Music is what emotions sound like. It's a language we all understand, regardless of skin color or where we call home.
Inside, we all share a visceral pool to beats, notes, and melodies, sonic spiritual connections to experiences we all share as human beings.
Shaping meaning, music helps our human experience make sense.
2001's No Child Left Behind Act attempted to create uniformity in the American education system.
However, many feel standardized testing and bias identification were its greatest successes.
Now, despite evidence that music improves cognitive skills, increases feelings of accomplishment and well-being, along with enhancing social skills,
the benefits of equitable music learning without bias seems a dream.
As a result, our young people are entering adulthood without the social emotional learning foundation that can form barriers between substance abuse, violence, and suicide.
Music education is not only about learning to play an instrument. Students learn coping skills, self-esteem, and teamwork.
Data shows that YouTube influences our teens through music, as well as providing a sense of escape to feel and be safe in today's chaotic reality.
What if we could connect our kids to resources to help them learn music online free of charge, helping them connect with the tools they need?
Together we have the power to change what music learning looks, feels, and sounds like for today's youth and online music communities.
Technology is the key.
Please join us in hashtags Harness the Beats with the Sound of Humanity Music Project.
Welcome back to another episode of the PianoPod, where tradition meets innovation.
We bridge the timeless beauty of the piano with the dynamic pulse of today's world. I am your host, Yukimi Song.
Today's episode explores the dynamic intersection of music education and technology, featuring a remarkable guest who is deeply passionate about this convergence.
She is the visionary founder of a nonprofit organization, The Sound of Humanity Music Project, Inc.
Amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic, she questioned the role of streaming technologies and reshaping music education.
Firmly believing in the significance of music education, she views it as a cornerstone in building the social and emotional toolkit for the youth.
Through her organization, she engineers solutions that leverage technology for social good.
Now, without further ado, let me introduce today's guest, Lisa Whaley, music education activist, social entrepreneur, change agent.
As the founder of The Sound of Humanity Music Project, Inc., she is passionate about advancing music education equity for all youth.
Since June 2022, she has been leading the organization, leveraging technology to harness the transformative power of music.
Collaborating with schools, communities, and artists, she pioneers innovative and inclusive music learning opportunities for young people.
With over 11 years of experience as a freelance music and culture journalist with a master's degree in communication management from USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism,
she has delved into diverse topics, including artist management, new media, and social networking.
Her writings, such as How to Think, A Guide for the Wireless Generation, Passion Plays, and The Disappearing Man, have graced the pages of esteemed publications and platforms.
In addition to her journalistic expertise, she brings a wealth of knowledge in brand strategy, public relations, gain from her tenure as a publicist at Mountain Entertainment from 2007 to 2022.
Currently enrolled as a doctoral candidate at USC's Suzanne Dvorak Peck School of Social Work, she explores the grand challenge of social work to harness technology for social good, explicitly examining its intersection with the music industry.
Before inviting Lisa Whaley to this special episode, I want to welcome all our first-timers to the PianoPod. Whether diving deep into a piano career, working professionally in the classical music scene, or simply having a passion for piano tunes, this podcast is your backstage pass to the fascinating piano world.
I also want to welcome back and thank you to amazing TPP fans and faithful listeners for tuning in today. Please rate and review the show on your favorite podcasting platform because every rating review will help people find my show.
So dear TPP fans and listeners, get ready for an enlightening conversation with Lisa Whaley as she unravels the transformative power of music, technology, and education. Please enjoy the show.
You are listening to the PianoPod, where we talk to the brightest minds in the industry about how they are bringing the piano into the 21st century.
Hello Lisa, welcome to the PianoPod. Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited. Oh, same here. So we know each other through Mike Liu, who is the CEO of Free Fields, which is a digital podcast.
Which is a digital platform for creating online courses, but it's a unique platform where it enables creators to build interactive decision-based learning modules and so much more.
And he was mentioning about you quite often while he was helping me build my own course. And so I'm glad I got to meet you.
Yeah, I'm just, I feel like I'm barely scratching the surface of, well, I am really scratching the surface of what Free Fields has to offer and building this out, which is really exciting.
It is.
Overwhelming too. So I'm just really trying not to get into the overwhelmed space. And just remember that, you know, technology is really the key to unlocking how we can reach communities that have been impacted so, so heavily by, you know, the issues like funding and resources and how do we get access to music learning in different forms.
So that's really the work of what we're doing with the Sound of Humanity music project.
Wonderful. Yeah. So let's talk about your project, the Sound of Humanity music project. That's one of the reasons I wanted to invite you.
So you explained to me a little bit when we met the other day through Zoom, but you have to explain to me again. So what is the Sound of Humanity music project?
Well, we're looking to implement programs that, well, actually program, we're starting with one, which the first one is going to be based with songwriting and composition.
But the Sound of Humanity music project, let's see how much coffee and water I have so I can speak.
But utilizing technology, you know, like you spoke of free fuse, but starting with technology and reaching out to communities. What I watched and I guess thinking about how this came to be, is that watching during the pandemic, and you know I've been in the music industry for
25 years plus, but I have been in the music business side. So that I got to watch, you know, professional musicians, obviously with the pandemic, had to come off the road and then pivot to online teaching.
