final weeks of each term are spent in preparation for the culminating community performance. In addition to rehearsing their set, the kids are educated in equipment set up/break down and performance fundamentals.
IMW History and Populations Served
IMW began in Spring of 2006 with one pilot program serving ten students at Association House of Chicago. We currently operate eight sites across the city of Chicago, with 125 youth being served during each session year round (450 total slots per year). These sites are the Chicago Park District’s Fuller Park, Fosco Park (ABLA), Taylor Park (Bronzeville), and Russell Square Park locations, The Chicago International Charter School’s (CICS) Avalon, Wrightwood, and Bucktown campuses, and Ward Elementary School. Program participants are 95% African American and 5% Latino, with an equal ratio of boys to girls. According to statistics from the Chicago Public Schools Office of Research, Evaluation, and Accountability, over 95% of the students in schools feeding our locations are classified as low income. Since its inception, the students of IMW have formed over 20 rock and pop bands, playing shows ranging from local arts nights to Lollapalooza.