Where is the classical music audience? It’s elementary!

By Sheldon Foster Merel

ENCINITAS, California — I knew for years that low income schools students were being bused to attend concerts at San Diego Symphony for the first time of their lives. I had no idea who was behind this unique project, and by chance a few weeks ago I had the good fortune to meet Ron Bierman, who invited me to attend a concert at the La Jolla Community Center this past October 14th. Not only did I hear a fine concert , but learned that the “angels “ who have been preparing and busing hundreds of young student to hear classical music are volunteers with Advocates for Classical Music, AFCM., based in San Diego.

AFCM is a non-profit corporation consisting entirely of volunteers of which Ron Bierman is President .
Their 30 trained docents visit schools and “prep” students before they are taken to concerts. Docents play recorded video previews, teach about composers, instruments, and musical structure. Docents have visited 134 schools to prepare 12,522 students to attend live concert at Symphony Hall

The delightful concert featured three young accomplished musicians: flautist Krinten Kord, harpist Stefan Wendel, and pianist Benjamin Read. They each played solos with music by Telemann , Carl Nielsen as well as Mozart’s Concerto for piano, flute and harp. Each was outstanding, but Wendel’s harp solo of a composition by Rokudan Mayuzumi exhibited his virtuosity with the harp beyond what I had ever heard. Following the concert , a charming video showed the sheer joy and awe of youngsters hearing their first classical concert at Symphony Hall.

After the concert, Bierman told me that AFCM has bused as many as 14,000 students to concerts, and have also awarded $1000 prizes to young instrumentalist finalists in competitions sponsored by the Symphony.

As a nonprofit organization, all dues and donations support their docent program, student tickets, transportation, and awards to young musicians. AFCM has been enriching the lives of students, and building new audiences for classical music for many years. For further information about Advocates for Classical Music go to their web site. They will welcome your support.
https://www.advocatesforclassicalmusic.org

Kudos to all the members of Advocate for Classical Muse , and thanks for an enjoyable afternoon with excellent musicians. Keep “advocating” and building new audiences to fill our concert halls.

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Merel is cantor emeritus of Congregation Beth Israel of San Diego