Give In-School Music Education to NYC Youth

Happy Summer from ETM! Thanks to you, our partner school students have finished another productive, fun-filled school year where music was a part of their routine. This was most especially true for our ensemble students, who applied their extra motivation for and interest in music to playing in band or orchestra. Over the course of the year, these students developed stronger musical skills, cultivated deeper knowledge about their chosen instrument, and gained exposure to a larger repertoire of music. Last month, our ensemble students celebrated their musical achievement at the culminating, year-end ETM Festival. Over 900 students from 18 partner schools performed at Lehman College’s concert hall in the Bronx!

The ETM Festival is an annual event that brings all our ensemble students together to honor their growth as instrumentalists. Students perform a variety of music—from pop hits to classical pieces—alongside other ETM ensembles and in front of a live audience filled with friends, family, and the broader community. This year, a special guest was there to cheer on students! New York City Council Member, Andy King—a supporter of ETM and champion for arts education—took the stage to congratulate our students and express pride over their academic and artistic accomplishments. Third and fourth graders, who will be eligible to join an ensemble next year, were invited to watch their older schoolmates. The festival provides an important model of what it takes to play in a band or orchestra; it’s a concrete experience of what they can attain if they, too, put in the hard work and dedication it takes to excel at an instrument.

The concert hall at Lehman College gave our students a professional-level performance opportunity with the proper stage and acoustics to hold their vast talents and enthusiasm. Performing with their peers encouraged cooperation, team-work, and respect for one another. Seeing other ETM students from different schools perform gave them a sense of the magnitude of what they’ve accomplishing in music class this year and helped them realize just how far music education can take them. At the end of the festival, every ensemble student received a medal, rewarding their diligent efforts over the year and music teachers received a trophy to display in their classrooms. The hope is that these medals and trophies will remind students of their wonderful success and progress.

After the festival, our students shared with us their deep appreciation for being in an ensemble.

“Joining band is really cool! I love playing the trumpet and I've learned how to play it and I've learned all kinds of music pieces. I have no bad comments. ETM is the best!”
—P.S. 154 student, Queens

“Since being in band, my personality has changed tremendously, as I have been influenced by my peers.”
—P.S. 76 student, Bronx

“My band was just fun. I love music! I learned about all the wonderful stuff music can have for students like us. I like how my teacher, Ms. Parr, gives everybody leads on music.”
— P.S. 76 student, Bronx

“I have had a good time being a percussionist!”
—M.S. 180 student, Bronx

Because of you, our students were able to shine at the ETM Festival and flourish throughout the year. You’ve enriched their lives with music, enhanced their learning experience, and brought them closer to a brighter future. The ETM Festival is just one example of what your donation has helped build this year—an entire community of students are on track to reaching their potential because of your support. Be a part of helping our students continue on a path of success and help us share the gift of music education with more students. Share this report with friends and family; let them know they can make a difference, too!

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