During rehearsals at Church 212 in Palm Desert, young musicians are playing instruments donated to them by members of our community.

“There are so many kids that want to play, they want to be part of something, and they just simply can’t afford it. and for those kids this is the chance of a lifetime,” said Dr. Jason Powell, conductor of the Coachella Valley Symphony’s Buddy Rogers Youth Symphony.

This program is free for families and offers aspiring musicians hands-on experiences with equipment provided by the group’s instrument lending library.

“It helps me express my art and talent and love for music,” said Bella, a middle school student who recently received a cello for free.

Bella says she plans on playing this instrument professionally during her musical journey of becoming a music teacher.

“There are a lot of studies that show students that are involved in music do better in math, do better in school, it increases their confidence,” said Dr. Lisa Lindley, CEO of the Coachella Valley Symphony.

Dr. Lindley says this program has grown throughout the years and now offers students scholarships which allows them to make music and create sounds that can be heard well beyond our valley.

For more information about this program, visit www.cvsymphony.com.

This story was written and reported by Kai Beech.

Local youth symphony helping young musicians pursue higher education in music