“In the basement in a Western Addition church, a community partnership that includes the San Francisco Conservatory of Music is creating an opportunity,” writes Jill Tucker in Monday’s (11/26) San Francisco Chronicle. “The partnership is running a new—and free—after-school program [that] can shift a child’s whole world … said Rev. James Smith of Third Baptist Church of San Francisco, where the after-school program is located…. The new program … Bridge to Arts and Music … officially began this month, funded by a $150,000 grant from the Koret Foundation and featuring 16 keyboards donated by Yamaha. The Temple Emanu-el and the Interfaith Council are also participating…. Students from the Conservatory of Music help teach and mentor. Organizers hope to address the disproportionate access to music among San Francisco students … The students, mostly beginners in elementary and middle school, participate in twice-weekly after-school lessons, including piano and voice…. [Recently] 10-year-old vocal standout Joshua Peterson … acknowledged that … he loves piano more. ‘What I like about music is I go places when I play,’ he said.”
Posted November 28, 2018
