Kid Pan Alley

Kid Pan Alley turns classrooms into vibrant creative studios, inspiring children through the art and joy of collaborative songwriting. Since our founding over 25 years ago, we’ve written nearly 3,000 songs with over 80,000 children across the country from Virginia to Hawaii, building confidence and fostering community through the power of collaborative songwriting.

We are delighted to be part of Give Local Piedmont, a community wide fundraising event that helps support the non-profits in our local region that make this such a wonderful place to live.

We’re aiming to raise $50,000 to bring our innovative program to thousands more children. Your donation through May 12th will go twice as far thanks to our board’s matching gift, plus you’ll help us qualify for additional prizes and bonus funds!

“There is nothing more helpful to a developing human than to learn how to express feelings in sound. Kid Pan Alley is a fabulous way of bringing young people into the loop of reflective behavior, of constructive action.”  Maestro Lorin Maazel, Former Music Director, NY Philharmonic

As part of our 25th Anniversary, we’re excited to announce the release of our 7th studio album There’s A Song In Every Story which will be available everywhere April 24th. The album features notable artists and musicians including Pinchas Zukerman, Howard Levy, Billy Jonas, John Keawe, and many others.

It’s not a collection of cute kids’ songs — it’s an album of real songs about real things: climate change, slavery, war, grief, identity, and love. Every track was co-written by Paul Reisler and Kid Pan Alley with children in actual classrooms, which is precisely what makes it extraordinary. The children aren’t performing someone else’s message — these are their words, their truths, and their music.

Click here to listen to the new album!

Our professional teaching artists guide students through creating original songs together, connecting them with history, culture, current events, and their own experiences. Through this process, children learn to express themselves while respecting diverse perspectives. The impact of Kid Pan Alley extends beyond the classroom. Our songs have been recorded by celebrated artists like Amy Grant, Sissy Spacek, Lisa Loeb, Delbert McClinton, Cracker, Kix Brooks, Nashville Chamber Orchestra, Corey Harris, Suzy Bogguss and many others. We’ve released six studio albums that have won two Parents’ Choice Gold Awards, a WAMMIE, and even received a Grammy nomination!

 

Here's a song from the album written by the 5th grade at Wakefield Country Day School in Flint Hill, VA

 

Here’s what 6x GRAMMY® Nominated singer/songwriter John McCutcheon and Billboard Hot 100™ charting singer/songwriter Steve Poltz have to say about Kid Pan Alley and the importance of songwriting with children.

 

“Kid Pan Alley is the quintessential program for helping kids to experience their creative power, their voice, and their own self-expression. This is the kind of experience that changes lives.”  Kathy Mattea, Grammy Award Winner

"Kid Pan Alley is where creativity starts. Without this amazing program, most kids will never know the joy of writing and singing their own song."  Dr. Ysaye M. Barnwell, Sweet Honey in the Rock

Your support today will help us inspire creativity in thousands more children tomorrow!