YAMA Report: One Month In!
YAMA is off to a fantastic start this year! With just a few weeks under our belt, the program is already buzzing with energy and creativity.
The first few days of YAMA are always special. We welcomed new students, reconnected with returning ones, sized instruments, and spent time building our community through name games, community agreements, and goal setting.
Across all our ensembles, we’re seeing a wonderful mix of newcomers and returning musicians. YAMA’s program is designed to help students grow at their own pace: as they master foundational techniques and build leadership skills, they move through our ensemble “pipeline,” taking on new challenges and opportunities along the way.
Preludio: Starting from the Basics
Our youngest ensemble, Preludio, is diving into the essentials — learning how to keep tempo, count rhythms, and play together as a group. It’s a joy to watch their confidence grow as they begin to understand how their individual parts contribute to a collective sound.
Chamber: Strengthening the Foundation
The Chamber Ensemble has jumped right into practicing sight-reading and focusing on the foundational skills that will make great music-making possible. They’re exploring scales, developing their ears, and breaking down the skills they’ll need to access harder repertoire in the future.
Combo: Exploring New Territory
The Combo Ensemble is dipping into what might be newer concepts for students — working in a minor key and 3/4 time. For many, this is an exciting challenge that pushes them to listen differently and think creatively about rhythm and harmony.
Philharmonia: Raising the Bar
Our most advanced group, Philharmonia, has wasted no time diving into more demanding repertoire. They’re already working on Vivaldi’s Concerto for Strings in C Minor and Florence Price’s Adoration — pieces that showcase a higher level of technical skill and expressive playing. We’re thrilled to see these students stretch themselves musically and bring such passion to their rehearsals.
And here’s something extra exciting: Philharmonia’s enrollment is the largest it’s been in years! With so many talented students in the room, we’re excited about the big sound that takes up space in the Garfield Gym — and, soon enough, our concert stages.
As we look ahead, we’re filled with gratitude for our YAMA families, supporters, and donors who make this work possible. Your belief in the power of music education helps us continue to nurture young musicians, build confidence, and create community through music.
Stay tuned for more updates — we can’t wait to share what our students accomplish this year!
