This year is poised to be a watershed moment in the history of Intonation Music, as the Chicago-based nonprofit celebrates its 20th anniversary and moves into its new home facility, an inviting 3,000-sq.-ft. space in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood.
With a longstanding commitment to serving the Chicago South Side community by providing youth with free music instruction and access to instruments, Intonation Music’s curriculum is rooted in empowering students to make the type of music that resonates with them personally so that they come to see themselves as creators, musicians and artists, while also learning invaluable life skills. The public is invited to the ribbon-cutting ceremony—which will include student performances, a live DJ and refreshments—to officially open the new space on Saturday, March 7, from Noon until 3 p.m.
Located at 3633 S. State St., Intonation Music’s new home is undergoing a $120,000 custom buildout to create a state-of-the-art recording and production studio, a welcoming performance/rehearsal space outfitted with professional sound, lighting and full backline, a student and family lounge, and offices featuring a conference room, kitchen and flexible work areas. The location is conveniently accessible via public transportation, offering expanded opportunities for Chicago youth to congregate after school, on weekends and during the summer.
Youth accessibility is enhanced by also providing students with mentorship opportunities and the chance to perform on stages across the city. Each student takes part in a personal and team approach to practice, setting goals and problem-solving to gain the confidence to take charge of their direction and seek out new experiences.
This site was selected because of Intonation’s deep ties to the Bronzeville community and its proximity to peer organizations.
The new facility is ideally situated amid numerous historic music landmarks that played an important role in Chicago’s cultural landscape. These include the Sunset Café (a legendary jazz club where Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines and Cab Calloway frequently performed), the childhood homes of soul music legend Curtis Mayfield and producer Quincy Jones, and Pilgrim Baptist Church, a historic landmark known as the birthplace of modern Gospel.
This building is particularly a dream come true for Intonation Music’s Executive Director, Tonya Howell.
“Since our inception in 2006, Intonation Music has served nearly 10,000 young people, allowing them to explore their musical talents by providing free music education, and our new space will give us the opportunity to serve 10,000 more,” said Howell. “This is a huge next step for our organization. This new home will be a space that is filled with joy; it will allow us to provide additional programming and get creative while we also continue to offer instruction in schools, with our summer camps, and in partnership with the Chicago Park District.”
Board President and Intonation Music Founding Board Member David Singer added: “This momentous occasion—Intonation Music moving into our first dedicated space—is the culmination of two decades of hard work by our staff, by our teachers, and most importantly by the thousands of Chicago kids who’ve had their lives changed by learning to play music. We are deeply grateful to everyone in the larger Chicago music community who’ve come through for us with their time, their encouragement and their financial support.”
In an exclusive interview with the Chicago Crusader, Executive Director Howell further discussed her commitment: “My drive is definitely the students, and I think that our students deserve access to high-quality arts and music programming. We are in seven different schools, and we are at Kennicott Park on Saturdays. Once we open the new space, we will be able to move some of our Saturday classes over there.”
Intonation offers 25 bands and 40 programs and workshops per year. “All our programs are free. We support schools in finding funding for us, and we provide free in-school and after-school programs. But we never want funding to be a barrier,” Howell said.
Intonation first identifies with school partners in the community who are interested in bringing music into their schools. Some of the schools don’t have traditional music classes, and some of them don’t have art teachers at all.
“We build relationships in the community so that our programs can exist, be sustainable and grow,” Howell added.
One Intonation Music alum is at the helm of the drumming instruction.
Johnathan Campbell was a student at Intonation at age 5. He is a professional drummer and teaches the art to young charges through the organization’s rich programming.
Campbell was attending sports classes at Fosco Park, and the Chicago Bears’ Otis Wilson noticed him and helped to get him into the music programs.
“He [Wilson] had a fitness program that was open for kids. He noticed how I was interested in music, because football wasn’t really my thing,” said Campbell.
He continued, “I had been hitting on pots and pans. Music was surely my calling, not football.”
Eventually Campbell, who is currently in college, became part of Intonation’s All-Star Band.
He says that coming full circle and teaching students at Kennicott Park is most rewarding.
