OUR VISION
A world without barriers to music education.
OUR MISSION
To make learning music accessible and equitable.
OUR WORK
Austin Soundwaves serves student musicians across the greater Austin area, providing diverse opportunities for learners of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences. In our most recently completed fiscal year, we worked with more than 1,100 students through 30 school partnerships and programs.
We lead learning partnerships that transform school music programs into inspiring centers of creativity and offer community-based programming that encourages lifelong learning and empowers students of all ages to achieve personal and professional success.
We support orchestra, band, mariachi, and general music in grades K-12 during the school day. We lead afterschool programming such as Mariachi Para Todos, an intergenerational ensemble made up of students ages 10-55+. We create opportunities for interdisciplinary, student-led activities like the Draylen Mason Fellows Program.
OUR APPROACH
Teaching & Mentoring: We teach music and support the overall success and well-being of every student through school-based and community programs.
Coaching & Training: We help teachers achieve their goals, refine their skills, and sustain their careers.
Planning & Collaboration: We work with school and nonprofit leaders to plan and implement effective music education systems.
Bringing it all together: We create educational equity by sharing impactful resources, building meaningful networks of stakeholders, and advocating for arts-rich education in Austin and beyond.
OUR VALUES
POSSIBILITY
We spark curiosity by teaching music. We support creative risks and draw from the arts to meet complex challenges with bold solutions.
COMMITMENT
We believe in equitable music instruction for all. Just as learning an instrument requires dedication, we stand by our students, teachers, and partners and inspire the same level of commitment in them.
BELONGING
We believe that no matter where you come from or who you are, you can do great things and your voice matters. Music is culture and when we share the diversity of sound, we celebrate who we are.
MUSIC IS JOY
We share it. Music brings us together—whether we are beginners, experienced musicians, or appreciative listeners. Music is our shared joy, inspiration, and community.
OUR HISTORY
Founded in 2011, as the Hispanic Alliance for the Performing Arts (still our IRS legal name), Austin Soundwaves started as an El Sistema-inspired music program at a single school site with 42 students, thanks in large part to the generosity of Dr. Teresa Lozano Long. Dr. Long served as our founding board president and helped lead the organization to double its support of students each year through the first four years.
We have since grown to have served over 4,200 students at nearly 40 schools and community programs. We initially focused on string orchestra education and eventually added band, full symphony, and mariachi, followed by formal private lessons, chamber music, composition, music theory, and interdisciplinary youth leadership programming.
Our students have performed all over the state of Texas and have traveled for programs nationally, from California to Tennessee and everywhere in between. In 2016, several of our students were selected to participate in the National Take-A-Stand Festival in Aspen, Colorado, bringing together students from El Sistema programs to perform at the renowned Aspen School with maestro Robert Spano. Every year starting in 2017, we have also had students selected to be part of the YOLA National Festival in Los Angeles, where students perform in beautiful Walt Disney Hall and work with LA Phil music director Gustavo Dudamel.
As we continue to grow and push the limits of achieving our mission, we count more than 350 high school graduates (100% since our first graduating class in 2016), with many going on to colleges and universities from across the country. Alumni have studied a wide variety of areas since graduating (including music) at schools that include Duke University, Carnegie Mellon, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M, NYU, and the University of Southern California.
OUR ORGANIZATION
We are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization EIN 45-1601843. We operate as AUSTIN SOUNDWAVES, the d/b/a of our legal name, the Hispanic Alliance for the Performing Arts.
We are rated by Guidestar as shown by our Candid seal above.
To view our profile on Guidestar, visit this link >
To view our Charity Navigator rating, visit this link >
