Roots of Music
The Roots of Music: Creating the Next Generation of New Orleans Musicians
The Roots of Music program provides music history and theory as well as instrumental instruction and ensemble performance preparation. Serving kids ages 9-14 from low-income households, and provide our students with hot meals and round-trip transportation to reduce common barriers to participation.
Five days a week, 12 months a year, the program:
Delivers over 2,500 hours of music education and other academic tutoring
Delivers over 30,400 Nutritious hot meals
Provides 1,400 Bus journeys
Supplies over 150 instruments for student use
The Roots of Music was created in 2007, during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, by Derrick Tabb
Upcoming Shows
In 2025, The Roots of Music will graduate around thirty-five students from the Marching Crusaders and Roots Studio Academy programs combined!
The Marching Crusaders program serves students nine through fourteen and they graduate when they turn fifteen. This TROM graduation will also celebrate students from The Roots Studio Academy, as they graduate from high school. The Marching Crusaders will be taking their next steps by moving onto local high schools, while the Roots Studio Academy students go on to pursue higher education opportunities.
Graduating Marching Crusaders will perform, as well as our Roots Studio Academy students.
