Lexington Symphony receives NEA grant for kids' music program

The Lexington Symphony has been awarded a $10,000 National Endowment for the Arts Works grant for its children's education program, Orchestrating Kids Through Classics.

Orchestrating Kids Through Classics, begun in 2009, served nearly 3,000 children from around the region. The grant will allow the symphony to expand the program, according to a release from the Lexington Symphony.

"As musicians, we love Orchestrating Kids because it reaches students from all different communities and gets them thinking about classical music in an exploring, unconventional way -- they are inspired to try out new sounds, new ideas, a new instrument," Rebecca Hawkins, Lexington Symphony violinist and grantwriter, said in a statement.

Children enrolled in the program are from area communities including Lawrence, Dorchester, Framingham, Wilmington, Burlington, Arlington and Medford. The program was started with funding from the Lexington Education Foundation.

According to a release from the Symphony, "Orchestrating Kids Through Classics starts with a visit by four Lexington Symphony musicians to each elementary school, where the musicians engage the students in smaller groups and prepare them for the field trip to the big orchestra concert. The concerts take place in town halls – Cary Memorial Hall in Lexington and Nevins Hall in Framingham.''

The release continues: "The children often arrive with no preconceived ideas about or experience with classical music and love it. As one student wrote, “The music was awesome, I wish I could go again…You guys convinced me to play an instrument.” Parents love it too. Lexington mom Jennifer Lawrence writes that she “was absolutely amazed by the program's ability to introduce kids to the history of music in such a compelling way,” adding, “My daughter was completely entranced!” '

The Lexington Symphony is one of 96 not-for-profit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant in the music category.

is one of 96 not-for-profit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant in the highly-competitive music category. Lexington Symphony has been awarded $10,000 for its celebrated educational program, Orchestrating Kids Through ClassicsTM.