Youth Advancement through Music & Art (YATMA)
nourishes students’ creative spirit and fans the flame
until it becomes a source of inner strength.
~ Bill Rossi, Executive Director ~
The mission of Youth Advancement through Music & Arts (YATMA) is to teach youth to learn and communicate in positive ways. We accomplish this by providing opportunities for positive expression of difficult emotions, leading to higher academic achievement and greater social participation.
An inclusive arts mentoring program, YATMA works with challenged young people from all walks of life through individual and small group instruction in keyboard, guitar, bass, and ensemble playing and dance, poetry, and spoken word. Our performance events are an awesome mix of faculty, students, and other creative community members.
YATMA is now launching an exciting Danbury, CT initiative with creative partners at A Common Ground Community Arts Center and The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts, known as Danbury Arts in Action. YATMA will relocate to the Common Ground’s elegant studios on May 2, 2013.
Registration of new students will begin the first week of May. Interested in lessons or becoming a part of this new community initiative? Please call Mary-Helen at 203.885.7939.
And if you can, please donate to help us empower our community’s youth!
All Donations Applied to Danbury Arts in Action.
Consider these thoughts from recent students, then check out our site to learn more:
In a nutshell, YATMA has helped me to:
→ get organized (I play the drums and there’s a lot of parts I need to remember for a gig, and if I forget one, this affects the other members I am playing with)
→ get motivated (I look forward to Saturday afternoons playing with the group and learning new things)
And last but not least, YATMA has taught me … to look towards my future and become the best me that I can be. – (kmc)
Or this:
Whenever I feel that I’m starting to lose touch, YATMA moves me and gets me back into the groove: my own, real, confidence and flow. Thanks to YATMA, I remain in touch with all that is around and inside me. I see the big picture. I am more patient with myself since joining YATMA and know I can give myself the space I need to learn. It is inspiring to work and share myself with others on this level and it inspires every aspect of my life. YATMA has helped to reveal my calling, my future, my power, and my path: My groove. - (Austen Royce Goodman)
All Donations Applied to Danbury Arts in Action.
I am a Family Mentor and Advocate and have had the pleasure of working with YATMA on several occasions in the past year or so. I have referred at least a half dozen families their way with wonderful results each time.
As parents of one of the YATMA students we just love how YATMA teaches the kids responsibility as well as music. The teachers instill a work ethic… it is not talent alone that will give you success. The YATMA staff are very caring and patient. What really excites our daughter is performing at various venues… sharing her love of music with others and realizing hard work pays off… Hopefully this wonderful program can grow and mentor many more kids in our community. (mcgowan)