MEMPHIS, Tenn — Memphis is all about music, and now Stax Music Academy is looking for middle and high school students who want to make some sweet sounds to audition and enroll in its 2023-2024 SMA Afterschool Program.
The Stax Music Academy offers a wide range of music-interest training, such as vocals, instrumentals, music theory, production and audio engineering, songwriting and music business, videography, choreography, and more.
Academy leaders said this upcoming year they are also offering guitar players tuition assistance through the Skip Pitts and Albert King Gap Funds as part of a partnership with Gibson Gives. King was a guitarist and musician often considered one of the most influential blues singers ever, and Pitts was Isaac Hayes’ longtime guitarist.
“Both SMA and Gibson Gives recognize the importance of investing in growth and development of youth through music,” said Stax Music Academy Executive Director Isaac Daniel. “We are very excited about this new partnership for the Soulsville Foundation.”
The academy has traveled around the world as Memphis Music Ambassadors, most recently playing the July 12 Summer for the City Festival at Lincoln Center in New York City with legendary Stax artist Booker T. Jones of Booker T. & the M.G.’s.
To set up an audition or find out more about the Stax Music Academy, learn more HERE or email smaprogramming@staxmusicacademy.org.