By Aaron Allen
The Seattle Medium
As a child, no one knew the impact that music would have on his life, not even Morris. But as fate would have it, Morris, a tenured music professor at Seattle University, is not only an accomplished violinist, but he is also using his talents and the power of music to empower and inspire children through his non-profit organization, Key To Change.
After 13 years of teaching at Seattle U., Morris was confronted with the question of personal purpose and his desire to do more. How could he be of service to his community? How could he give back and have a positive influence on others?
On a world tour covering 17 different countries, Morris began jotting down notes as he contemplated his future. “What can I do to bring what I’ve learned back to my community?” Using the gift of music his answer was literally right at his fingertips.
If there is one thing that bridges the gap between one generation and another it is music. Morris knew this and utilized its power to empower young people. Through Key to Change, Morris is giving back in more ways than one.
“[I was asking myself], what could I do to bring what I’ve learned back home to my community,” says Morris. “So, I started scratching notes down and thought if I created a non-profit what would I want it to look like.”
Eventually, Morris landed on the idea to work with underserved youth, and inspiring them to become self-aware leaders while providing them with world class instruction of the violin and viola.
According to their website, Key To Change “removes the barriers to entry for low-income students and students of color with an inclusive approach that helps build trust and connection.”
Key to Change gives our communities youth the opportunities to develop and present them options they may not have otherwise been given. Morris experienced this lack of options during his youthful years in South King County.
A graduate of Renton High School, Morris had dreams of becoming a lawyer. However, those plans changed after Morris met a Black music professor while attending Xavier University on Louisiana.
“When I got to Louisiana, I had strong aspirations of pursuing law but once I got to New Orleans I had an African American violin instructor who was quite good and she inspired me,” recalls Morris. “That was the first time I had ever really seen a professional Black violinist, so I worked with her and absolutely love it.”
From that moment on Morris channeled his energy to becoming the best violinist he could possibly be. Out of this journey, Morris received his graduate credentials in music completing a Bachelor’s degree at the North Carolina School of the Arts and the Boston Conservatory where he received his Master’s.
Upon returning to Seattle after college, Morris began teaching at Seattle University, becoming one of only two tenured music professors in the country.
After getting the framework together for his non-profit, Morris opened Key to Change in 2017 with two locations – one in Kent and the other in Renton. Both locations serve middle to high school students, ranging in age from 11 to 18 with diverse backgrounds. Students participant in weekly private one-on-one classes, group violin lessons and master classes by some of the world’s leading violinist.
One of the major points in which Key to Change is working on is exposing children to a more diverse way of life. To see beyond the stereotypical ways of the world, and to expose children, particularly Black children and children of color, to people who look like them in different professions.
“Exposure is really important,” says Morris. “As soon as I was exposed to professionals who looked like me it inspired me to want to go further. So, I think exposure more than anything is most important. If there is no exposure then children won’t know what their options are.”
Julia Strand, whose daughter Amariah has been a student of the studio for 2 years, says that the program has not only developed her daughter’s skills as a violinist, but it has also helped her develop as a complete person.
“I love the fact the Dr. Morris is very big on not just teaching violin but teaching the whole student,” says Strand. “He uses the violin as an avenue to teach attitude, work ethic, community building, problem solving, all of these things encompass the lessons that he teaches.”
