Volunteer Program

At Seattle Music Partners we believe relationships are the key to social change.

SMP’s innovative combination of private tutoring and group sessions provide students with the opportunity to interact with and be mentored by older youth and adults who care deeply for their success as musicians and members of the SMP community.

In order for SMP to provide quality music instruction to all of our students, we recruit and train well over 100 volunteers who are critical to the success of our students’ musical journeys. Our volunteers are a group of intergenerational, racially, ethnically, and economically diverse people from many different high schools, colleges, and neighborhoods of Seattle.
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“I learned that I took it for granted having a quiet, music-supportive household while growing up. I often doubt that my student has the same...  I’m humbled by the opportunity to volunteer here every week and I love learning from my students, fellow volunteers and the SMP staff!” ​– SMP Tutor
While immersed in our program, volunteers undergo training in best practices of teaching and mentorship, and engage in conversations about how to be an equitable music instructor in a social justice context. Trainings include things like:
  • Lesson planning and pacing
  • Accommodating and catering to learning disabilities and student needs
  • Goal setting and working for growth mindset
  • Examining personal and social identities as well as institutional oppression
  • Individual and small group coaching from an experienced instructor

We hope that the process of learning to be a mentor and music educator will not only enrich the lives of our volunteers, but also help our volunteers be change agents in their communities. In addition to the inherent rewards of service, tutors gain leadership skills and strengthen their own optimism by directly addressing inequality.

Videos

Participating Schools

Resources for Tutors