About the Nonprofit
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Desert Sounds was founded by a mother inspired by her son's dedication to helping his friend shoulder the expenses to stay in the school band. As she investigated further, she learned how common it is for low-income students to miss out on music because of the cost, and in 2008 she founded Desert Sounds. Our inaugural program, the Jeremy Project, began distributing free instruments to students from low-income families who were denied access to school music ensembles because they could not cover the costs. After loaning 270 instruments to students at 31 schools, we decided to expand. In 2011, Desert Sounds moved into our first physical location in Tempe, AZ, and began offering affordable music education. After outgrowing the space, in 2016, the board of directors relocated Desert Sounds to our current location in Mesa, AZ.
Today, Desert Sounds partners with over 50 elementary and high schools across the Phoenix metro area to ensure low-income students have access to music opportunities. In addition to the Jeremy Project, we offer the following after-school programs: Musical Mentors, which provides weekly one-on-one lessons; Strings for Little Fingers, which provides younger players fun music education; Electrifying Sounds, which teaches music using contemporary repertoire and modern technology; and Mariachi Sones del Desierto, which elevates students and families from diverse cultural backgrounds by teaching students to play and perform mariachi music.
