With a devotion to youth’s musical growth, personal development and a deep knowledge of the building blocks necessary to succeed in college and careers in music, Denise Kinney and Don Luizzi founded Music and Mindfulness in 2021.  The Philadelphia Youth Music Institute partnered as the not for profit fiscal sponsor, under the leadership of CEO, Louis Scaglione. 

 

Following the COVID quarantine, Denise Kinney and Don Liuzzi saw gifted students lose their chance at college and a musical future. Both were well aware that even in pre-COVID times, students from low income backgrounds faced summers of “black holes”, holes of few if any lessons or ensemble playing, no audition or concert prep and mentors rarely available to guide them. 

 

Today, Music and Mindfulness goes on,  with Denise Kinney as Director and Don Liuzzi occasionally joining as guest conductor. Students continue to express that combining the learnings of Music and Mindfulness in the beauty of nature gave them benefits that were beyond” any other learning experience .