Music is what life sounds like.
- Eric Olson
We provide music enrichment programs for at- risk kids which will not only boost their literacy skills, but also launches them into a greater world of creative possibilities.
OUR HISTORY
The Salett Art Center, Inc. started in 2011. We saw that there was a need especially among underserved communities to be exposed to the history of Jazz, Blues, and Negro Spirituals. We started providing jazz appreciation in underserved communities and to our delight many of the students embraced the culture and history we presented to them. We have also found that the music education we provide motivates students to strengthen their literacy skills.
OUR MISSION
To provide hope and inspiration through various educational music programs. Providing a culture of learning, inspiring creativity, and personal development which will enrich the quality of the musical lives of our youth.
WHAT WE PROVIDE
We offer programs for After School Programs and Summer Camps to provide jazz appreciation sessions. These sessions include live music, learning jazz history, jazz songs including the blues. We teach kids the theory behind writing the blues, allowing them to write their own blues and record onsite. We demonstrate various rhythms and teach improvisation. The length of our summer sessions are customized to the group for which we are providing the sessions. For extended programs we offer keyboard classes, which include sessions on jazz theory and performance.
Our online program LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD is designed to uplift the spirit and inspire creative writing. At the end of the program we provide a viritual recording of your short stories, songs, rap and more. Currently all classes are held on zoom.
Some of our partnerships have included The Safety Club of Raleigh, NC, North Carolina's Central University's Jazz Dept (NCCU),and The Heart of Carolina Jazz organization and Strategic behavioral Center. Our annual jazz competitions were held at NCCU and included a judge panel consisting of educators and professional jazz musicians.
OUR DIRECTOR
Lydia Dudley is a jazz pianist, vocalist, and composer living in the Raleigh Durham area. She received her Master's in Jazz Composition from North Carolina Central University. She has taught music to youth of all ages for 20 plus years and has recently provided music enrichment for a Psychiatric facility for teens. She incorporated songwriting as a tool to cope with depression, anxiety, and other challenges youth face today. The goal is to inspire not only youth but anyone to dream through music expression.
Some of her music accomplishments include, her first single 'GREEN' which was released in 2008. Her composition 'SUNSETS' was featured on UNC- Chapel Hill's project TENOR VIBE in 2010. She self-produced several other projects including; Jazz Standards (2012), Jazz Xpressions (2018), "This is Christmas" (2019), "Whatcha Gonna Say" (2020), "Winner in You (2021), and looking to release a new project in 2022 entitled "Rise Up". Her music is available on all digital platforms.