South Carolina’s Charleston Academy of Music has announced an April 18 benefit concert to raise funds for Kidzymphony, its elementary afterschool program founded in 2009 and modeled after Venezuela’s El Sistema social-action music program. Donations collected at the benefit concert, at St. Luke’s Chapel in Charleston, will go toward maintaining the existing 21-student Kidzymphony program at Meeting Street Academy, and may also be used to launch an additional ensemble at a second Title 1 elementary school. The expanded program is expected to launch in spring 2011 and bring the total Kidzymphony enrollment to 70 students, requiring an additional $35,000 to be raised through grants and benefit concert donations. Featured soloists at the benefit concert include violinist Javier Orman, the leader of the Kidzymphony orchestra; soprano Janai Brugger; and Charleston Symphony Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker, who also teaches at the academy. The seven-year-old Charleston Academy of Music offers private lessons, music theory courses, and chamber music coaching to children and adults.
Posted April 2, 2010
Photo by Nohely Oliveros
