The National Museum Of African American Music

TO EDUCATE THE WORLD, PRESERVE THE LEGACY, AND CELEBRATE THE CENTRAL ROLE AFRICAN AMERICANS PLAY IN CREATING THE AMERICAN SOUNDTRACK

BLACK MUSIC BUSINESS CERTIFICATION (BMBC) DEDICATED TO BLACK MUSIC CULTURE AND BUSINESS, THIS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE AN EXPLORATORY APPROACH TO ALL FACETS OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS, CAREERS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, AND ACCESS TO COURSES THAT DELVE INTO TOPICS SUCH AS THE HISTORY OF THE BUSINESS, MARKETING & BRANDING, ARTIST DEVELOPMENT, AND MONETIZING CREATIVITY. THE PROGRAM WILL CULMINATE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BUSINESS PLAN THAT WILL BE PRESENTED ON AT THE END OF THE COURSE. BUSINESS PLANS/PRESENTATIONS WILL BE EVALUATED BY THE BMBC PROGRAM DEAN AND PARTICIPATING PROFESSORS.EMERGING ARTIST SERIES-THE EMERGING ARTIST SERIES PROVIDES ARTISTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN PERFORMANCE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE OF BUSINESS STANDARDS THROUGH FEATURES AS MUSEUM ARTISTS AT PROGRAMS AND EVENTS. BI-QUARTERLY, PARTICIPANTS IN THE SERIES ARE INVITED TO SHOWCASE THEIR GROWTH/TALENT IN CONCERT, EACH ARTIST REPRESENTING THE DIVERSITY OF MUSICAL GENRES THAT CAN BE EXPERIENCED ACROSS MUSIC CITY. THE SERIES CELEBRATES THE TALENT AND IMPACT OF AFRICAN AMERICANS ON AMERICAN CULTURE AND FEATURES MUSICIANS WHO EMBODY DIVERSE MUSICAL AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES.RIVERS OF RHYTHM INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL EDUCATION: THE RIVERS OF RHYTHM INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL EDUCATION IS AN INTENSIVE, TWO-DAY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE FOR TENNESSEE K-12 EDUCATORS. THE GOAL OF RRISE IS TO EXPOSE EDUCATORS TO RESOURCES AND EXPERIENCES THAT PROVIDE THEM AN ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE OF BLACK STORIES/VOICES THAT EMPHASIZE THE INFLUENCE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS ON THE HEART AND SOUL OF MUSIC CITY.FROM NOTHING TO SOMETHING-A ONE-HOUR WORKSHOP SERIES, FN2S ENGAGES YOUTH IN THE MUSICAL AND LYRICAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE AMERICAN SOUNDTRACK THROUGH TEACHING ARTIST/MUSEUM EDUCATOR LED HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES/DISCUSSIONS. THE CORE OF THE PROGRAM INVOLVES THE PROVISION AND STUDY OF INSTRUMENTS TO FOSTER MUSIC EDUCATION, SUPPORTING ANALYTICAL THINKING, AND DECISION MAKING, AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS FOR YOUTH WHILE EXPLORING AMERICAN HISTORY. SIPS & STANZAS-SIPS & STANZAS IS A MONTHLY SOCIAL NETWORKING EVENT THAT PROVIDES ADULTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE SOUNDS FROM MUSIC CITY'S EMERGING ARTISTS AND PARTICIPATE IN ENGAGING DISCUSSIONS ON AMERICA'S MUSIC HISTORY. THE EVENT GATHERS PROFESSIONALS TO MEET, LISTEN TO, AND HAVE INTERACTIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUTSTANDING MUSIC LEADERS REPRESENTING BUSINESS, PERFORMANCE, MEDIA, AND OTHER INDUSTRY ASPECTS THEREBY CAPTURING ALL ASPECTS OF NASHVILLE'S MUSIC SCENE.EVERY YEAR IN JUNE, WE CELEBRATE BLACK MUSIC MONTH. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES HOSTED BY THE MUSEUM TO INCLUDE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A BLOCK PARTY AND COMMUNITY DAY. WITH COMMUNITY DAY, WE INVITE LOCAL BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES TO SETUP THEIR WARES AT A TABLE IN OUR MUSEUM IN AN EFFORT TO SUPPORT THEM. WE ALSO INVITE PEOPLE TO VARIOUS EVENTS LIKE LEARNING HOW TO PLAY MUSIC WITH SPOONS OR PLANTING A TREE (WHICH THEY TAKE WITH THEM). FOR OUR BLOCK PARTY, WE SHOWCASE VARIOUS BLACK ARTISTS TO THE PUBLIC. WE HAVE LOCAL RISING ARTIST ALL THE WAY UP TO NATIONAL RECORDING ARTIST. THIS YEAR'S HEADLINER WAS RAY PARKER, JR. ALBEIT.