To empower, inspire, and enrich the lives of children in local communities through life changing musical experiences.
Who We Are
The Mason Music Foundation was established in 2016 by Foundation Founder & CEO Will Mason after a decade of offering music lessons and performing opportunities with his company Mason Music, which grew to four successful Birmingham locations. In 2015, the company was invited by Cornerstone Elementary School to teach an after-school pilot music enrichment program to 56 students in grades 1-5. The students’ families were then invited to continue with private lessons in the neighborhood, and the vision for the Mason Music Foundation and its Woodlawn home was born, as the interest in and need for high-quality musical education in Woodlawn and the surrounding communities became clear.
What We Do
Mason Music Foundation provides children from under-resourced neighborhoods with access to private music lessons, group instruction, and opportunities to perform. We believe that music is for everyone and that these experiences offer artistic experience and exposure, connection and collaboration that enhances mental health and well-being, and skills like focus and discipline that will serve students well in any field they choose to pursue. Funds donated to Mason Music Foundation are used to provide tuition assistance for families in need, which includes not only music lessons after school and in the summer, but also free registration for Mason Music recitals, free registration for Rock Band League, donated instruments, and access to spring break and summer camps.
What We Believe
Mason Music Foundation’s vision is a city in which music can play a role in every child’s education with no barriers to access. Our goal is to give children of all ages in under-resourced Birmingham communities a chance to develop their musical skills. A musical practice and music education are incredibly meaningful artistic experiences in and of themselves, but through this work, major developments can also occur in the following areas: emotional and cognitive growth; expansion of self-confidence; essential listening and motor skills; embracing responsibility; and acquisition of discipline, perseverance, and resilience.
Music is important.
Music is an essential part of the human experience. Throughout all of human history, in every culture on the planet, people have been singing, dancing, and making music as a way to tell stories, express feelings, and share ideas. At Mason Music, we are simply tapping into that part of the human spirit and equipping the next generation of music makers to carry this art form forward.
Music is fun.
Learning to play music should be fun too. We hire amazing teachers who know how to have a good time while providing excellent instruction. Hang out in our Woodlawn Studio lobby long enough, and you are guaranteed to hear laughter accompanying our lessons.
Music makes a difference.
From brain growth, cognitive development, and social skills to math, spatial relations and language, learning how to play music activates and connects parts of the brain in ways that have well-documented benefits to important life outcomes. At Mason Music Foundation, we want the best for you and your children so your family has every opportunity in life to succeed.