Back in the 1950s, Dr. W.O. Smith arrived in Nashville, a jazz musician who had played with some of the greats throughout his career. His second act was a teaching post at Tennessee State University, and he watched the city of Nashville seemingly split: on one side, you had Music Row cranking out hit after hit, star after star. On the other, there were neighborhoods like Edgehill, where kids were growing up with nearly no access to the industry that awarded Nashville its nickname.
Smith became the first Black member of the Nashville Symphony. Then, in 1984, he founded W.O. Smith Music School on the belief that every child in the city deserved a shot at the thing that made Nashville famous… despite income or zip code. The price of a lesson when Smith first opened the doors? 50 cents. The price today? 50 cents.
“If we’re going to be Music City, it’s a charge to all of us here to truly be Music City,” says current executive director Dr. Valerie Cordero. “Everybody in Nashville should make sure that young people can access music, no matter what their economic background is.”
At 50 cents a pop, that means a family pays between $7 and $25 per semester, depending on how many children they’re enrolling. The school provides instruments, sheet music, and accessories like guitar strings. The only eligibility requirement is that students qualify for free or reduced school lunches. What’s more, the school has a van that drives around town, ushering students and teachers to and from practice.
With 19 dedicated practice rooms and a curriculum that spans classical music, vocals, jazz ensembles, rock ‘n’ roll, and even audio and music production, the all-volunteer instructors tap into their own skills to invest in the next generation of Nashville musicians. That was part of Dr. Smith’s original idea and mission—to capitalize on Nashville’s high concentration of musicians, retired professors, and industry professors looking to invest in the next generation.
“I grew up with music in my life,” Dr. Cordero adds. “It was a wonderful escape for me, a wonderful form of self-expression. In times I felt alone or scared or like nobody understood me, I always had music.”
Part of the curriculum also hinges on performance—recitals run at the end of each semester and are open to the public, giving students the opportunity to get up on stage in front of a real audience. Students also perform at community events and festivals around town, including a joint showcase at Montgomery Bell Academy’s annual fundraiser.
“Part of that performance aspect is giving them stage presence,” Dr. Cordero explains. “They learn to present themselves in a great way beyond just learning the note.”
Beyond music, the school teaches discipline, teamwork and community, and confidence.
“We are using music as a way for children to develop self-confidence and become good citizens,” she adds.
There are a multitude of ways to support the W.O. Smith mission. If you’re a musician—including classical instrumentalists, rock guitarists, vocal coaches, audio engineers, the list goes on—consider volunteering your time by teaching a class or guest speaking to students.
“If someone has particular knowledge base around the industry—tour member, community band, run a sound studio or recording studio—and want to impart that knowledge on our population, they could certainly volunteer,” Dr. Cordero says.
And she practices what she preaches. During working hours, she keeps the business running. Then, she walks down the hall and teaches.
“It would be such a tragedy if kids didn’t get to experience [music],” she adds. “If their school doesn’t have a robust arts program, they would be shut out from those experiences.”
Alumni of W.O. Smith have gone on to careers at every end of the music business: a saxophonist who came up through the program regularly performs around Nashville; a singer continues to work in the industry; and one is a music executive in New York. The school awards scholarships to alumni who choose to major in music… one is finishing a degree at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
So the next time you’re saddling up to a honky tonk or enjoying a jazz band during dinner, think about where they came from, what it took to get there. As with many industries, music can be about who you know and open doors. W.O. Smith Music School is the “who you know” for many young folks who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to shine.
To learn more about fundraising and volunteer opportunities, visit wosmith.org.
“They learn to present themselves in a great way beyond just learning the note.”
“We are using music as a way for children to develop self-confidence and become good citizens."