Music Lounge Powered by Swan Strings

Since April, SDCC has partnered with Dallas nonprofit Swan Strings to help recruit for our monthly Music Lounges. The lineup has ranged from a variety of local artists across the Dallas area, including musicians Brianne Sargent, Amari Amore, Maya Piata, Flower Child, and The Grays.

Swan Strings founder and multi-instrumentalist Jess Garland has a mission to bring concerts to communities where she provides free music education. All of Swan Strings music instructors are Dallas legends in the music and arts community. Swan Strings currently provides seven music lessons (6 in person and one virtual) in guitar and ukulele. The program partners with Southwest Adventist Junior Academy in Cedar Crest, Raul Quintanilla STEAM Academy in Kessler, and Artstillery in West Dallas. In 2023, Swan Strings will return with classes at Pan-African Connection, South Dallas Cultural Center, and Arts Mission Oak Cliff with the new board of director member Zach Galindo from Lake Highlands School of Music. Founded in 2019, Swan String is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a mission to provide free music education, community concerts, and sound therapy services to North Texas individuals without access.

  • Students from Swan Strings
  • The Vegan Black Pin-Up Food Vendor
  • Students from Swan Strings
  • The Grays
  • Students from Swan Strings
  • The Grays
  • The Grays
  • The Vegan Black Pin-Up Food Vendor
  • The Grays
  • The Grays
  • The Grays
  • Maya Piata
  • Amari Amore
  • Jess Garland
  • Brianne Sargent
  • Chef Dandy Treats Food Vendor
  • Brianne Sargent
  • Flower Child
  • Jess Garland with The Grays
(Photos: SDCC Staff / Imani Chet Lytle)

Jess Garland is a Dallas-based singer-songwriter, recording and performing artist. She is a multi-instrumentalist who combines harp and guitar loops to evoke her unique brand of celestial avant-garde pop with ethereal jazz tones. Jess was recently announced in the 22-23 season of the Elevator Project at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Jess most recently performed and presented a talk for TEDx titled, Facing The Music: Finding Your Purpose in October 2022. In 2021, Garland was awarded the Local Legend award in Nashville, TN from Wild Turkey’s Creative Director, Matthew McConaughey for keeping music alive in Dallas. Jess is also the President and Founding Director of Swan Strings and has recently been appointed Executive Director at Girls Rock Dallas.

Learn more about SDCC Music Lounges