You know, friends like JR Richards, lead singer from Deshwala, ended up going and teaching, well, he and I found out he had been teaching guitar and voice online previously, but they really ramped up, you know, the performance and teaching guitar and vocals and then piano and all the things that I didn't realize had been being taught, but then reaching communities online.
And I know for me, I really began to watch a couple of things, and I think we've talked about it before is that, you know, kids that were not able to go to school, A, disappeared, or B, were trying to find access to Wi Fi or what have you, sitting in, you know, McDonald's, they were showing on the news, things like that.
And that's really what started me thinking about how the music industry, which all of a sudden was making billions and billions of dollars on streaming. How can we put these two pieces together and try to find ways to help, you know, spark the music education aspect of learning so that, you know, we can bring the communities back, getting music, because I realized as
I started to dig into the problem that, you know, resources funding, you know, that's the obvious one, but then also the schools that had had music programs prior to the pandemic often would have like a sports coach teaching choir, something like that.
And, you know, we're necessarily paying music teachers. So, I guess that's kind of how it started. So yeah, what's the mission.
The mission is to use technology to bring music to students, so that those two pieces, that technology in the sense that, you know, like Mike's platform using technology and the streaming, the use of streaming to reach kids, because the one thing, as I said, during the pandemic, we saw, you know, kids using smart devices, tablets, smartphones, you know, there's mine.
To access learning. I know one of the statistics I recently came across was pure research found that kids access YouTube, at least once daily between the ages of 13 to 18.
And they're looking at music, music videos, music learning, you know, music theory music, all kinds of music things. So why aren't we putting music education content more online and giving people that don't have access schools, things like that more pointed content.
Yeah, the mission is to get use technology to get music education content to kids, and specifically more the 13 to 18. Because that's the drop off point. If they have it, then it tends to be through grade school.
And then once junior high ages come along, it just drops off.
I guess, I'm sorry if I'm repeating the question again, but what inspired you to create it like is there was there any specific moments where you realize, oh, this is what's missing, because, you know, YouTube has been there for quite a long time now and then there are some, a lot of music content music education content, obviously, but you realize something was missing, right.
I guess what sparked it for me was watching the kids that were disappearing during the pandemic. And I don't know if this makes sense.
But as you know, as it kept going through the news that, you know, more and more communities, you know, kids weren't showing up when there was, you know, like the teachers showing up to try to find where the kids showing up to the virtual classrooms, were they doing things to even stay connected in any kind of learning environment.
And they were just disappearing, disappearing, you know, in communities that have issues actually being accounted for.
And the marginalized part of our country that has, you know, I don't know how to say it delicately, it's the part of our society that really upsets me.
I get very politically incorrect at times.
But I, I just started getting angrier and angrier about the fact that music and arts saved me.
When I was a kid, the fact that I had music, and I had that escape as a kid, growing up in Southern California, and I mean I recognize my privilege being, you know, we lived in a suburban area and Huntington Beach.
We weren't, you know, we were lower middle class ish. But I did have music in schools, and I was able to start learning the clarinet.
I was able to eventually by 12 being sent to the first chair of the LA Philharmonic because my teacher couldn't teach me anymore.
But my parents couldn't afford for me to go any further. But I had the chance.
And so, you know that I guess that was the tipping point for me you know that was such a traumatic time for us all anyway.
And to realize that there were so many people and so many communities and so many young people that didn't have it, and it started with no child left behind.
Started leaving all kinds of kids behind. And it just got worse. So I mean I guess that was the tipping point for me emotionally and mentally and I started thinking what can I do about it.
At that point, you know I'd already been put in a position I've been a publicist and self employed sole proprietor for some time.
And the pandemic killed my business. There's just no way you know whatever no way did to a lot of people. And so when I sat there and you know scratching my head what do I do now.
Then I ended up you know I since I had graduated from Annenberg at USC, I ended up getting I got some you know you get the emails right and I was given the opportunity to apply to this program that I'm in now.
And which you are getting your doctorate degree. Yes, I'm currently in the final phases of earning a doctorate social work.
My application was about Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit, and how it was actually the first civil rights anthem. And, you know I play clarinet, I wanted to play jazz blues. Oh my gosh, that was that was my jam.
And it really wasn't cool for a girl to play blues and jazz clarinet, then, you know, but I listened to a lot. And, you know, I was thinking about it this morning because you know this is the piano pod, you know, thinking about, because I'm a huge fan of the Harlem
Renaissance and Charles Lambert and Duke Ellington and all the musicians that came out of Harlem Renaissance. And, you know, that's, that's kind of the thing that I think about how did I get from there to here, I guess so yeah I mean that was the tipping point is
watching kids disappear.
Realizing because I had been accepted on this wild.
And when we did that was that was with the IRS where we are a benevolent. The wording of the IRS always boggles my mind. But, but essentially, to use technology to acquire resources and to use technology to develop a program and use those use it for those that do the same.
Okay. Now, so then, how exactly does this work, how exactly is your organization and program accomplishing your mission. We really are just starting out we received our 501 c3 approval in January of this year, so we are baby.
We are each baby at this point.
