Beginners and intermediate players will learn songs, meet new friends, and learn amazing stories about American musicians in the course of these weekly classes. Hosted by The Rhapsody Project's co-founder, Joe Seamons, in collaboration with teaching artists in-training Mariah Roberson and Lovegnia Afalava, these sessions will have you playing a lot of music and learning foundational skills that you can apply to any instrument!

Not only is it a group music lesson, it is also a jam session. Our teaching artists explore blues, jazz, folk and American roots music, uniquely weaving basic music theory concepts, interactive song learning, and social music playing, with an emphasis on improvisation and soloing. The song repertoire is selected to emphasize hidden or obscure stories of musicians and artists of color who greatly influenced American popular music, and the historical and social context of each song and composer is incorporated into the class.

The Rhapsody Project is a music and cultural education organization with a focus on BIPOC communities and youth. Our mission is to celebrate heritage and build community through music. We started out as a single after-school music program at Washington Middle School in 2013 and, through steady growth, we expanded to serve youth in dozens of schools throughout Seattle, Renton, and Kent, and we offer classes every day of the week at our centrally-located and accessible Workshop in King Street Station.

As a convener, we provide music instruction, cultural events, classes, and cultural workforce development to establish racial and cultural equity. Our programs invite people to root themselves in their layers of heritage and, through the power of music and culture, confront injustice while building community. We address the inequities in American music education by teaching BIPOC youth about music and stories from our heritage. We also provide pathways and economic opportunities for youth, especially Black and Indigenous youth.

Sign up at https://myactivecenter.com/activities/4419:1

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