What I love best about our program is how we are all connected. The students are now becoming the teachers and creating exponential change in the community.
Music For All...reaches 100 children in daycares and schools!
For most kids, this is their first time playing an instrument. They develop their sense of rhythm and pitch through singing and movement.
Music For All classes are taught by one of our very own alumni, Jason Espinal, who graduated from Orchestrating Dreams in 2015.
Here is Jason in action!
Jason’s students, practicing what they learned.
Our students learn to be leaders of the orchestra.
Meet our student conductors: Brynn, Armstrong and Foley!
Brynn conducting orchestra rehearsal.
Foley, Brynn, and Armstrong at the podium after their conducting debut.
Your contribution supports the next generation of leaders in our community.
As students progress, they advance to the Washington Heights Youth Orchestra. Students develop themselves as their own teachers, think deeply about what they are doing, and listen to others around them to adjust. This process develops confidence, resilience, and the belief that challenges are learning opportunities.
I see students growing their love of learning when they lose the fear of making mistakes.
What happens when a student loves learning? I asked Michael for some answers...
Michael, age 17, plays a French violin donated by Irene Miller. Thank you for your support, Irene!
What is your favorite part about Orchestrating Dreams?
My Favorite part about Orchestrating Dreams has to be the community. There are so many people who come from different walks of life ranging from different ages who all come together to make music for everyone.
What makes Orchestrating Dreams special to you?
The thing that makes Orchestrating Dreams special to me is the level of commitment that the teachers have towards their students. I can tell that they all have high expectations for us and want to see us improve and that really motivates me to work harder every day to make both them and myself proud.
Describe a challenge that you have faced and how music helped you to overcome it.
When I first started high school I had little under a year’s worth of experience with my instrument and was completely overwhelmed with the music given in school. However after I started taking lessons [at Orchestrating Dreams] and began to develop my technique I was soon able to overcome that problem by applying things I’ve learned in my lessons to help me out.
How has Orchestrating Dreams impacted you?
I never knew I’d enjoy listening to and playing classical music, but now, some of my top artists on Spotify are classical composers! I would say the program has made a profound impact in my life not just musically but Identity wise too. As a first-generation African American, I’ve very rarely seen someone like me playing the violin or any string instrument in a professional setting. But because of the resources given to me by Orchestrating Dreams I’m considering studying music in college so I can give back and inspire kids just like me and help them see that they too, belong in spaces where they might not traditionally be represented.
You may say I’m a dreamer,
but I’m not the only one...
I hope you join me to help Michael and the 200 students we serve by making a high impact donation this holiday season.