But what we are in the process of doing as I said with this first phase, putting together and the thing I need to be mindful of is, you know, the work that my doctorate is doing, and the work that the nonprofit is doing are separate at this point, but they are essentially
going to be lining up to be what the nonprofit will be doing, because the goal is to develop coursework that first we're doing songwriting composition or songwriting.
That's where we're focusing first. And one of the things that I discovered, right two three months ago.
So, state of New York did some extensive extensive work during the pandemic on remote learning, and the work that students can achieve, and the connections that music can do during your remote learning and music.
And in doing so, how that can really impact positively, especially during times of trauma, I had done previous research with that during my master's program, and the connections emotionally that it can, you know what, there's been so much about piano and things
that in the past of what it can do, but really overall, how it can lift up just the fact of like compositions on writing, I know Christopher MDN who is at USC has done a lot of work about hip hop, and how its ability to develop language skills and communicate.
Yeah, real issues during developing the skills of refining, you know what trauma is going through and having it be put out in word. So, you know spoken word.
That's a whole nother conversation. Exactly. Wow, that is really super interesting. So, can you introduce the team of the sound of humanity music project, I understand there are some educators and
music industry executives and social workers and producers and so forth.
You know we have, well, like on the video you spoke about Billy Tagitoff, who's been a friend of mine for a long time has been. He's a musician, he's actually I think you just got his black belt yesterday.
Oh wow. Or last week I saw an Instagram I was like, Billy, but he has worked with Steve Albini of tool you know that has worked with tool, but he is a digital artist as well as a producer musician touring artist.
And he is, he's been a friend of mine for a long time he did a lot of the production work on that. And then Steve, Tom Sarig with anti fragile records. He is on the board.
Let's see, I got to go through them. One time.
And I can. Yeah, Kim, Kim Forbes, and yeah, Kim Forbes, Tom Sarig, Terrence Fitzgerald he is actually the one that came up with the harness the beat hashtag, and that was the one that came about during, it was a public discourse course that
we had together, and thinking about how to use your music and really we were talking about hip hop at one point. I kind of was really, really amazed and grateful that he was willing to join this organization, because he is a, yeah, he's, he's a
he's a National Council of Wellbeing educator, that his credentials are just amazing. And Kim Dencore recently joined she is a scholar with me, mainly feminism, hip hop rap I'll probably miss speak her qualifications.
She's going to be doing an installation at Harvard, at some point at the first of the year I believe. Yeah, I mean Kim's Kim Forbes is a SAG actress voice actress she's done a lot of work on translation and voiceovers for HBO Netflix things like that.
Wow, what a, what a, what a team that you have. Yeah, she's she's the one that did some voice work on that video. Yeah, so that was pretty exciting to put that together.
That was really the neat part about having Mike come on with this next phase of iterating how we're going to be delivering these things because, you know, thinking about doing something different, you know what's been done before really hasn't.
I mean, I guess it's made an impact but now we're in such a different space as far as delivering things online, or delivering things free in a way that you know anybody can access whether it's a school whether it's just kids on a phone that don't have, you know,
do they need to have a music teacher or class well we're going to give them a music teacher, and the opportunity to have involvement with professional musicians as well. At the same time, that's the goal of the framework of the courses, so that they'll have an opportunity
to have a songwriter and composition structure we're working towards is to have us and this is the doctoral work that I'm doing to be able to have an artist and a teacher in the same, say it's a week you know one week, we'll have a teacher and a mentor,
so that they get the voice of both, because I know when I played an instrument, I dreamt of being, you know, a professional at it, you know I listened to was it Ludovic, the other day, oh, Ludovic some more.
If I say if I say his name incorrectly I'm sorry. No, he was, that was a great, great, great interview, but to be able to listen to I dreamt of achieving that, and to be able to listen to people that actually have, or if they even just want to play just to
have that emotional release to be able to listen to people that have gone before them. To me, is really important. And it's something that's not been done. So, I mean it's been done in some ways but nothing's free.
Right. Absolutely. So you're trying. Yeah, you're trying to make this as a free entrance I guess to music education. Yeah, and be accessible, it'll be accessible to schools, it'll be accessible to
just kids. So if schools want to be able to tap into the program trying to create it in a way that you know schools, you know, depending on what the framework is framing it right now as like a six week summer program, but in doing it that way it can be broken into
different modules and things like that so you know looking at schools that have either quarter or semester or year round. It'll be able to be pieced together and expand and grow and scale and things like that so these students will watch each module, whether that
is a six week course or whatnot. And then, is there someone going to assist, like, maybe, can they get a little access to mentorship later on or a little bit of a, you know, assistance, because what watching, you know, is great educational, especially when the
content is so good then you know you learn so much out of watching but sometimes you need some sort of like hands on instructions, do they get all is to do it live, eventually, once the prototypes are tested through like a sort of like a live stream or something
or just a basic online classes type of thing, be able to do it live to where and then also to provide collaborative space to where the students can collaborate, you know composition especially songwriting, you know when you're able to to write songs together
I watched an interview with hoodie hoodie, not hoodie, the lead singer, I'm blanking on his name from hoodie and the blowfish now he's now singing country boy I'm going to think of his name five minutes after this interview, but I know I spoke with Jim
at a very of the Durango songwriters conference or expo and collaborative songwriting is what just amazing things come about from that, and to be able to give students an opportunity to be together in an online space, and you know you may have kids from, you know
students from LA and New York, and coming together and collaboratively writing the magic can happen. And, you know, framing it out and creating something that the end goal may end up being something.
