Students from Russell Elementary School in Dorchester, MA perform at Community Music Center of Boston’s annual StringFest on June 3. StringFest invites students from 3 inner city schools with whom the Music Center has partnerships with, to come together for masterclasses and performances at the Music Center. The violin students are playing Classics for Kids instruments.
Congratulations to the recipients of our 2017 2nd Quarter Grants!
Baltimore, MD Mt. Washington School: This large public school system is starting a new string program to build on other existing music offerings there for kids grades 5-7. The student population is ethnically diverse, and we have offered $3,500 in matching funds to encourage the creation and growth of this exciting new program.
Baton Rouge, LA Kids’ Orchestra: This is our 3rd request for support from this well-run string program for at-risk kids grades K-5 in Baton Rouge. Each new instrument they receive allows one more child to participate in the program; their growth is limited by their inventory of instruments. CFKF has offered $3,000 in matching funds to further encourage the growth of this program.
Boston, MA Josiah Quincy Orchestra: this program provides string instruction to several schools in the Boston area (Dorchester, South End, Chinatown etc.) for kids pre-K through 7th grade that would otherwise have no string program to attend. These students have had to rent instruments, and this grant will provide instruments to students otherwise unable to afford them. We have offered $5,000 in matching funds to further encourage the growth of this program from our Boston String Project restricted account.
Lammersville, CA Mountain House High School: This ethnically diverse high school serving students grades 10-12 in California’s rural Central Valley seeks to increase accessibility to their program through a larger inventory of new instruments. CFKF has offered $3,000 in matching support to encourage this growing program, and allow disadvantaged students there the opportunity to participate.
Lancaster, OH Fairfield County Strings: This program, which was created due to the lack of any string program in the public schools in this largely rural area, serves kids K-12. They come from 7-10 different schools in the area to learn strings. CFKF has offered matching funds for this growing program as part of our support for rural initiatives.
Lexington, MI Camp Cavell Conservatory: This new program seeks to give at-risk children from the Detroit and Pontiac area a musical experience in a summer camp setting. We have offered support for 10 ukeleles for this innovative new program.
Louisville, KY West End School: This school serves kids grades pre-K through 8th grade in the economically challenged west side of Louisville. This grant will allow the string program to grow from violins only to a full string program. CFKF has offered matching support for 14 instruments from our Hilger reserve fund to encourage this growing program.
Madera, CA USD: This is our second grant request from this district; the program is growing rapidly, and they wish to start new string programs in 3 elementary schools serving kids grade 4 there. We have offered $4,000 in matching support to encourage this growing and very committed program for at-risk kids there.
Manassas, VA MAPS: This is our second grant to MAPS; they are a faith-based school serving a diverse population of kids ages 5-14. CFKF has offered a second-round grant to encourage this well-run program.
New Haven, CT Music Haven: This excellent program serves students most in need around New Haven. This is our second grant to Music Haven; we have offered a matching grant of $1370 for new instruments to encourage this innovative and growing program.
Oak Park Il Chicago West Side Community Center: This organization is building upon an existing orchestra for a very diverse population, and needs instruments to be able to start including younger students. CFKF has offered support for 5 new instruments to support this program in a challenging economic environment.
Portland, OR Metropolitan Youth Symphony: This organization’s Project Prelude is building new programs in 3 elementary schools serving grades 4-5 in the Beaverton area. They bring in experienced young volunteers to teach beginning strings in these schools, which have no strings offerings through the public schools. CFKF has offered matching support for 20 new violins to encourage this well-run and innovative program in a state we are growing our presence in.
Tulsa, OK Harmony Project: This organization fills a crucial gap in string education in Tulsa; they provide string instruction to several schools serving kids elementary through high school that would otherwise have no string program. They are one of several Harmony Projects nationally (we’ve served LA and NYC so far). CFKF has offered a matching grant for many new instruments from our Hilger restricted account to encourage this well-run and innovative program in Oklahoma.
Wethersfield, CT PS: This public school serving kids grades 4-6 is growing very rapidly, and they have a strong need for more new instruments; they have scholarships for rental instruments, but need instruments to be available to those particularly in need who can’t afford rentals. CFKF has offered $3,000 in matching support for 18 new instruments.
Meet some of the Pride Academy students who are learning to play the violin.
Expanding Our Reach
Classics for Kids Foundation (CFKF) has embarked on an initiative aimed toward expanding its matching stringed instrument grant program to string programs in all 50 states during 2017. CFKF has to date given grants to string programs in 43 states around America; CFKF Also wishes to expand its presence in states where it has few only a modest presence.
CFKF’s’ matching grant program has been developed to support string programs in their efforts to acquire high quality new stringed instruments for their students. CFKF offers up to a 50% match for grant projects approved by its Board. CFKF’s primary mission focus is supporting at-risk or disadvantaged youth, and rural programs in smaller communities. Applicant organizations must have nonprofit status or a nonprofit umbrella organization. CFKF considers grant requests quarterly.
Interested string programs are welcome to learn more about CFKF, and to submit a grant request through CFKF’s website: www.classicsforkids.org. Applicants may also contact CFKF’s Executive Director Michael Reynolds at [email protected] with questions about CFKF’s matching stringed instrument grant program.
States not yet served
States with only one grant site
Twin Oaks Elementary Fortissimo Meet Their Instruments…
(Fortissimo Orchestra Program)
We gave over $32,000 in matching grants the 1st quarter of 2017.
