What is
NO FEAR Music?
The program’s “open genre” approach invites students to share music that is reflective of their personal musical interests and life experiences. This encourages individual expression while also requiring students to work together collectively as they learn one another’s material.
In an effort to build camaraderie and community outside of classes and performance settings, a number of social gatherings are also planned each year, with past events including dining out, arcades, billiards, bowling, and more.
NO FEAR Music is a free afterschool music program designed for New Orleans area high school students, with middle school programming coming soon.
Ensembles meet once a week with seasoned teaching artists helping guide students in creating original works and reinterpreting music that is relevant and meaningful to each participant.
What do
students learn?
NO FEAR employs popular music learning methods and pedagogical practices, which include “open genre” ensemble playing, group composition and arranging, aural ear training, music theory, improvisation, performance skills, and more — all buttressed by the indelible musical traditions of New Orleans.
In addition to their musical development, students also gain new perspectives and cultivate important social skills as they learn to produce participatory performances that engage audiences near and far while serving communities in the process.
What do
participants do?
In addition to rehearsing weekly and performing at popular events such as local music festivals, students produce and carry out participatory music performances which serve their community and engage audiences which may not have equitable access to high quality arts experiences.
Qualifying students will also have the opportunity to travel regionally and internationally through the NO FEAR Ambassadors cultural exchange program, which in June 2026, aims to bring up to 10 student musicians and comedians to the San Jose Central Valley in Costa Rica for a week of interactive education initiatives and participatory performances.