And this is as we were talking about putting it together and iterating on this, having like the final phases be something like an American Idol type I like that but to where, because we do have music industry people involved, that there's an opportunity that your song or
composition could end up being published released I know we had talked about with one of your students had actually released. And so, to me that gives those, those people, those young people those young musicians, really an end goal.
Because having the guidance and having I'm getting chills, because you know it's like, yeah, you know, so I think I briefly mentioned to you about one of my students, you know, I'm a classically trained pianist.
And my educational background is a solid pre conservatory conservatory kind of education. So, 15 years ago 16 years ago when I first came to New York, I was before that I was already a college teacher, teaching, you know young adult students who already have
their own set toward music, music education, performing arts, but then coming here New York teaching young students was a big shock to me.
And, of course, you know, United States is a big country so I was in Florida, then came to New York. That's in itself is a big transformational experience them after 10 years, 11 years, teaching and raising these young musicians, young students, since
they were like five or six years old, being able to produce someone who does a songwriting is honestly Lisa is a big shock to me. What I meant was, as a music educator, I'm thinking music in only one way, you know classical music, but then there's more to it.
And I think that for a student especially particular student who writes songs and produce it on Spotify and Apple Music and so forth. It's beyond.
That can be realized what is the role as a music educator. Right. So, especially because I'm a classical musician so it's. So I have so many questions about music education, so I know you want to talk more about your organization but quickly.
Why music matters why music education matters.
You know, and that's, yeah, why does it matter right, you know, it's like anything you just said it in a way.
To me, music is a language we own, we all understand it right, it doesn't matter. It speaks, whether I'm listening to a Latin song I mean look at what bad bunnies done, you know, right there.
I can just say it really quickly. And, you know, talking about classical versus, you know, a certain type of what you know say it's.
While you're talking I think about one of my friends, his name is Toby Milford and he was actually the first. He was my first dip into actually producing and being involved in releasing any music, and he is a classically trained violinist that started playing looping
and singing vocals at the same time.
We're actually going to one of the with the nonprofit we actually commissioned a music video by an Italian artist, and it's going to be released as part of a campaign to raise funds for a nonprofit that he likes affiliated friends with in Phoenix that works with refugees
and so then we're also going to work with international refugees with that, but how the intersection of popular music and classically trained instruments. I mean it's this anymore really I found that I really can't separate, you know, and that's kind of the thing that I think about
when I start trying to do that because to me classical.
I don't know it's really hard for me to separate anymore because popular music.
What does that mean, you know, and you're classically trained and what you do, and then, you know, does it translate into say what people listen to that to me is popular.
I don't know how to explain that and I don't know if I'm being clear, but you know it's like and that's what I realized I use composition and songwriting pretty interchangeably, and that I need to like put out there because a composition can include lyrics, it can
include voice can be a trumpet or a saxophone, you know jazz speaks. You don't need words but sometimes there is, you know, so that's where I run into difficulty because I'm not in my classic my classical training ended when I was about 12 or 13 years old, as far as being
a musician. And then I stepped away until I ended up on the music business side. And now I've fallen back into seeing that I wouldn't be here if I had not had music in my life, starting as a young kid.
So, I guess maybe that's how the full circle started.
Yeah. Wow, that's interesting. Yeah, because you know, now I am teaching from home, I used to travel to my students homes that's a different thing that now I am, I live in Brooklyn, very.
Oh yes, it's it's my jam. It's my vibe and live there if I could take the winner.
I love it. I love it. And especially I live in the neighborhood called Williamsburg which is like really hip and you, you see young generations of New Yorkers live here and young successful generations and people that I deal with the community I tried to create is a little different from
whom I used to teach. How am I going to be effective, or, you know, as a music educator, and as I am teaching music piano lessons in a traditional way.
How is this translating to these clients, students, and then, so because I want, I want to raise the listeners of music, music of all genres, but especially classical music because I'm a classical musician but also just takes a certain knowledge and training
in order for us to understand symphony for example, and has to have a sort of, we, my job is not just train them but also giving them the context because some of the music, a lot of them are really old.
Right. So, yeah, that's something that I started thinking especially living in this, you know, very diverse city and the music, I think one of the website you mentioned that this country offers so much, you know, everybody is such an individualistic country, but
that opposite is that that everybody has their own opinion and a taste and everything so it's hard to put it put things together. Yeah, and to find some way of creating community from that, and that in thinking about this, you know, it's interesting I was at a show
with Tuesday, both of the gentlemen that played our songwriters that I wanted to speak to about being part of the doctorate work with the songwriting course, one of whom is nominated for Best New Artist of the Year Grammy Award.
