SONY PUMPS MUSIC INTO L.A. CLASSROOMS

Sony Music Group is gearing up for the second annual kid-empowering Beyond the Instrument initiative with nonprofit partners Save the Music and Music Forward.

Mariachi, norteño and ranchera singer Lupita Infante (pictured), who recently inked a deal with Sony Music Latin, will kick off the four-week program tomorrow (3/31) at Los Angeles Unified's Griffith STEAM Magnet Middle School. She will answer questions about her path to becoming a Latin Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter and offer advice.

April will see music-industry workshops and STEAM education. (STEAM, which stands for "Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math," is an educational model that uses the arts to improve academic outcomes.)

“We’re honored to come together again with Music Forward and Save the Music to further develop music-education programs and build opportunities for students in communities underserved by STEAM education," said the very busy Towalame Austin, SMG EVP of Philanthropy and Social Impact—who just last weekend oversaw a songwriting and composing workshop conceived by Sony Music Publishing and Girls Make Beats. "Together with Lupita Infante, we look forward to providing these students with the resources they need and inspiring the next generation of music professionals.”

Save the Music Executive Director Henry Donahu expressed gratitude for "Sony’s support in bringing instruments, technology and teaching essentials to Griffith—part of Save the Music’s drive to invest in more than 50 L.A. schools in the next few years."

Music Forward Executive Director Nurit Siegel Smith, meanwhile, said her team was "delighted" to continue the partnership and "thrilled to contribute educational programs, workshops and resources to inspire the next generation of artists, leaders and innovators.”