Austin Soundwaves

ONE WEEK until the second part of the Violin Etude Workshop for middle schoolers planning to audition for region!

The first part was such a blast, and we hear the second part has even more fun in store. 👀 If you missed the first session, make sure you don't miss the second. 🎻 You can register now at bit.ly/reg18workshop

Catch Mariachi Para Todos at HAAM Day Music Festival this Tuesday, September 22! We'll be playing the Central Market Westgate Showcase at 6:00 PM. We're excited to play alongside so many other awesome local performers. Thank you to our friends at HAAM - Health Alliance for Austin Musicians for all that you do!

📍Central Market - 4477 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78745

⏰Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 6:00 PM

We can't wait to celebrate the fourth annual Teresa Lozano Long Community Day at the Long Center on September 19! It's always such a joy to celebrate and honor our founder alongside so many other awesome organizations. The Austin Soundwaves Quartet will be performing at 12:15 PM in Rollins Theater, followed by our increasingly popular Music Exploration sessions in the Balcony Lobby at 1:45 PM.

Part block party, part arts fest, and totally free! You can RSVP at longcenter.org 🧡

BIG NEWS 💥 The 2026-2027 Chamber Music Scholarship Program has extended the application deadline to Friday, September 18.

This competitive program selects five high school musicians to comprise a chamber ensemble. Those students will meet monthly to rehearse, coached by Austin Soundwaves teaching staff. In the spring, the ensemble will perform during an Austin Civic Orchestra concert. Students will also receive a $1,000 scholarship to support their study after high school!

Apply today at the link in our bio.

What does it mean to be a Soundwaves Sustainer?

As we wrap up our campaign, we're thrilled to share that 5 people have joined our Soundwaves Sustainers! By making a monthly gift, each of them is personally ensuring that young musicians have the mentorship, resources, and opportunities they need to flourish — not just today, but all year long.

Because of them, we can keep hiring excellent teaching artists, purchasing and repairing instruments, renting rehearsal and performance space, and providing scholarships to students who need them most.

To our new Sustainers: thank you. And if you're still interested in joining, our door is always open — you can sign up anytime at the link in our bio. Whether it's $5 or $50, you help us plan ahead, jump in when teachers need us, and support even more young musicians, all year long.

"Detail your implementation plan, learning objectives aligned to a focus area, activities, timeline, and evaluation methods." 😵‍💫 What?

Sometimes doing the best you can for your students means that you have to seek additional funding for your classroom. And after years of studying your artistic craft AND pedagogy AND learning outcomes AND classroom management AND everything else that comes along with leading a band or orchestra... you are also a grant writer now.

The support we offer to Austin's music educators doesn't stop in the practice room. Just last month, our Deputy Director, Hermes Camacho, provided several teachers with guidance on how to apply for a grant, giving them the tools they need to earn funding for a successful school year.

Your support gives us the bandwidth to offer real relief to the teachers who already take on so much.
https://www.austinsoundwaves.org/donate

How does Austin Soundwaves support teachers?

The support we provide goes beyond student mentorship. At our core, we are working to break down barriers to music education, and that means supporting the students and teachers who lead music programs. We work closely with partner teachers across the Austin Independent School District, who are a vital part of our community's music network.

Our Programs Director, Mary Speight, once stepped in to provide professional development to three local middle schools' music faculty. Over the course of two days, she helped them work through practical ways they could further build community in their classrooms and support student academics through the lens of music and the arts.

By supporting our partner teachers, we can help even more young musicians. It's not about us being in every classroom, but instead making sure each teacher feels prepared and knowing we're there for them when they need extra help.

This kind of support is possible because donors give throughout the year — not just to help students, but to make sure their teachers never have to go it alone.

What do you do when you're asked to teach a music class outside your area of expertise?

When a guitar teacher from one of our partners, Martin Middle School, was asked to reboot the school's orchestra program, he needed support — not only for himself, but for his students.

Meredith McAlmon, a low strings teaching artist with Austin Soundwaves, stepped in to support him. She helped select the repertoire of music. Provided support registering the ensemble for events. Coordinated lesson plans. And answered questions.

Weeks of behind-the-scenes support — one teacher helping another — built the foundation for the school's music program to grow.

Support like this is only possible because donors give throughout the year, so we're ready before a school even has to ask.

Now that same teacher is moving into a new role, leading a more advanced orchestra. With the mentorship and tools provided by Meredith, he's stepping into it with the skills and confidence to keep building on what they started together.