SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Many school districts in our region are cutting art and music programs. But a local man is turning the table and will soon offer an after-school music program for students.
“Right now we have 30 students,” Lance Miley, founder of Making Music Matter For Kids, said.
Miley has a dream and a vision.
“I think it’s six months. Yeah, a lot of work,” Miley said.
Miley has turned a section of the marketplace at Steamtown called the “place” into Making Music Matter For Kids, a non-profit he founded three years ago.
“We started doing private lessons, our summer program and children after a few months. The parents could not support lessons so I didn’t have the heart to not teach them anymore so I volunteered my time,” Miley said.
With schools cutting music programs, most recently in the Scranton School District, Miley felt the non-profit would fit well in downtown Scranton. Families who meet low-income guidelines will have access to free music lessons and after school programs, while others will pay $20 for 30-minute lessons.
“Guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards,” Miley said.
Lessons and after-school programs are not the only things the non-profit will offer. Community members will be able to come in and enjoy live bands, regional and national to support the non-profit.
“We’ve talked to Ted Nugent. Ted Nugent is on our radar,” Miley said.
All money raised goes back into Making Music Matter For Kids in hopes to inspire the next generation of artists.
“I have people calling me from Scranton looking to utilize our program,” Miley said.
Making Music Matter For Kids will offer programs and lessons seven days a week starting Saturday, August 31. That’s when the non-profit will hold its open house.
