ABOUT AMPLIFY Amplify is a riveting concert experience in which talented and skilled musicians perform songs written by youth from around the world in the Music In Common JAMMS program. JAMMS is a culturally-immersive program in which participants from diverse communities join together to write a song. To date, more than 50 songs have been written across the U.S. and Middle East spanning religious, racial, ethnic, and cultural sectors. No musical experience is required to participate in JAMMS. As such, Amplify musicians are ambassadors for the youth whose songs they are performing, amplifying their powerful messages to wider audiences in ways the songwriters may not have been able to do on their own. Amplify is an audition-based program that evaluates musical expertise and emotional maturity as criteria for selection.
AMPLIFY COMMUNITY CONCERTS SInce 2005, Music In Common has been producing concerts that engage large numbers of local musicians with their communities. We are excited to apply our tried and true model to Amplify. As such, we are seeking seasoned musicians in communities across the globe to partner with us to produce and perform an Amplify concert.
Comprised of a core band of musicians typically consisting of guitar, keyboards, bass, drums, vocals, and a music director / project coordinator, Amplify features a new lineup of local musicians and vocalists as guest artists in each market it is performed.
Core Band
The core band can be an already existing band or one put together specifically for Amplify, and is tasked with learning, interpreting, and rehearsing a set of about a dozen JAMMS songs.
Music In Common will provide song sheets, mp3s, and contextual information for all songs
The core band is invited to come up with their own interpretations of the songs.
In addition to serving as the backing band for the guest artists, the core band is encouraged to be able to perform the show completely on their own to widen the net of additional performance opportunities.
Music Director / Project Coordinator
The music director / project coordinator works directly with Music In Common staff to plan and prep for the concert.
The music director is invited to participate in the song selection for the concert or have MIC staff choose the songs, whichever they prefer.
Guest Artists
Selection for local guest artists is conducted by open call and individual outreach, and is coordinated and overseen by the music director and Music in Common staff to fit each show’s needs.
Artist submissions are made online and once selections have been finalized artists are provided with song sheets, recordings, and contextual information to learn their song(s)
We encourage the core band to provide simple recordings of their versions of the songs to guest as well as scheduling a dress rehearsal as an extended sound check at the venue the day of the concert.
Benefit Concert
Amplify Community Concerts are benefit concerts. Funds raised support Music In Common programs, including JAMMS and our three-week residential summer Amplify for youth. As such, we are grateful for guest artists graciously volunteering their time and performance to the cause.
We welcome and are grateful for offers from core band members and music directors to do the same, but we recognize the larger investment of time needed. We are able to offer modest stipends when volunteering is not possible, to be agreed upon by the music director and Music In Common staff.
When paid, the music director / project coordinator and core band members work as independent contractors of Music in Common, Inc.
Venues The music director and Music In Common staff will work together to identify partner venues to host the concert. Some of the factors we consider are:
Sound & lighting production as well as projection capabilities