His name is Abraham Alexander, and I'd had the opportunity to do a write up on his record when it was released. And, you know, when you have a songwriter that can pull you into their story and, and he said something on stage, which, you know, I'll eventually, I'm going to be
putting it into, like, starting to create pieces to put into building the community but, but he said as a musician he feels that it's his responsibility to help people build, tell his story he feels it's his responsibility, because telling his narrative and telling
his truth may give somebody else the courage to do the same. And in so many ways and then this other gentleman, Philip Michael Scales, I believe I said his name right, had also some some really, really well thought out comments that he made from the stage
two and his songwriting, I'd never listened to him before that was my first experience on a show with them, but both of them as songwriters were so incredible in how they crafted the music, and how they sent their message and and that was the like real
real through line is that, you know, composition and songwriting can really influence and build resilience for communities for an individual, help them find themselves and help them give, you know, get strength to walk through, you know, and we saw during the
during the pandemic, that's, you know, like I go back to that that was a really refining and defining moment for the world. And, and I guess that's the point. You know, I keep coming back to how this whole thing got started was, you know, what are we giving our young people to help
get them, you know, build their build their strength, I'm gibberish on that because it just, that's my passion point is how many kids out there don't have that foundation right now how many kids out there are just trying to get by.
And how can we do how can we give them a voice, because that was something else that Abraham said he's like I'm here to be a voice for those that don't have a voice right now. And that just, I mean, it makes me want to cry because, you know, that's what you're doing.
Being a music educator and helping people to embrace that, that creative side through a piano. Oh, I mean I watched Emma, Emma Cohen came here and played in Tucson, and he plays.
He plays jazz piano, and he's one of the few that learned the Harlem jazz technique and performs and does tour, and it was amazing to experience live. And it's that continuity of musicianship for me that is history, you know music is history.
You know it's like quest love wrote a book. It's one of my favorites, because it is it's defined us.
You know, I would have been at the Harlem Culture Fest and not would stop, you know, that's where I would have been but I would have stood out like a sore thumb.
I don't know it feels like it's my responsibility and that's it's, it's my, I don't, I don't know maybe not responsibility it's my privilege to do this work at this point.
Wonderful. You mentioned several times, songwriting. So, I think how I was taught was basically very classical music oriented so it's more to do with read the notes and produce the phrase of music not even the sound we don't say we say phrase, or, you know, expression and whatnot.
I think but the music education. These days, they are amazing really educators with progressive ideas says those days are actually over you know we have to really emphasize more on, you know, creating their own music by teaching them improvisation eventually that leads to composition, and so forth, which really you have to have a solid background in learning music.
You know, to be able to, you know, write songs and that's exactly what you're doing so what's what sort of a genre currently dominating the music education industry because I'm a music educator but I'm solo, so I'm a classical musician so but when it comes to this big umbrella of music education,
this bigger umbrella in the United States what's dominating right now. See, and that's the challenge I can't, I can't necessarily say, like you said, big umbrella, I'm trying to pull a piece out and really look at dissecting what piece will impact the population of look, or like the target audience
that I'm looking at. And, and that's where I've gone to look at the specific target audience of 13 to 18 year olds.
That's fascinating.
Because, you know, that's you say it's a big umbrella. And how can I impact anything.
I know.
Really it's overwhelming. But in many ways it's fantastic. It's a wonderful problem because I grew up very differently right I am originally from Japan, although I'm Korean but I was born raised there.
And the education system is wonderful. However, everybody studies from pretty much the same textbook in one country. So there's only one way to learn that subject.
But as opposed to this country, you know, this be all it all depends on. Yeah, the region or, I don't know philosophy of this each family.
Right. So, which comes in its own challenges and problems too but so yeah I'm just curious what's dominant is a hip hop is it rock pop is a classical yeah and that's thing is like you, you know I could, I could look at the billboard chart today is that what's going to inform my decisions.
I don't know if billboards, you know, is that what I, I don't know, because billboards got a chart for Latin music hip hop you know it's like, I don't know they've got.
So is that what's going to inform my decision.
I think what's going to inform my decision is the students.
And that's where I'm really grateful to Mike and free feeds. And to see, I know that the background work that I've been doing to look at and look and say, you know, what did the students are, I should say what did what does that population like to do.
And also recognizing that giving somebody the freedom to choose when they're there.
You know it's like you provide a space. And so these people can go in and gosh I have a difficult time calling you know teenagers youth. I don't know something about that my, I get hiccup.
Just me as an adult and I did that with my daughter when she was that age is like you're a person.
But, you know, giving them the opportunity to choose you know, are you gonna, are you gonna write hip hop lyrics it's literally a poem you're writing to beats.
Are you writing a song or you writing, you know, like you say a composition that's going to be played on a on strings you know black violin merges hip hop and violin classically trained violin and viola.
Really anything that's why I say using songwriting composition can be done interchangeably and I tend to is it sloppy. I don't know I need to clarify that in certain spaces when I'm dealing in the academic space.
I definitely need to clarify that and maybe this platform will help it clarify with people, you know, because it's I'm doing it now.
But it can be a tricky thing because like you say, you can have 10 young people in that age group, and three may want to do one thing and you know, so that's my reality that's my reality as a music educator right now, like I like it's so interesting but you know I have one, one or two students who are constantly performing at Carnegie Hall right now.
You talk about yeah and then they're brilliant. Then I have on the other hand I have several who wants to write their songs and one is being successful writing her song and streaming and I have other group of students who just want to learn like a more like a comprehensive approach.
