Andrew Rinaldi Memorial Fund

We’ve had the opportunity to concentrate on three amazing projects this year:

In January of 2019, the second “Andrew’s Studio” opened its doors at Domus Kids, an organization in Stamford, CT, which runs an alternative High School for the Stamford school district, together with after-school programs. In their words, they “work with kids who others won’t work with.” In addition, they’ve recently started a program working with young men who are incarcerated and getting ready to be released. Overall, they are looking to get kids and young adults educated, work ready and into jobs. 

In January of 2020, the third Andrew’s Studio will open in the Carver Center in Port Chester, NY. The Carver Center is a community center open to all ages which already had an old recording studio, ripe for refurbishment. We’ve provided the funds to update the equipment and soundproofing and they’re just about ready to open their doors! 

The original studio in the teen center at Arch Street, Greenwich, continues to thrive since its inauguration in 2017. 

We asked all three organizations to provide reports on the studios and the impact they’re having, which, as you can read below, is very exciting.

The Teen Center at Arch Street 

This year has been a special one. We’ve had the privilege of teaching and watching students grow from a beginner musical level to fully self-sufficient studio sessions. 

From January of this year to late June we averaged 15-20 students per week in Andrew’s Studio. Studio Session activity varied between solo, partnered musicians and groups. There was an increase in group sessions amongst high school students.

We were pleased to see students who had been attending Open Studio since the opening and earlier in the year graduate from their high schools and told us they will continue to pursue a music course within their colleges.

From Early September until now we have been averaging 12-18 students a week (Summer recess was from late June to Early September). Many of our regulars have graduated and began their first year of college. 

With the growth of electronic music and DJ’s in pop culture, a majority of requests have been middle school students wanting to learn the roots of electronic music production and how they can turn what they are creating into performance. We have opened opportunities for students of this interest to shadowing the DJ’s here at the teen center on middle school dance nights.

Domus Kids

Andrew’s  Studio served 98 individual youth during  the 2018 – 2019 year . The students came to us from the Stamford community and internally from Domus Programs . Of the 98 youth we served, 25 regularly utilized  the studio, typically on a weekly schedule . Here’re some highlights for the year :

• Work and Learn [their education for employment program] added a music production class to their curriculum . They now offer it in all four cycles .
• The Stamford Academy girls group used the studio to produce a school song for graduation
• We have partnered the Stamford Youth service Bureau to create a youth lead podcast focusing on youth issues in the Stamford community .
• Two  students created original beats and sold the music to the public.

Carver Center

With final touches still being made, Andrew’s Studio at Carver Center should officially open as 2020 arrives!  Initially, we will serve interested students from the Teen Center and Middle School After School population, estimated between 30-40 young people. As new equipment has arrived, the kids have been chomping at the bit to begin.  We are so excited for what Andrew’s Studio will provide to the young people of our community!

What’s In Store for 2020?

Thanks to all of you, we still have funds to invest in our young people. We’re looking for the next suitable project and have recently been told about a Teen Center in New Jersey which might be interested in their own “Andrew’s Studio”! We’ll let you know….