A Phish-y grant provides new musical instruments to a Pittsburgh school

Various research has set out to prove the benefits of music education for children and teens in the U.S., even as schools cut such programs due to underfunding and other factors. One 2020 study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology argued that “highly engaged instrumental music students were, on average, academically over one year ahead of their peers" and saw higher test scores across all subjects, regardless of their backgrounds.

A local charter school will be able to forward its music education and provide instruments to it students thanks to a famous jam band.

The Environmental Charter School, a tuition-free, K-12 district with the expressed mission of educating each student "using innovative curricula that will foster knowledge, love of, and respect for the environment and preserve it for future generations," received $8,400 to fund instruments for its K-5 music program. The grant comes from the Mockingbird Foundation, a nonprofit created by Phish and touted as a "leading grantmaker in music education for children."

Since the band's inception in 1988, Phish has generated a devoted fanbase with its active touring schedule and live shows (they recently finished a 26-date nationwide summer tour). The group, which formed in Burlington, Vt., and has become a prime example of a subgenre known as improvisational rock, formed Mockingbird in 1996, and, since then, the nonprofit claims to have distributed 693 grants totaling over $2.5 million to schools across all 50 states.

Mockingbird announced the most recent grant cycle in June, and ECS used the money to purchase xylophones that were distributed at the beginning of the school year.

Deana Callipare, the director of communications at ECS, tells Pittsburgh City Paper that they applied for the grant because ECS Primary, a school located in the old Park Place Building on South Braddock Ave., "wanted to expand its music program and saw a need to provide developmentally appropriate instruments for hands-on learning."

"The district is aware that there is a lot of support for music education in schools from bands or music based on organizations, and the Mockingbird Foundation, which is operated by volunteers and fans of the band, Phish, seemed like an ideal, mission-aligned connection," says Callipare.

Besides ECS Primary, which serves students in kindergarten through second grade, the district also includes an Intermediate School in Regent Square, a Middle School in Garfield, and a High School in Morningside.

Callipare explains that, while ECS is a "public charter school funded by taxpayer dollars paid through the student's home school district," grants are necessary to "supplement additional educational needs."

"In a post-pandemic era, ECS recognized the need to establish a more connective music program with instrument exploration for the social and emotional well-being of its students, in addition to the mindfulness and wellness that the arts cultivate," says Callipare. "At ECS Primary, the arts and music department promotes creative exploration, play, and the joy of expression, but it also provides students with opportunities to collaborate, build relationships, and work toward a common goal."

ECS superintendent Dr. Amanda Cribbs stated in a press release that the Primary School focuses on "play-based learning" adding, “Expanding the music and arts program for our littlest learners is critical to cultivating their social and emotional well-being and mindfulness, especially in a post-pandemic world.”

Callipare explains that, while ECS Primary students "learn about xylophones and other barred instruments" they often "don't have the opportunity to experience them in real life."

“I have incorporated the use of xylophones and other barred instruments into my instruction,” Emily Fields, an ECS Primary music teacher, stated in a press release. “I am eager to share the joy of playing these high-quality instruments with the youngest learners at ECS Primary.”