So you know a little bit of everything. So I guess, I don't know, listening to what their needs are and what they want is, I think, the way to go these days.
I guess, I think you know that's the bottom line is, you said it listening to their wants needs desires, and that's I guess you know for me that's where my design is focused is, you know, I'm going to base what I'm building on the background research I've done.
And like I said a lot of what I've, I'm building this on is based on research state of New York, and then some other research that is done by the arts, arts data research project, phenomenal work they're doing in finding out who is doing what where,
and what's missing in arts and arts is a comprehensive thing being its music it's performing arts, it's visual arts, it's, you know, painting creation, you know dance, but who's got what where, and who doesn't.
What populations are those and, and what connections between students that qualify for free and reduced lunches, and what schools and how these all connect.
And so that to me. That's where I'm basing my design on to begin with, but, you know, it's the students that are going to inform going forward because they're going to say yeah I like that no I don't care.
Yeah, like you say, so I can think as a you know a former mom of a teenager. She's now an adult with a kid of her own but you know I can think of what I think they should do.
But what I think they should do may not be what they want to do right. Exactly. But that's a big change. Hey there TPP family, the piano part is now into our fourth season, and it's all thanks to you.
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Now let's continue with the show. So you studied communications and you know this trend of how, you know, starting with internet, then social media, and obviously 2020 have changed the way we really live our lives and communicate.
Then also the whole thing that I mentioned changed the way that we can select, we can choose what we want. In many ways, we don't have to always take everything that this curriculum offers for example, does that make sense?
That's why, you know, as we mentioned, Michael use refuse makes sense because it's a really pick and choose that users can choose. So that's wonderful. But as an educator, that's really challenging.
Right. I mean, like, and that's kind of where, you know, looking to build out, you know, and this is, like you said, that's terrifying. You know, I'm the one that wakes up before in the morning and what I need women, you know, because like, yeah, as far as the artists that are signing on to say do this.
So far they're all men. And I went, Oh, wait a minute. I need some women by here I am a woman and I realized I don't have any female voices in this. What, you know, she made Christmas so the I need to reach out to Kim and say Kim I know you know women hip hop people.
I watched you interview them. Can you bring one into this. So that's that's one of the things I need to do today because that's Kim's work. Kim is a media specialist, and she has done some phenomenal interviews with female hip hop rap musicians artists and written some incredible
work as part of her doctoral work and PhD program. So it's just a blessing. Well, I, you know, to have people that somehow the universe just keeps putting in the universe of this nonprofit, because none of this could be just my thing.
It's become just a wee thing. And, you know, like you say, and having the opportunity to build out a community to do this. And, you know, the end goal, I know, I know at one point, you know, somebody asked me, you know, yeah, this is on the internet.
But the end goal is to really have communities be able to build their own music programs and bring it back to the community and have, you know, in person music is really the end goal, but also buffering against the next pandemic is really the end goal.
Yeah, that's the superseding thing you know I know when I met with Sean Holt the first time my faculty advisor, and I USC. Yeah, USC. Gosh, who is like, when I first met with him and he said I don't know if I'm qualified to do this and I'm like going.
I mean, I've worked with, you know, Gloria Estefan and Santana Carlos Santana and I'm like, looking at flow right and all the people that he has produced worked with Sheila II I mean I'm like, huh, but he's got a foundation in music and technology and in production
and things like that and I just thought, but I said you know my biggest thing with all this had started because of the pandemic. And I had read an article from Duke University that the next pandemic I don't want to scare anybody turn your plug your ears.
Duke University said that the next pandemic will most likely be within the next 12 years and probably worse than the last. Right, I know. Uh huh. So, I want to pandemic proof music for young people, give them a place to go.
And, you know, starting with songwriting and composition, you know, and I think big, I want to go the next one will be jazz, because I love jazz. I dream big, but I think every, every young person should dream big to that loves music.
Two questions I have from your organization. So one is, how are you funding.
Yeah, where do you look for these people who have a big pocket and then help you. Well, the big pockets aren't there yet.
But one of the things we've started is for reaching out to people that do do streaming platforms, you know, if you do Spotify if you do you know if you pay how much money you pay for a subscription for those were asking for, you know, 50 cents
or a dollar donation for what our work is, and, you know, subscribe to us and then that helps us do our work. And that's the first thing.
The second thing that we're doing as part of this is we're also doing silent auctions for artwork. We've got the gentleman that created our logo. It's actually done in a mixed medium painting as well. So we're going to be doing a silent auction for that.
And then also, the gentleman and I spoke of the songwriter that Abraham Alexander that's nominated for the Grammy. A friend of mine. That's a professional photographer took a picture of him at the realtor theater here in Tucson.
And he was performing and he signed it he autographed it. And so that picture has never been published, and he, we're going to do a silent auction for that as well, probably close to December.
But those are the fundraisings that we've got going on for this year. And at that point, that's, like I said, we are such a baby at this point I've also also looking to grants that support arts and technology. So there's Arizona's got one, but there are many.
It's just how, how many hours do I have in the day, and until I have more volunteer staff. That's the challenge is, you know, it's been me and a few of us that have time to do this work, and a lot of passion and a lot of.
So yeah, but you know passion and love is all you need.
