This past Saturday, Musical Empowerment at NC State hosted its third annual showcase as a testament to the importance of music education. The showcase included performances by NC State’s own a cappella groups, including Accapology, Wolfgang, Ladies in Red, and Grains of Time. The event also featured performances from kids taught by NC State students and involved with the Musical Empowerment program.
Musical Empowerment is a non-profit student organization dedicated to giving back to the community through musical education. Volunteer NC State students are paired with young children for free weekly music lessons.
Perry Currin, a fourth-year studying science education and chemistry and co-president of Musical Empowerment at NC State, talked about what this organization means to him.
“Musical Empowerment represents a community of people working together well,” Currin said. “They have a unified pursuit, which is to realizing confidence, creativity and self-discipline through the lens of a performing art.”
Ke’Mora Kennedy, a 12-year-old Raleigh resident, has been learning piano through Musical Empowerment for two years. Ke’Mora was a little nervous about performing but ultimately shined on stage.
“I always liked music and I always wanted to play an instrument, just for a hobby, for fun,” Kennedy said.
While the kids were the true entertainment of the night, Musical Empowerment’s event featured many of NC State’s a cappella groups which each gave their time towards this event. They helped to showcase what the night was all about: The celebration of music. Between Wolfgang’s mashup of “Something’s Got a Hold on Me” and Ladies in Red’s rendition of “House of the Rising Sun”, it was certainly a night of performances to remember.
Alyssa Merante, a third-year studying biomedical and health sciences engineering and a member of Ladies in Red, talked about what their performance meant to them.
“We all grew up loving music, and that’s why we’re all here today singing as a group,” Merante said. “It’s really important to us to be able to sing for an organization that does so many great things for kids in the area that are interested in music that might not have access to it.”
Musical Empowerment also provides free instruments and music books to their kids. It’s through donations and fundraisers like their showcase that they are able to consistently give back to their community.
Rosalynn Phan, a fourth-year studying chemical engineering and part of the student leadership team for Musical Empowerment, added to Merante’s statement.
“I think people get it once they come to the event, they’re like ‘Oh, this is what Musical Empowerment is, and this is why it’s important,’” Phan said. “But to just say it face-to-face, we really haven’t quite found a way to transmit that message.”
Musical Empowerment is always looking for more help, and there are many different ways to get involved with their organization. Those looking to become involved in the group’s activities can enroll a child, give a donation, become a corporate sponsor or even become a volunteer if you have a musical background.
Though this event has concluded, the organization is hosting their spring recital on April 27, 2019, at 3 p.m and encourages all to come out and support the community’s young musicians. If you would like to get in contact or learn more about their organization, you can visit Musical Empowerment’s page on Get Involved.
