The Augusta Symphony has recently accepted a grant from Bank of America for its Community Chords Outreach programming.
After maintaining a rich history of partnership and support over 30 years with Bank of America, the Augusta Symphony’s newly acquired grant will allow the organization to continue its education and outreach programs throughout the CSRA.
Community Chords brings performances and demonstrations by the symphony’s musicians directly to learners in Richmond, Columbia, McDuffie, Edgefield and Aiken counties.
Providing a “Classroom Concert,” symphony musicians offer engaging and interactive performances for CSRA students.
“Through this education outreach program, the symphony plays a vital role in offering children throughout the CSRA exposure to classical music and access to quality music programs that in many cases would otherwise be inaccessible,” stated a press release from the symphony.
Based on the needs of the educator and the size and age of the group, “Classroom Concerts” may feature small ensembles, duets or sololists.
“We are committed to the arts and continuing our partnership with the Augusta Symphony,” said Ora Parish, president of Bank of America Augusta-Aiken. “By supporting programs like Community Chords, we provide access to art and culture that offer social and educational benefits for the region.”
“‘Classroom Concerts’ offers experiential learning that supplements and enriches the work of local educators in the classroom,” stated the symphony press release. “These engagements are key to inspiring a lifelong appreciation of the arts and cultivating the musicians and audiences of the future.”
Augusta Symphony second trombone Justin Isenhour said he believes it is essential for orchestral musicians to engage with the community beyond the concert hall.
“Initiatives like Community Chords Education Outreach help build meaningful connections with the local community and make the concert-going experience more accessible,” he said. “Many of the students we visit lack the resources or family support to attend performances like those at the Augusta Symphony in the Miller Theater.”
An integral part of the Community Chords Education Outreach, the Augusta Symphony’s annual “Discovery Concert” provides over 1,000 elementary, middle and high school students, including homeschoolers, with opportunities to experience a free live symphonic performance.
“By bringing the music to them, we plant seeds that might blossom into a lifelong appreciation of the arts,” Isenhour. “It’s encouraging to also see teachers and administrators actively listening, smiling and observing how we engage with their students.”
The upcoming 2024-25 “Discovery Concert” will take place on Friday, Nov. 8, at 10 a.m. in the historic Miller Theater, located at 708 Broad St. in downtown Augusta.
This season’s concert will feature Disney World Epcot’s Mariachi Cobre, an 11-piece ensemble playing alongside the Augusta Symphony.
“As ambassadors for Mariachi music, Mariachi Cobre musicians will not only keep learners engaged in the music experience, but also increase their knowledge and understanding of this unique style of folk music,” stated a press release from the Augusta Symphony.
To learn more about Community Chords Education Outreach or to find out how you can have the symphony musicians perform in a classroom or at a local library at no cost, visit AugustaSymphony.com/School-Outreach