But how can we as educators be part of your organization the sound of humanity music project.
You know as music educators, certainly join in the community on YouTube on Instagram, and that would be a support and just start being part of the conversation I know that the hashtag harness the beat is something that we started, and that would be just raising
the bar to this, because in the end, you know, it's the students, it's the young people is what this is all about. And getting there, because you guys have been doing the work all along and in the end, what I'm trying to do and what we are trying to do with
this organization is pulling in the music industry as well, because they as well are recognizing that, where's the next generation of David Burns coming from, you know, or talking heads or Danny Elfman's or, you know, the two pox.
And then sitting somewhere. And, you know, and, and they're going to be discovered. But, you know, are we going to be the ones to do it, you know, or you're going to be. You're developing some amazing talent and I'm sure many other music educators out there doing the same.
But there's so many, so many schools and teachers out there that just don't have the ability to reach kids, or kids don't have the ability to find you. So that's also the other thing eventually we're going to be developing on the website, the ability for kids and parents and communities
to have a one stop shop to say find organizations that may be able to help them like Black Violin. The Black Violin Foundation is doing great work. Sounds Academy and Phoenix also doing the same thing, you know, they, they don't believe that your zip code should define whether you have music or not.
You know, so there's organizations that are doing this work. It's just how many people can find it and do they have, you know, do they have the data to be able to do it, you know, so that's what we're going to try to circumvent some of that and help in that way so you know just just joining
the movement on social media right now is probably the best way and then like I said, we do have the ability to ship in whatever you want. That was the one thing we found with the pandemic, and many of the musicians that had to pivot online found they made did better than being
out on tour, just by asking people to donate what they wanted. It's crazy. But, wow. Yeah, but it's a big vision you know to accomplish it just takes a lot of human requests to financial resource but it's exciting.
It is exciting. And we are baby, we are baby we aren't even a year old.
It's pretty amazing. But what you're doing is really admirable and I want to continue to follow your organization and then you have to come back and let us know how it's going but I want to talk about who is Lisa Whaley.
You have the musical background, quite intense until 12 or so and then I want to know your journalism background because under as an undergraduate degree, degree I, I have music and then I also have the broadcasting background, because that's what I wanted to do and then guess who I became
educator. But anyway, and you studied at USC, Berg School of Communication and Journalism which is like a dream school for anybody who wants to be in the field. Yeah, so tell me about your experience and you have an extensive, you know, experience as a culture, music and culture
journalist and so musical you have the solid musical background but you sort of stayed away in a study journalism ended up being a music activist. So, yeah, I mean it's kind of funny I jokingly tell people well it's not joke is real.
When I was a kid growing up in Southern California I would watch the Rose Parade and see the Trojan marching band and I'd say I want to go to USC someday. I think, you know, as a journalist, I ended up, I, at one point I realized you know and it was a Thomas Paine, you know, the powers in the pen.
And I laughingly say, I'm not going to get them in trouble but the guy that I write for currently said I started writing music.
I started writing in music, so I could get free music.
Well, that's not a bad idea. But it really ended up being kind of a pathway into when I worked with the former business I had as a publicist and booking agent. So, so that's kind of where I started with all of that I know part of the journey started as I look at it on the wall when I was seven, my best
friend and I wrote to NBC, because we wanted to have some stuff put into a TV show. They actually wrote us back, which is amazing it would never happen today, you know, but, yeah, so I have the framed letter on my wall, because it's like if you dream something you do something
might happen. And so, I guess the turning point for all of this of where I'm at today is the fact that I ended up going through a divorce, and kind of didn't know what I was going to do with my life thing, and was at a less than Jake show a real big fish, two bands, and with my
daughter, and I was, I like to stand in front by the stage because that's just how I like to do things. And I ended up getting hit in the back of the head by crowd surfer, and hit my face right here on the bar in front of the stage, and thought I split my eye open.
And so they pulled me out of the crowd, so I could go get some ice, and ended up standing there with ice on my hand, you know, ice on my face, and ended up meeting Tommy Chong. And so, I'm looking real hip slipping slick and cool, with a bunch of young kids at this big show.
And he's like, What are you doing here? And I'm like, I don't know, I'm standing here with ice on my face. And he's like, No, really, what are you doing here? And I said, he's like, Why are you, why, why, you know, like this existential freaking conversation, I'm like, I don't know.
And I said, Well, you know, I'd like to do something with music and writing. He's like, Well, why aren't you? And I literally had that moment of like, and that's when I ended up going back to school to finish that master's degree.
And I ended up falling into the opportunity to start writing music videos. So I collaborated on a music video for a band called Census Fail, and did some other collaborative work on music videos and ended up working with Lionel Martin, who did some of two, well actually most of Tupac's music videos, and a cinematographer, Luke McNair.
So I ended up working with a really high caliber crew on project for two, which I didn't, you know, I was kind of like, Oh my goodness. Yeah, just kind of fell, fell down this path.
And, you know, realize that music and visual arts, but like you say, what's my jam, really was where my passion, I always go back to standing there with that black eye going, you know, how the heck does that happen, you know, where I should have asked him, what are you doing at the show, but he was there with his, he was there with his son and his son's friends.
