Pasadena Educational Partnerships

In January 2010, VYMA joined nine music organizations in forming the Pasadena Music Education Partners. These organizations seek to collaborate and share resources to better serve the needs of children and youth in the greater Pasadena. The organizations are the VYMA Music Project at Longfellow, the Pasadena Community Youth Orchestra (PCYO), the Pasadena Suzuki Music Program (PSMP), the Pasadena Symphony and Pops, the Pasadena Young Musicians Orchestra (PYMO), the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra (PYSO), the Saturday Conservatory of Music, the Scholarship Audition Performance Preparatory Academy (SAPPA) and the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus (LACC).

Pasadena Unified School District

In September 2009, VYMA launched VYMA Music Project, an El Sistema-inspired program, at Longfellow Elementary School, a Title I school in the Pasadena Unified School District. This program provides free instruments and free instruction to Longfellow Elementary students after school when students are most at risk. The program is supported by a partnership with PasadenaLEARNs, the after-school enrichment provider for the Pasadena Unified School District. Longfellow School, with the support of Principal Erica Ingber, provides classroom space for coaching sessions and choir rehearsals, auditorium space for orchestra rehearsals and concerts, janitorial support and secured storage space.

This year Longfellow School also hosted our day-long seminario with students from Longfellow, San Diego’s Opus Music Project and Santa Barbara’s ICAN project. The day culminated with a free community concert in the afternoon.