Do you have a musical instrument languishing in the closet?
The Verdugo Young Musicians Association is looking for a chance to help a student make the instrument sing again.
VYMA is looking for unused orchestral instruments as it expands its free music program for at-risk children to Washington Elementary School.
The VYMA Music Project, currently at Longfellow Elementary, is inspired by El Sistema, the famed program that produced Gustavo Dudamel, now music director of the L.A. Philharmonic. The VYMA Music Project, a partnership with PasadenaLEARNs, seeks to transform young lives by providing at-risk children with a comprehensive, high quality classical music education that is entirely free to the participants – including the loan of a string instrument.
Following Artistic Director Sam Chilingarian and retired Chair Louise Ghandhi’s two-week journey to Venezuela in 2008 to study El Sistema and meet with its founder and teachers, VYMA selected Title I PUSD school Longfellow Elementary to launch the project in fall 2009. Now in its third year, the program thrives with a more comprehensive curriculum, an expansion of its high caliber faculty and graduate mentors, an on-site parent council and the addition of a skilled coordinator. The unique curriculum is a comprehensive journey of musical development: Kinder musicianship, Musicianship Levels I & II, Strings Fundamentals, Beginning and Advanced Orchestra, Chamber Ensemble and Choir.
VYMA Music Project is part of a larger effort to provide underserved youth with after-school music immersion. VYMA is a stakeholder in YOLA – the LA Philharmonic initiative to develop such programs in L.A. County – and is an active participant of the El Sistema USA National Network. VYMA Music Project at Longfellow puts the City of Pasadena on the musical landscape map, joining a growing number of cities in the US in globally in emulating a music program with profound social impact. VYMA is one of only three youth orchestras in the country to offer such a program.
Now, following the success of the program at Longfellow, VYMA wants to launch a program at Washington. For that, they are looking for donations of unneeded instruments that can be available for loan to the students.
If you'd like to donate your unusued musical instruments, please contact France Meindl at 626-794-5314.
