Meet Karissa Swanson | Director of Programs, Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karissa Swanson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karissa, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
I’m the Director of Programs for the nonprofit, Education Through Music-Colorado (ETM-Colorado).

Research consistently shows that integrating music education into the core curriculum enhances students’ self-confidence, learning capacity, and overall motivation for school. Music supports cognitive development and fosters lifelong skills such as collaboration, emotional regulation, and communication.

Despite music’s proven academic and social-emotional value, access to high-quality instruction remains deeply inequitable across Colorado. Many schools face systemic challenges—such as inadequate funding, staffing shortages, and limited resources—that prevent sustained music programs.

ETM-Colorado mitigates these challenges. We place high-quality music teachers into under resourced public schools, ensuring students have access to music as part of their school day. We support our music teachers, and others in the state, in building engaging music programs for all learners. And we are giving students extracurricular access to traditional and non-traditional ensembles, ensuring they are ready to participate in music programs once they graduate from ours. In these ways, we ensure students in under-resourced communities have equitable access to the benefits of music education.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Growing up, my parents gave me music. We sang (in harmony) on car rides and for my grandparents’ churches. I took piano lessons and later enrolled in orchestra and choir. When I was an awkward teenager, music gave me what I needed most: a place to belong and a way to express myself.

I was an idealistic 18-year old entering my undergrad music ed program. I wanted to make the world a better place by being the kind of music teacher who created belonging for kids, especially in Title 1 schools.

I went on to teach elementary general music for 15 years, including two years in a tuition-based school in Morocco. There, I rode each morning past improvised plywood homes on my way to teach students who lived in mansions. The inequity was heartbreaking, and it deepened my conviction to work with under-resourced communities.

When people asked about my teaching, I’d say I had the best job because I got to sing and dance with children all day. This was true. And also, teaching is hard. I made thousands of decisions a day, memorized hundreds of names and personalities, and taught life skills like teamwork and respect. I carried the secondary trauma that comes with teaching students who have experienced their own. I lay awake some nights, trying to figure out how to reach students who struggled. But my students shaped me into the educator I am today. They curated my curiosity, creativity, flexibility, perseverance, and love. They taught me how to teach differently than I was taught.

In 2019, I joined Education Through Music-Colorado, a new nonprofit bringing music back into schools where it had been eliminated. Today, as Director of Programs, I support teachers across 11 schools and nearly 3,000 students. My role has grown, but my mission is the same: every child deserves high-quality music education.

What sets me apart is I’ve experienced both sides of the work. I’ve known the joys and struggles of being a music teacher. I know how it feels to be evaluated and trained by someone outside of music education. I know what it feels like to build a music program that validates students and becomes a cultural cornerstone of a school. Now, I use those experiences to advocate for and respond to the needs of my schools and teachers. And, I continue to play and perform music myself, which keeps me grounded and connected.

I’ll always be a teacher. What fills my bucket is a classic teacher thing: being part of a learner’s “aha” moment. I love being in our classrooms, seeing the joy on students’ faces when they sing a song they love, or celebrating with them when they’ve learned a challenging piano piece through perserverance.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that change is possible when we lead with love and curiosity. Music education is more than teaching kids to read and play notes. With Education Through Music-Colorado, I’m helping to build access to the benefits of music education: community, resilience, expression, and more.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Come to one of our classrooms and join in some of the joyful music-making! Okay, for real. I love Denver. I’m also a 10-year AirBnB superhost, and I give lots of curated recommendations to all kinds of travelers. It would be hard to give just one simple itinerary, but here’s a sample day I recently enjoyed with a friend: I would start the day at the Secret Garden Bar & Cafe. If it’s nice, we’ll sit outside under the umbrellas on the quiet patio. Afterwards, we’d stroll through Cheesman park and I’d use my membership fob to get us into the back gate of Denver Botanic Gardens. We’d admire the colors, textures, and smells of whatever is in season. Nearby are so many good restaurants, but if my guest is up for supporting an eatery that serves our community, I’d take them to SAME Café, which provides healthy food access to all. Everyone is welcome and the food is scratch-made and seasonal. We’d end the day with music, of course! I’d advocate for whatever band is playing at Cervantes, which is a huge supporter of Education Through Music-Colorado.

If a visitor was here for a week and wanted to go beyond the touristy sights and live like a local, I’d take them to the different neighborhoods of our partner schools. It’s a great way to get a feel for the micro cultures and incredible diversity of our city. I’d share my favorite coffeeshop and eatery in each neighborhood, plus some things that make each neighborhood unique (street art, parks, architecture, venues).

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to recognize Education Through Music-Colorado, the nonprofit I’m grateful to work with under the leadership of Mallory Bernstein. I couldn’t imagine a better team of of leaders and teachers. Their commitment to creating belonging and joy in music classrooms inspires me every day. Most of all, I dedicate my shoutout to our 3,000 students. They deserve the best of me. They are my “why.”

Website: https://etmcolorado.org

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Image Credits
Sari Singerman, Glenn Ross, Karissa Swanson, Alyte Katilius