The Kate Duncan Grant
For Our Roster of Songwriters and Music Producers, Ages 13–18
The Kate Duncan Grant will make our teen Songwriting Program (ages 13–18) and Music Production Program (ages 13–18) accessible at a fraction of our professional rate. Grounded in our Layer One and Layer Two curricula, teens will join our writing or production teams to sharpen studio skills while exploring social dynamics and romantic relationships. While applying for our roster, clients will select their preferred rate and, if accepted, gain access to Marcelland, our private online community, as Earls and Countesses—allowing them to attend workshops, participate in challenges, and take courses.
Our grant structure will offer four flexible rate options to meet different families' needs: 100% of our rate ($600/month) will include 1 weekly 90-minute small group team session plus the highest amount of outside support; 75% of our rate ($450/month) will include 1 weekly group session plus substantial support; 50% of our rate ($300/month) will include 1 weekly group session plus moderate support; and 25% of our rate ($150/month) will include 1 weekly group session plus foundational support. After 12 months of initial writer or producer development, annual guaranteed industry pitches will be 12 per year at 100%, 9 at 75%, 6 at 50%, and 3 at 25%. To learn more, please visit our Programs page.
Kate Duncan directs Loyola University New Orleans’ School of Music and Theatre Professions and holds the Conrad Hilton Endowed Chair in Music Industry Studies. An Assistant Professor in Popular and Commercial Music, she teaches private voice, leads vocal jazz ensembles, and instructs courses in artist wellness and professional development. Active in advancing gender equity in music through initiatives like Girl’s Jazz Day and Women in Music, her leadership encourages students to approach music as both an artistic calling and a professional career rooted in integrity and care.
For Marcellé, Kate’s influence extended far beyond academics. “She was my vocal ensemble professor, one of my songwriting professors, and my academic advisor,” Marcellé shares. “When she learned I was a survivor of gender-based violence, she made space for me to talk—not as a therapist, but as someone who believed me and wanted me to be okay.” Kate’s strength, advocacy, and compassion helped Marcellé imagine a future where support, creativity, and safety coexist, inspiring the foundation of our rigorous yet empathetic training for intermediate creators.
To join our writing or production team for teens (ages 13–18), families will apply and select how much of our rate they want to pay. If accepted, teens will join our roster at that rate—learning to write, produce, and collaborate with personal and relational sovereignty. Through small group teamwork and personalized one-on-one development, students will build technical mastery, critical thinking, and collaborative trust without financial strain, preparing them to navigate the creative industry with resilience and self-awareness.
This institutional grant will honor Kate’s commitment to gender equity, music advocacy, and creator wellness. By making teen songwriting and music production accessible, we will ensure young artists—including those navigating trauma, neurodivergence, or disabilities—receive trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming guidance. While fiscal sponsorship will support finishing, pitching, and releasing music across our label and publishing pipelines, our institutional grants will guarantee that team-based music education remains accessible to as many families as possible.