“Many of my students are going to college. Watching them become talented and strong musicians takes me back to when I was a student, and I see a different point of view.”
Campbell encourages young folks to check out Intonation, either on their own or when the programs are promoted at different schools. “If a kid from Bronzeville really likes rap or drums. I would say give it a shot. Get out of your comfort zone.”
He summed it up: “Music is a medicine for all things, and music heals all pain.”
Two students at Intonation Music who benefit from Campbell’s instruction are Hyde Park Academy senior Miles Heath and Sabrina Garcia, who attends Daniel Hale Williams Prep.
Heath started in 8th grade and will graduate in May. He plays the guitar, which first grabbed his attention in a peculiar way.
“I didn’t expect to do any type of music until one day my older brother woke me up and just put this guitar on my bed.”
Heath begin learning how to play, and a month or two later Intonation Music was presenting its programs at his grammar school.
He spoke of the memorable performances at Intonation Music’s Annual Gala.
“Everyone got all dressed up. We were like ‘whoa we’re really on stage doing this’.”
Heath, who has been accepted at Ohio State, Ohio University, and Eastern Illinois and Northern Illinois universities, among others, says he has been able to play on popular songs, all teaching acquired at Intonation Music.
He says that the program has been a large part of his life. “It’s just something that I can’t think about not doing.
“It represents a lot of opportunities for students. I don’t think I would’ve done all the amazing things that I’ve done. It has literally raised me and changed me as a person.”
Intonation Music programs not only help students who are musically inclined, but it helps with social skills, too.
Howell added: “The main thing is to build confidence. Some students may be introverted and shy. They come to us very quiet and over time they come out of their shells. They have relationships with their peers that I think last a very long time.”
Howell mentioned that Sabrina was one such student. “Sabrina’s voice was very quiet. We’ve taught her a lot about stage presence and really owning her voice because she has a beautiful voice, she can sing all the way to the back wall.”
Sabrina Garcia has been associated with Intonation Music since 2021 and has aspirations to work in the health care field.
She is currently enrolled in the CTE (career and technical education) program at school, which will afford her a CNA certification before she graduates.
Garcia is multifaceted in that she has a love for music that she feels will eventually serve her well as a music therapist.
An accomplished singer and guitarist, she was introduced to Intonation Music in 7th grade for the after-school program at Taylor Park. “I just fell in love with it.” This love and her commitment helped propel her to write three songs, which she performed with the All Star-Band during the Annual Gala last year.
Garcia advises future program participants, “Don’t be afraid of not being accepted. If you are passionate about music and don’t know where to start, Intonation Music is the perfect place.”
Board President Singer thanked everyone in the larger Chicago music community and local businesses who have stepped up when seeing the chance to impact the lives of kids in Bronzeville and beyond. “They know what we know—that learning to play music WILL change the lives of anyone who’s lucky enough to have the chance to learn.”
The influence of Intonation Music’s student ensembles has been showcased publicly at notable venues throughout Chicago, including Millennium Park and Navy Pier and other festivals and performance spaces.
The organization’s programs have propelled alumni in careers as working musicians, and many have returned to Intonation Music to train the next generation of aspiring musicians. Many past program participants speak about fond memories but also credit Intonation with having a transformative influence on their adolescence.
The essential life skills taught alongside music education—such as self-confidence, discipline, creativity, collaboration and self-expression—continue to support former students’ personal growth and long-term success.
Executive Director Howell says these sentiments are the crux of Intonation’s mission, and encourages community members to support the upcoming site opening and Intonation’s hallmark event, “Intonation in Lights: A Roaring 20th Anniversary” Gala set for April 16 at Sarabande Chicago on the North Side.
“We have a very robust fundraising strategy and we work very hard to bring in enough resources so that we can provide as many programs as possible in our community.
“We celebrate our students by bringing them together with families and also our Board, our staff and community members. We have new and long-standing sponsors and funders.
“We have more people who are buying tickets early, and we raise about a quarter of our annual budget at this event. There is dinner, a live and silent auction, among other surprises.”
For more information about Intonation Music, its programs, the upcoming Annual Gala and the May 30th Mixtape Live Youth Festival, visit intonationmusic.org.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source chicagocrusader.com ’
