KEYS
IMPACT REPORT
2022
Education is the Great Equalizer
Education is the most empowering force in the world. It creates knowledge, builds confidence, and breaks down barriers to opportunity.
A well-rounded education, including Arts education, is an important means of breaking the cycle of poverty, and starts at the beginning of a child’s education as an integral component of his or her childhood and adolescence.
KEYS Knows Music Education Matters...
And So Do The CT Schools!
Did you know?
ARTS ACCESS
is 1 of 12 top performance indicators used by the CT State Dept. of Education (CSDE) to track how well a district/school is preparing its students for success in college, careers, and life.
2022
CT School Districts Arts Access:
39.8%
52.4%
60%
Bridgeport vs. CT Actual vs. CT Target
However, Access to Music Education is not Equal
Bridgeport has the highest student enrollment in CT but lags behind in student's access to arts education.
Music education funding cuts continue to be a go-to option for school districts in times of crisis, leading to chronic underfunding.
-savethemusic.org
Since 2004,
the KEYS Music Program has been a piece of the Academic Success Puzzle for Bridgeport students by helping to fill the gap in Arts access.
No matter how it is accomplished, increased ARTS ACCESS is key to providing an equitable, comprehensive education for all Connecticut students.
-CT State Dept. of Education (CSDE )
What our students say
"You can always make mistakes but it will always sound beautiful and you can always fix it. I just love music!"
-Andrea
"KEYS has taught me everything I need to know about playing an instrument. Not only that, I made friends here along the way too."
-Idemudia
"Music is a way for me to express myself and channel my emotions."
-Terrell
"My favorite thing about doing music is to share it - show other people what I can do."
-Francielys
The KEYS approach
Our unique In-School Model for music education offers an academic advantage to students by providing:
Opportunity
Access
to develop the creative
skills to be self-directed
responsible, and engaged
to enriching activities that foster self-esteem and creative self-expression
Support
Connection
through the transformative
relationships with teachers,
fellow music students,
and the community
for graduates through paid internships, student monetary awards, and scholarship opportunities
KEYS is fully committed to inspiring and supporting our students throughout their academic lives, with 100% of students on scholarship, receiving free music lessons and instruments.
KEYS partners with schools that have higher needs and fewer resources
Our mission is Bridgeport, but we teach students throughout the greater Bridgeport area!
Why?
Students are able to continue with KEYS lessons even if they move or change schools.
This Music Scholarship approach promotes long-term engagement throughout their school years.
21
KEYS school programs
M-F during and after school
47
Other schools attended by KEYS scholarship participants
2
Saturday Programs
Music Education is not about developing the next virtuoso.
It is about developing a different perspective to inspire creativity, freedom, motivation, and critical thinking.
Since 2004, we have served over 5,000 students
In a recent survey*, KEYS Parents...
98%
65%
79%
96%
Healthy choices
reported that using life skills their child learns through KEYS helps them make positive decisions in their everyday lives
Attendance
reported that their child's school attendance improved as a result of KEYS music lessons
grades
reported that their child's grades improved during the time their child has taken KEYS music lessons
self-confidence
reported that their child's self-confidence improved during the time their child has taken KEYS music lessons
*Based on KEYS Parent Survey January 2023
Our 2022 impact
11,580
600+
2,500
80
960
70
100%
Hours of music instruction
(in-person & virtual)
Students served
Hours of Summer Learning
Students participated in summer camp
Summer meals & snacks served
Students participated weekly in Saturday Ensembles
of KEYS HS seniors
graduated high school
grades K-4
20%
grades 5-8
55%
grades 9-12+
25%
students by grade
We also have collaborative partnerships with other organizations focused on bringing opportunities to Bridgeport students:
Our Financials*
Revenue - Our income comes from individuals (55%), grants (43%), and other (2%) sources.
Individual donor contributions during our spring appeal and fall benefit provide the majority of our annual funding.
