Center for Musical Development and Wellness announces it's Summer Music Program will be offered again for the second year in 2017! Sponsored by the Jazz and Heritage Foundation and individuals like you, this program allows highly motivated young musicians to gain experience playing together in an ensemble. While the focus on piano ensures a solid foundation in music theory, harmony, and accompanying, participants explore techniques and sound effects of a variety of instruments to develop aural skills and create their own unique orchestrations to favorite songs. The program features master classes with New Orleans' own world-class local musicians and concludes with a community performance. Participants also work collaboratively to co-produce a music video highlighting their summer experiences and co-design the T-shirt for the following year.

Have you ever noticed that people do not stutter when they sing? Can you imaging that something as natural for many people as saying your name, imposes great difficulty and stress for millions of others?

Singing allows many people who stutter to express themselves freely and without fear. Listen to singer-songwriter Megan Washington share her experiences with singing and stuttering. To watch her full Ted Talk, click here to request to join the Musical Development and Wellness Community on Facebook.

If you stutter, you are not alone.

Happy birthday to CMDW founder, director and teacher April Hamm, known affectionately by her students of all ages as "Miss April!" We thought today would be a great day for some Q&A with Miss April. We asked about her early music experiences and why she loves music...

Q: When did you know you were interested in music? 

A: My favorite thing about all my favorite childhood movies was the music. I ended up with a keyboard at some point (I think because nobody liked my singing), and when I was about 8 years old my mom signed me up for lessons with a piano teacher in our neighborhood. Mrs. Meganson was wonderful! She taught me a lot, but what I really loved as a kid was that she would put Skittles on the piano keys when I did well lol! I was so motivated to earn Skittles that I usually had enough to share with my younger brother after every lesson! 

Q: Did you have a hard time practicing when you were growing up? What made you motivated to keep up lessons all those years and then study music in college and graduate school?

A: I actually did not like to practice when I was growing up! And I'd be fibbing if I told you I learned to like it in graduate school! However, now that I'm out of school, I find that when