Akeylah Hunter playing piano at the House of Blues in Boston during a sound check with Michael Franti and his band.

Akheylah Hunter, 10, didn't play an instrument when she became a club member last year. Now, she plays piano and sings with the band. What she likes best, she says, is performing.

"We performed in different places like at Berklee College of Music," she says. "We go on trips, like we went to the House of Blues and we went on stage and performed, and it was very fun."

Helping the community

Since the Music Clubhouse opened three years ago, it's served almost 500 kids. Aggeler says performing in front of different audiences helps the young musicians build self esteem. Coming to the club to prepare for those performances helps them learn how to deal with their personal problems and concerns.

"I can see what it does for them and it just develops confidence," he explains. "It's also an escape [from] the big problems we have in the neighborhood- obviously gangs, family dynamics. We have a lot of challenges. So whether they feel embarrassed about a zit on their face, or they feel embarrassed because they're not as tall as somebody or whatever, something about what's happening at home, we can have those conversations and they can write, too. They can rap about it and kind of let it out a little bit."

To expand the club and help more kids learn music, Aggeler sought the support of the community. Creating partnerships with the Berklee College of Music and local music stores, he says, has helped the club receive free instruments, recording equipment, computers and software.