Memphis Music Initiative

Welcome to the fifth and final installment of MMI’s Emergency Relief Fund Artist Interview series! Today, MMI Works student intern Maya and Relief Fund recipient Aliyah chat about Aliyah’s musical work—an aria titled “opera nera: il retrogrado (Black Opera: The Retrograde).” The piece utilizes expressionistic techniques to highlight her experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic. Aliyah’s […]

Memphis is music. It’s a city inseparable from the creatives and musicians who have shaped its culture, changed its politics, and built and rebuilt communities across Shelby County, from Frayser to Soulsville and beyond. Memphis’ list of music bona fides is a mile long, and while we may not be the biggest city, our musical […]

New funding for Memphis Music Initiative and Stax Music Academy will support holistic music education programs during COVID-19  The Lewis Prize for Music — a creative arts philanthropy — announced today the recipients of its COVID-19 Community Response Fund. A total of $1.25 million will be awarded to 32 Creative Youth Development (CYD) organizations across […]