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Welcome to MacPhail Center for Music’s resource site with free music activities, tips, podcasts, student and faculty stories and more!
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10 Years of Music and Community: A Conversation with MNYO Director Joe Kaiser
For 10 years, the MacPhail Northside Youth Orchestra (MNYO) has given young musicians a place to keep playing, growing and making music together.
A Symphony of One
Most musicians hope to master and rise to the ranks of musical prowess on at least one instrument. It’s not uncommon, though, to find a musician who is fluent on...
MacPhail Student Charles Foster Wins Minnesota State Fair Talent Contest
MacPhail Community Youth Choir student takes first place in the Preteen Division.
Solving the Puzzle of Songwriting with Barbara Cohen
Barbara Cohen’s connection to MacPhail started when she was 9 years old, taking flute lessons. Since then, Cohen has become a multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, and composer. She has scored films, performed...
Online Lesson Guide
Online lessons make it possible to stay connected with your MacPhail teacher and keep learning and making progress when you can’t meet in the same room. Your faculty member will...
Community & Choral Music with Jerry Rubino
For Jerry Rubino, singing is about building community and sharing your voice with others. Rubino has been teaching voice and piano through the MacPhail Music for Life Program™ for 15...
What Students Say About MacPhail | 2026 Survey Results
Each year, MacPhail Center for Music asks students and families to tell us about their experience—what’s working, what matters most and where we can continue to improve.
MacPhail Center for Music Welcomes Chris Tomshine as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
MacPhail Center for Music has named Chris Tomshine as its new Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, bringing more than 25 years of nonprofit finance leadership and a passion for...
KARE 11: ‘Am I Doing Enough?’: Minneapolis teen’s original song heads to Broadway – August 5, 2026
James Pumphrey, a young artist, won the National Endowment for the Arts’ Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge, earning a $2,500 scholarship and a trip to NYC.