Photo Series: East Boston's Zumix Music School

East Boston, Massachusetts - April 3, 2019: Zumix instructor Brittany Thomas sits in one of the school’s many open music rooms describing the course process for the average student interested in live production. Zumix students typically take one or two live sound classes, before seeking out an internship with a Zumix instructor. After five unpaid gigs, the student is then offered a paid position.

East Boston, Massachusetts - April 3, 2019: The Zumix radio station has streamed online for over a decade. In 2016, the station joined FM airwaves for the first time. From 10 am to 4 pm weekdays, adult Zumix affiliates host a variety of music shows. After 4 pm, selected students produce their own programs. The station also offers recording services for PSAs and underwriting.

East Boston, Massachusetts - April 3, 2019: In 2010, Zumix moved from the co-founders’ living room into the Engine Company 40 Firehouse. The main space on the ground floor acts as the school’s exclusive venue. Brittany Thomas (left) assists in one of the school’s more popular concert series “Big Worlds,” which started in February.

East Boston, Massachusetts - April 12, 2019: Instructor Brittany Thomas (right) talks to her student Lia about her latest project. Thomas leads a small audio stories class with around 8 students once every week. The class focuses on producing personal stories in an audio format and familiarizing the students with professional editing programs. Lia is writing a story about reckoning with mental illness in her family.

East Boston, Massachusetts - April 12, 2019: Brittany Thomas (left) speaks to two of her students about their stories. Thomas encourages a highly social learning environment and lets students play and share their latest music interests. She describes the philosophy of Zumix as “openness to unorthodox teaching.”

East Boston, Massachusetts - April 12, 2019: One of Thomas’s students, who requested to remain he remain nameless, talks about his idea for an audio story about living “in the hood.” Most of the students come from East Boston High School or Eggleston High school, with whom Zumix has maintained partnerships for a number of years.

East Boston, Massachusetts - April 12, 2019: A student spins his pen while brainstorming concepts for his next audio story. In this class, students were assigned a scene and character breakdown, working towards a rough draft to record by the end of the session.

East Boston, Massachusetts - April 12, 2019: In celebration of one student’s birthday, Brittany Thomas (right) surprised the class by leading them upstairs for ice cream. The class joke about the goings-on at school, and talk briefly about their plans for class next Friday. Many of these students come from low-income neighborhoods, and Thomas’s free course is a rare opportunity for them to gain experience with audio production.

East Boston, Massachusetts - April 28, 2019: Before beginning their annual Walk for Music fundraiser, the students, donors, and affiliates pose for a photo. This year marks Zumix’s 20th birthday, and the 16th year they have organized the Walk for Music. Zumix depends heavily on donations and sponsorships throughout the year, and the Walk for Music is one of two major fundraisers that the organization hosts.

East Boston, Massachusetts - April 28, 2019: Marchers of the Walk for Music gathered around one particularly lively young boy in a Captain America suit. The first branch of the walk led the followers from the Zumix school down to the East Boston Piers Park. For fear of rain, the Zumix house band led the walk at a slightly brisker pace than in previous years.

East Boston, Massachusetts - April 28, 2019: At East Boston Piers Park, the Zumix supporters started a game of “Super Chicken” to help meet everyone who had attended. Other activities included a “Singin’ In the Rain” sing-a-long and dance circle.

This piece was produced as a part of Emerson College’s Photojournalism course in Spring 2019.