Annual and multi-year leadership grants from corporate and nonprofit funders, including private family foundations, position KEYS for financial stability.
Expense - Labor is our largest annual expense!
Our music program is made possible by an amazingly talented group of paid resources:
39
Teaching Artists
8
Paid College Interns
3.5
Full-Time
Staff
We carefully manage our necessary non-program costs
(e.g., rent, insurance, accounting, bookkeeping, fundraising).
*fiscal year ending 8/31/22
Longtime KEYS supporters Jon and Cathleen Morgan were honored for their commitment to KEYS.
Gwendolyn van Paasschen
Volunteer Award
Teacher Hall of Fame
Retired KEYS violin teacher, Debbie Graser, was honored by KEYS Founder, Rob Silvan, for her 10+ years in the KEYS program.
Special friends of KEYS hosted benefit events throughout
Fairfield County.
Fall Satellite Benefit Events
We ended the year with a festive performance by our Orchestra, Concert Band, Jazz Band and Chorus (see video of Jazz Band here).
Spring Concert
Our KEYS families and friends enjoyed a performance by our Orchestra, Concert Band, Jazz Band and Chorus (see video of Concert Band here).
Winter Concert
2022 Highlights
Summer Camp
Our annual summer program was featured on News 12 CT (see video).
Karen Cobham
Joined KEYS as full-time Executive Director in June.
Who we are
Board of Directors
(2022)
Russ Cooper - Chair
Greg Bauer
Reine C. Boyer, Esq.
Jon Burleigh
Edwin Farrow
Andrew Foote
Art Gang
Virginia Gray
Max Jellinek
Amy Marshall
Adrienne Reedy
David Sachs
Rev. Sara D. Smith, Esq.
Shelita Washington
Bill Young
Leadership
(2022)
Karen Cobham - Executive Director
Rob Silvan - Founder/Artistic Director
Laurie Bradbury - Assistant Executive Director
Jen Bartlett - Marketing/Communications Director
Music Faculty (2022)
MJ Alexander, Brass
Joe Basile, Trumpet/Band
Misty Beyer, Piano
Jennifer Brown, Violin
Jerome Burns, Brass
Josué Bustamante, Violin
Ernest Chamberlain, Piano, Band
Charlie Conti, Guitar
Madeleine Corliss, Cello
Andrew Crape, Violin
Dave Crespo, Guitar
Matthew DeTroy, Piano
Anna DeVeau-Jalbert, Chorus
Eric Donnelly, Guitar
Jillian Emerson, Cello
Brian Ente, Percussion
Amy Griswold, Violin
Terrance Griswold, Woodwinds
Andrea Gómez, Violin
Jeremey Lombard, Piano
Ben Mazzola, Woodwinds
Corinne Metter, Violin, Viola
Andrea Mills, Cello
Jenny Ong, Piano
Edita Orlinyte, Violin, Piano
Tim Ouimette, Brass
Julie Overland, Violin, Piano
Evelyn Pellicane, Guitar
Peter Randazzo, Piano
Michael Roche, KEYS Band Director, Brass
Amy Selig, Violin, Viola
Rob Silvan, KEYS Chorus & Jazz Band Director
Andrew Smith, KEYS Orchestra Conductor
Mary Speer, Piano
Greg Stan, Violin, Guitar
Claudia Tondi, Violin, Viola
Ed Train, Electronic Music
Glen Ullman, Violin
Abby Gross Walker, Cello, Violin, Piano
George Wilkinson, Piano
KEYS Summer Program Faculty - Summer 2022
We know that music education makes a difference in the lives of our young people in Bridgeport.
Thank you for being part of our community!
KEYS MUSIC
Mailing Address:
PO Box 532
New Canaan, CT 06840
(203)350-0255
admin@keysmusic.org
Office Address:
The nOURish Center
2200 North Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06604
Photography by:
KEYS contributors (no stock images used)
Created by J. Bartlett
