Students to Showcase Original Works During Open House with Sony Music Group Artists, Songwriters, Composers and Producers  

 New York, NY – January 22, 2024 – To commemorate the four-year anniversary of Sony Music Group’s Beyond The Instrument initiative, SMG and Notes for Notes are once again opening the doors to its recording studio at Watts-Willowbrook Boys & Girls Club, built in 2023, to showcase original works from students leveraging the year-round tools to develop their personal and musical aspirations. Many of the student’s creative collaborations are currently available to the public and can be found here. 

As part of the annual program, which provides youths with resources and exposure to music professionals and creatives, students are given free access to musical instruments, instruction and digital recording equipment to grow their skills as artists, producers, engineers and film/TV composers. This year, before the 66^th Annual GRAMMY Awards, Sony Music Group artists, songwriters, producers and composers are invited to the Watts-Willowbrook Boys & Girls Club in Los Angeles to visit with students sharing their personal projects across the podcasting, rock band, film scoring, production and songwriting space. Throughout the day, creators of varying age and experience will connect with one another on a common goal – to inspire, create and make music. Confirmed attendees include Anze Rozman, Adam Schiff, Camilo Forero, Dahi, DIXSON, Jacob Shea, Kara Talve, Laurentia Editha, Theron Thomas and Tyler Cole.

“Since its inception, the Beyond the Instrument program has continued to break down obstacles, provide necessary resources and motivate young students to follow their dreams of pursuing a career in music,” said Towalame Austin, Executive Vice President, Philanthropy and Social Impact, Sony Music Group. “Over four years, we have committed more than half a million dollars to music education and instrument donations through the initiative and have seen first-hand the impact these opportunities offer to various communities here in the U.S. and abroad. I look forward to seeing what comes next for these young visionaries and am honored that SMG plays a small role in their lives.” 

“Our Watts-Willowbrook Club has transformed into a hub for creative exploration, thanks to our partnership with Sony Music Group and Notes for Notes,” said Patrick Mahoney, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles. “Their top-notch instruction, cutting-edge technology, and valuable resources has helped our members tap into their true potential and explore exciting new avenues of creativity that would have otherwise been inaccessible.”  

“Honored can’t begin to describe how appreciative we are for this partnership with Sony Music Group and BGCMLA and now after a successful first year of young artists experiencing writing, producing, recording and scoring their own original music, it must be said how proud we are of the impact we are making together in the community,” said Philip Gilley, CEO and Co-Founder of Notes for Notes.

Since 2021, the Beyond The Instrument program grant aims to accelerate equity and access to cutting-edge music technology education for students in high-need schools, located in historically excluded communities. To date, the program has been active in California, Tennessee, Florida and London. Artist and songwriters that have served as mentors for the initiative include Cat Burns, Noah Cyrus, DIXSON, James Everingham, Lupita Infante, KayCyy and Adam Lukas.