A reflection on the sweet surprise that cemented a lifetime of music between an old instrument and an orchestra-less conductor. By Dana Zimbric Piano saved my life. Well, one specific piano saved my life… her name is Hershey. First, her backstory: Hershey was born in Holland, Michigan around 1926, created by piano maker Bush & Lane. She is a grand piano made of beautiful wood, and has been rebuilt at least once since her birth. She came into my life in 1990, when I was a twelve-year-old aspiring musician. My parents purchased her from The Piano Shop in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The lifesaving began [...]

In a 2016 report conducted by the League of American Orchestras, it was found fewer than 2% of musicians in American orchestras are black. This lack of representation has been prevalent in the classical music realm for a long time, however, black classical musicians are finally beginning to find a voice in their community.   One such example is Bartholomew Poyser, a community ambassador and artist-in-residence at Canada’s famed Symphony Nova Scotia, who held a concert with the Maritime Bhangra Group to illustrate the diverse styles of classical music. The concert was a huge success that lended Poyser more power and [...]

Dr. Indre Viskontas, a trained operatic soprano turned director, neuroscientist, and communicator who is on faculty at SFCM and is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of San Francisco recently issued a report which highlights some critical findings. Her research demonstrated that music education keeps students involved in school and provides that key sense of belonging, which, in turn, can help break poverty cycles while improving GPAs and graduation rates. Click HERE to read the full article.

We are thrilled to be broadcasting Sing Me A Story: The Enchanted Tail on iTV - Channel 16 to reach children throughout San Diego County with a FREE educational music performance. We partnered with opera singers Victoria Robertson (Soprano) and Bernardo Bermudez (tenor) with Opera4Kids and The San Diego Children’s Choir to bring this story to life at the Balboa Theatre in 2019. Victoria Roberston wrote this 40-minute mini-opera written for young audiences to allow kids to experience classical music in a fun and engaging way.  This performance features two lovable characters (performed by Robertson and Bermudez) in an original story set [...]

Classics 4 Kids was featured by KPBS on January 13, 2021 about how we are exhibiting leadership in the music industry. READ THE ARTICLE

Classics 4 Kids needs you for our Advisory Council! What is the purpose of our Advisory Council? Our Advisory Council is a volunteer group of community members formed to give advice and support to Classics 4 Kids’ staff. The is a no liability governance role that consists of individuals from community activists to music lovers. What is our Mission? Inspiring children through the experience of music, generating creativity, academic success and cultural understanding. Who are we? Classics 4 Kids provides critical music education through professional orchestra concerts, in-school workshops, online programs and community events designed for elementary students. Our culturally diverse [...]