Music and public service go hand-in-hand. We're very proud and grateful to have the chance to work with the International Sports and Music Project and sponsor a music studio for refugee communities in Athens, Greece. 

We caught up with Jason Steinberg, the founder of the International Sports and Music Project, to learn more about how he's making a difference through music.

Jason, you created the International Sports & Music Project because you believe that sports and music can make the world a better place. Is there a particular sport or artist/band that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

Soooooo many. Too many to count. A major one is definitely Phish...I've seen quite a few Phish shows and each one feels like a reminder of what's important - being with people you love, expressing yourself in a genuine way, and having fun. ISMP exists so that kids can make friends, express themselves, and have fun. I think Phish exists for those very same reasons. 

The Capitol Theatre is honored to be involved with the International Sports & Music Project by sponsoring a music studio in Athens, Greece. How will the studio improve the lives of refugee communities in Greece through music?

The studio will accomplish a lot of different things! Most simply, it will amplify the voices of refugees in Greece and create new opportunities through music. It will allow professional musicians in refugee communities to record their own original music. It will allow students to get the joy of hearing their own playing. It will create opportunities for live performances. Each of these opportunities create lasting impact in different ways --- they create joy, cultivate friendships, improve self-esteem, and perhaps most importantly, they give people a chance to have FUN.

The recording studio will be built at the headquarters of Musikarama, the refugee-led music collective that you've partnered with for many years. Where can we listen to the music of Musikarama? Once the studio is built and music starts being recorded, how will the music be released?

Musikarama has big plans for the studio, which includes Tiny Desk-like performances, recorded original tracks, and workshops for students. As music gets recorded, it will be shared online for the world to enjoy through the ISMP and Musikarama pages. Eventually, we hope to release full albums and performances as well as to get music onto streaming platforms. 

A $10,000 donation is able to provide each studio with all the amazing gear needed such as instruments, monitors, and a PA system. Approximately how long does it take after the initial donation is received to have a fully functional recording studio?

It can take approximately 3 months, but due to the nature of our work, it varies. For example, Musikarama has been eager for a proper studio for some time --- which is why they are immediately hitting the ground running with the Capitol Theatre sponsorship. That said, ISMP works in some of the most vulnerable and volatile communities in the world, and we make sure to respond to the unique needs of each of our partners. We control what we can control -- but then we need to adapt in real time to the situation on the ground in any particular community. That's why it varies a bit - because we adapt to challenges alongside our partners. But we do everything we can to work promptly and efficiently so that our partners can begin enjoying the studio as soon as possible. 

Musikrama is a refugee-led music collective that focuses on giving kids music lessons, representing local communities through performances at festivals, and recording original music, how long have you been working together and how did the partnership come to be?

ISMP and Musikarama have been working together for about 5 years now. Back in 2017, I spent the summer at Ritsona Refugee Camp in Greece, working on building out a music program (and a soccer field/program) for people who fled Syria and who were now living in Greece. It's a small world of NGOs working on refugee issues, and that summer I connected with several other organizations using music to improve life for refugees in Greece. No one stood out quite like Musikarama - it was their authenticity that struck me. They weren't concerned with the NGO-politics or any of the traps that would-be-do-good-ers fall into. They were just people who bonded over loving music. People from all over. Some "refugees," some not. I met with Inaki, the warm and endearing leader who came to Greece from Spain with a vision to uplift people through music. I got a chance to jam with some amazing people and musicians from Syria, Iran, Greece, and everywhere in between. All the while, it was becoming quite clear that we had the same goals and approach to life and to work. Let's make life more fun. And let's use music to make it happen. It's as simple as that. We've been chipping away at that goal together ever since, and this studio is an unbelievable culmination of our partnership, thanks to The Cap. 

The Capitol Theatre has such an amazing group of engaged fans, many of which volunteer with local organizations, how can our Cap family help your mission? Where can they find the resources to learn and support the great work you're doing?

WE LOVE THE CAP! Cap fans can learn a lot and also find out about ways to donate at www.ismproject.org. To stay up to date on all the latest buzz, follow along with us on Instagram (@ISMP_Official), as well as on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Beyond that, look out for us at festivals and shows (especially at The Cap!), and reach out if you're interested in working with us. Our organization is built on community and we're always looking to connect with people who believe in the power of music and in the power of people to look out for one another.

LONG LIVE THE CAP!