Projects

Welcome to Step One Academy Music Appreciation Series.

Together with talented musicians and world class artists, I will be your guide on an exciting journey into the world of music. Learn about the history of different musical instruments, the amazing variety of musical genres, fun facts about composers and performers, and listen to some of your favorite tunes.
Enjoy and let us know how you like it.

Step One Academy is a shared creative space dedicated to interactive educational experiences in a variety of disciplines, including music, art, science, fitness, technology, early childhood development and STEM education.
Powered by Step One Automotive Group and driven by local community partners, Step One Academy is a free resource for people of all ages featuring content from some of the leading experts in their fields.

Youtube playlist

Movement 1: Music with a mission

Recently, the Mayor of Savannah Van Johnson, in a shared call for action, expressed the hope: “first comes the march, then comes the movement”. As educators, artists, and community members, we wanted to take action under this call and find a way to make a positive impact to unite us and support others already engaged in the important work. Immediately, the following mission jumped into our minds: To instill values in our young men so that they can make the right choices to become positive role models for all to witness and follow.

That is the mission of the local nonprofit Young Men of Honor, a 16-year-old organization led by Mrs. Diane Jackson, driven to support our young men in middle school. As Mrs. Jackson said, “I want to give them purpose for their lives. I want to give them vision, even if they don’t have one. I want to say, ‘This is what you can be!”

One of the best ways to unite us all, yet one of the first elements of life often stripped away, is the exposure to beauty through the arts. In schools, when funding is cut or test scores are low, the arts are pushed aside. When budgets are tight and a pandemic weighs heavy on our community, the space for the arts nearly disappears.

We believe the arts, music in particular, can inspire all of us to appreciate life all the more and unite us together under the light of this artistic beauty and joy. An evening of music, at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15th on Facebook and YouTube, supported the unifying voice of the march and pushes the movement forward. Thanks for joining us in celebration of life through beauty, and for supporting Young Men of Honor with your donations.

Artistic Director of Larsen Spotlight Chamber Music Series of Savannah Philharmonic. 2018-2020

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