Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Sutta.
Jamie, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’ve experienced on a very personal level, the transformative power that a wonderful music education can have on an individual. I met my high school choral director, Harold Bradley, during my freshman year of high school. At this time, my life trajectory was going down a destructive path and meeting Mr. Bradley turned out to be life changing for me.
Through this choral program, I found a place where creativity, self-expression, hard work and skill was fostered by a gifted and passionate educator. Music education for me was the catalyst to change my life’s narrative. My musical training opened up doors at my church to serve in the music ministry which would lead to faith development. Singing gave my soul the exact thing it would need to express praise and to experience utter joy and beauty. With the help and support of my mentors, I earned a full scholarship for voice at Florida State University.
My first job out of college was directing a choral program in Orlando at an awesome public school with a supportive administrative staff. After a few years, there came a time when I decided to pursue a jazz voice degree at the University of Miami. Even though it was difficult to leave my students, I knew that this was the right time in life to work on my musicianship skills and artistry.
After a couple of years in Miami, I saw for myself the state of music education in certain areas of Miami Dade county. I missed working with children terribly and wanted to do something to contribute to the need for choral programs. I was performing regularly and had recently begun directing an adult choir at Old Cutler Presbyterian Church in Palmetto Bay.
During that time, several families from the surrounding community had approached me about wanting their children to join a chorus. I knew that thriving arts cities had multiple community children’s choruses, and that there were plenty of students that were not yet been reached in our city, especially in South Dade. After having a conversation with the pastor of Old Cutler Presbyterian Church, I had a donated space and everything grew from there.
I believe wholeheartedly in the benefits of music education and my mission in life is to impact the life of others through the choral arts.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
The Children’s Voice seeks to inspire positive change in its members by providing opportunities for musical and personal growth through choral music and early childhood classes for any child who has a desire to sing. We believe that music education is essential for a child’s growth and development and there are far too many children and youth who do not have access to quality programming.
The current educational system focuses on development in math, reading and writing skills, often overlooking the arts. Many students who struggle in these skills are taken out of their arts classes to take remedial courses in order to facilitate learning in these areas. Many regions, especially underserved communities, do not have music programs accessible, especially choral programs. Music is often left to the talented students in magnet programs, limiting other children’s abilities to create and perform, killing that child’s desire to make music a part of their lives.
Research confirms, time and time again, the wealth of benefits that come with music education. The Chorus Impact Study: Singing for a Lifetime (2019) found that life-long participation in choral music has been shown to increase cognitive abilities as well as physical and mental wellbeing. Research participants also reported a sense of belonging, connection to others, and good citizenship.
CVC was created to fulfill a need in our community for every student to explore their musicality through the choral arts in a safe and positive space. Our vision is for every child to have music as part of their education. Music is an integral part of the human experience, and singing together makes instant community.
Every child who goes through our program grows in their musical and personal skills based on yearly assessments that we use. Year after year, families reports that our programs have made an indelible impact on them. Part of the reason why we know our programs are working is because of the organic growth we have had over the last several years and because families remain loyal to CVC.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
I believe today’s climate has given the individual the tools for success and self-promotion so, in some ways, life has become easier. An artist can self-publish work and no longer needs an agent or label. However, I also believe that artists can have difficulty navigating through the music industry, making it impossibly hard for them to get their art out for others to see. My venture is not exactly the same, but we still face similar issues with our work being visible in the community.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
CVC choruses perform throughout our season from September through May. We can also be followed on Facebook and Instagram @thechildrensvoice where we post media. The public can support our work by coming to performances and donating to our organization.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.
thechildrensvoice.org - Phone: 786.216.7003
- Email: info@
childrensvoicechorus.org - Instagram: @thechildrensvoice
- Facebook: @thechildrensvoice
Image Credit:
Photo by Andre Gordon
Suggest a story: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