Cayce, SC Busbee Creative Arts Academy: This Academy, as part of the Lexington SC School District, is creating a new string program to build on an existing band and chorus program for children in middle school. CFKF gave $4,000 in matching support for 13 new instruments.
Charlotte, NC Charlotte Lab School: This public charter school serving students grades 3-6 is creating a new string program to serve as the beginning of a full music program. CFKF gave a $2,000 matching grant to this exciting new initiative.
Cobleskill/Richmondville, NY CSD: This rural area middle school’s string program is growing steadily, and they have a strong need to replace and augment their inventory of cellos to meet the rising demand. They have received a $1,200 matching grant for 4 new cellos.
Davenport, FL School for the Arts: This program is located in rural Davenport, substantially a bedroom community for those serving the Orlando theme parks. Their middle school orchestra program needs another sturdy cello which CFKF supported with a matching grant.
Framingham, MA PAC: This is our second grant to this well-run program for kids grades 1-4 serving the underserved and ethnically diverse (a large Brazilian population lives there) community of Framingham, MA. The program is expanding, and they are partnering with the Boys and Girls Club of Metrowest to serve the students involved; Framingham’s public schools do not currently offer strings education. CFKF gave a matching grant of $2,862 to support and encourage this very worthy program’s continued growth.
Greenville, SC Legacy Charter School: This is our second grant to this well-run program for kids grades 4-12 supporting the underserved, ethnically diverse, and economically challenged families in Greenville. The program’s growth is limited by high instrument rental costs, so CFKF is offering $4,000 in support for 15 new instruments.
Lancaster, PA Music for Everyone: This is our second grant to this innovative and far-reaching program for kids grades K-12 serving the 16 school districts in Lancaster County. The program is expanding rapidly, hence a strong need for more and better instruments. Lancaster City has the largest refugee population in America, and the student population is predominantly minority. CFKF has offered $2,500 in matching support for new instruments.
New Market, VA Shenendoah Valley Academy: This relatively small string program in the town of New Market (population around 2,500) serves an international population of students; they perform actively locally and regionally. The program’s growth is challenged by inadequate inventory, and they have received support for 4 beautiful new instruments.
New Rochelle, NY Songcatchers: This program, which supports a predominantly Hispanic and economically challenged population in this community just north of the Bronx, operates in a church basement and delivers instruction to students K-8. CFKF has offered $3,200 in matching support to help them rebuild their inventory.
St. Paul, MN Central Music Boosters Club: This public school high school orchestra program is in need of more and new stringed instruments to support their diverse student population. This grant will also allow some students to leave larger personal instruments at home to protect them from Minnesota winter weather. CFKF has offered this program a $3,135 matching grant to support their growth.
Ventura, CA New West Symphony Harmony Project: This is our second grant to this large and quickly growing program for kids in the Ventura area. This program needed a new infusion of instruments to support students as they grow. The population served is predominantly Hispanic, and many come from very difficult socioeconomic situations. They have received $2,500 in matching support for 10 beautiful new instruments from a generous gift by CFKF supporter Deon Hilger.
Wake Forest, NC Community Youth Orchestra: This small community about 15 miles from Raleigh has no public school string programs; this youth orchestra fills that void for students K-12 in the area. The student population is predominantly minority; CFKF has offered them a $1,500 matching grant to encourage this important initiative.
Wasilla, AK High School: This is a fairly new high school string program located in a rural area of Alaska; the program’s growth is being restrained by lack of access to instruments, and many students have been turned away as a result of both this and their inability to afford their own instruments. The student population is quite diverse, with Native Alaskans, Russian, African-American and many other ethnic groups. CFKF has offered $3,000 in matching support for 8 new instruments.
The following grants were awarded in the forth quarter of 2016. Congratulations to the following programs!
Asuza, CA USD: This school district, located 30 miles east of downtown LA, is expanding an existing string program to provide access to second language learners grades 9-12. This is part of a larger plan to support underserved populations through extended day activities. We supported their request with a $5,000 matching grant.
North Haven, CT ACES: This public magnet school serves children grades 6-8 in several communities north of New Haven, CT; the program is expanding to give greater opportunity for students in 7th grade to this program, which runs both during the school day and one weekend class. CFKF gave a matching grant for their request for support for 45 new instruments.
Tavares, FL HS Band Boosters: Tavares is a small town in Lake County FL; the high school has had a music program since 1928. Their jazz band has a barely functional bass that needs replacing. We are supporting their need for 2 new double basses with a matching grant.
NYC, NY Harmony Program: This is our second grant for this well-run program for kids grades 4-12 serving the underserved and ethnically diverse communities of New York City and Long Island. The program is expanding rapidly, and expects to double in size this coming year. CFKF gave a matching grant toward their need for 34 new instruments.
Recently students from the Manassas Adventist Preparatory School appeared in a recital. They performed original works composed for them by their teacher Gerson Hortua including a solo for each of them and a quartet with piano. Two of the three students play on instruments the school received from the Classics for Kids Foundation.
Their teacher speaks highly of the quality and sound of the grant instruments. “You can tell that they were made by someone who knew what he was doing, they stay in tune longer and sound better than the instruments that some other students rent from a local store.” MAPS is hoping to build their strings program with an acquisition of more instruments in the near future.