Some Kind of Spark

A documentary about the profound impact music education has on a group of at-risk, inner-city kids when they attend a music out-reach program at the Juilliard School.

Some Kind of Spark is a feature-length documentary that follows six kids from all over New York City as they embark on a life-changing experience—the opportunity to study music in Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program (MAP), a Saturday outreach program for kids from communities that are underserved in the arts.

There is a natural arc to the story as the film follows the kids through some of the most formative years of their lives—and in the early beginnings of their relationship with music and their teachers—over a 3-year span. In this time, each child has his/her own conflicts and hurdles to overcome. From a first recital and stage fright, to a lack of practicing and dedication, to a shortage of funding for an instrument.