And it was the same thing I was doing. I was there with my daughter, but he was standing by the bar and I was not, I was standing by, well I was, I was standing by the bar at the front of the stage, but yeah, you just, and it's like music is life.
And, you know, I guess I always wanted to write for NPR.
That was kind of like my dream too, you know, write for NPR music, you really get a lot of free music, right. I also realized that as I moved on, I wanted to kind of, I guess I wanted to give back in a different way.
And since I'm, you know, it's funny, I taught high school as I was doing my, my undergraduate work.
Really?
Yeah, I taught high school advanced placement English.
I see. Okay. Yeah, which was kind of, I mean, I guess the thing is, is like music is dreams to me. Music's, music's release music is escape music's my soul.
You know, I can tap into places and go, you know, and live music really is like a flushing of, you know, it just is like, I don't know. So it's something that I really want to give back with. And I'm not a music teacher, but
that fascinates me. You're, you're not a music teacher, quote unquote, but you know, you're in music education activists and you're trying to connect the dots. That's amazing. I think due to your background as a journalist, you know, you see things differently from the people who are actually in it. Right.
And so, and it was a extensive background in entertainment business sounds like, so that's really fascinating. You know, honestly, I can talk about this forever. I love this kind of talk because it's not a lot of people talk about these things, but you know, we only have a few more minutes left.
So we have to move on. Unfortunately, you have to come back and really talk to us again, but I want to know that I know your organization is still a, you know, really early stage, but what's the next phase?
Yeah, the next phase is really as we put this work together with what I'm testing with this doctoral program is putting together this platform to work and launch it. Should it all go come together to put the music industry together with students and teachers to build, you know, triangles are the strongest form of geometry.
Right. And that's, that's what I'm working to build. And then also, eventually I would love to see the streaming business I've spoken with some parts of, I think it's Bulldog Media is who worked with the National Independent Venue Association when that was going on with COVID.
And this friend of mine, Steve Chilton, put that organization together, which helped save a lot of the small independent music venues for live performance, because they were going under. They didn't qualify for PPE, all that kind of stuff.
So they put on a concert across the country and did it live streaming. And so the technology that streaming has, you know, continued to escalate. That's the goal is to eventually do all this live to where students can tap into things in a live experience that has not been, you know, to be in a classroom, but then yet say, have bad bunny show up, you know, things like that.
But then, you know, to create experiences that hasn't been done yet before. And, and to bring music industry into that, and then to bring the education piece to have the music educators there to have the music industry there, and then also give the opportunity to say have
Berkeley School of Music or Juilliard or all these other prestigious schools to be able to participate. I don't know that's that's my dream. Yeah. I don't know.
You know, anything's possible. Anything is possible if you really work hard and they aim toward and then so you've already accomplished a lot. So yeah, you will get there. It takes time, but you'll get there. Right. Yeah.
I mean, one of my favorite quotes and let's see if I can say it correctly as a W.E.B. DuBois, you are not and yet you are your thoughts your deeds, your dreams still live. There it is.
As long as I keep in front of me in a positive direction, and then acting in a way that will continue to manifest those things, then the people keep showing up and I keep showing up, I guess. So I don't know, but I really appreciate you having me on.
Oh, thank you for being here. So I would like for you to guys to visit the Sound of Humanity Music Project online, sohmusicproject.org to learn more more about the organization and about what Lisa is doing with the organization.
So before I let you go, we have a rapid fire question segment. So we're going to end up with a bunch of questions and silly questions, but it's actually really this is where you can really show who you are.
You know, so yeah, let me just ask a couple of questions and you don't have to explain anything. Just go with it. And so let's start. Okay. Question number one. What's your comfort food? Chocolate. How do you like your coffee? With cream.
Castle dogs. I know the dogs. All right. Yes, I saw your little puppy and you know, in the background, although it's it's blurred. Yes. Okay. Are you a summer person or winter? Summer. Summer. Paper book or ebook? Paper. Okay. Now, what skill have you always wanted to learn but have not had the chance to?
Oh my goodness. Lying. Yes. I know. Right. Yes. What is your word or words to live by? You're not and yet you are. Your thoughts, your deeds, your dreams still live. W-E-B-D-O-B-A.
What is the most important quality you look for in other people? Integrity.
Name three people who inspire you, living or dead? James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, Barack Obama.
Great. Name one piece in your current playlist. Abraham Alexander, stay. What do you believe is the key to a fulfilling life? Peace.
And fill in the blank. Music is blank. Life. Ding ding. That's it. Thank you. That was great. You won. You won. So this concludes this episode of The Pianopod. Thank you, Lisa, for joining my show today and sharing your stories and insights and expertise.
You can learn more about Lisa and you can follow her on LinkedIn. And if you'd like to learn more about her incredible work at the Sound of Humanity Music Project, please visit their website at SOHMusicProject.org.
I will list the links in the show notes. Thank you to my wonderful audience and fans for tuning in today. If you enjoyed today's episode, please rate and review it on your favorite podcast platform. Remember to hit the thumbs up button and subscribe to my YouTube channel if you're watching this episode.
And please follow The Pianopod on social media to get the latest piano news via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. I will see you for the next episode of The Pianopod. Bye everyone. Thank you, Lisa. Thank you so much.