PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Kids 4 Harmony is a free and intensive classical music program for youth from some of the most under-resourced communities in Berkshire County. 

What You Need To Know

  • Kids 4 Harmony is a free music program for kids

  • Four of their studetns were accepted to the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles Naitional Festival (YOLA)

  • YOLA is a competitive summer orchestral training program

  • The Kids 4 Harmony students are practicing for a gala next week

The Kids 4 Harmony program allows students to pick up an instrument in the 3rd grade and they can stay with it until they finish high school. Some of those were recently accepted into the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles National Festival, a competitive orchestra training program. 

“It’s very intense, its very competitive and they only take about 100 students per year, and we got four of our students in. It’s a really amazing achievement. Students need to prepare scales, arpeggios, orchestral excerpts, and they also need to create a personal statement on what music has done for them in their life,” said artistic director Sean Elligers.

One of the students accepted has been with Kids 4 Harmony for 12 years and believes this program helped him get into YOLA.

“Kids 4 Harmony has helped me in so many ways and definitely as a musician because I have all this positive energy. I have this so many teachers trying to help me and admin trying to help me, staff trying to help me, even my friends along my side. I have them for support and without that I don’t think I could’ve gone through that whole audition process with YOLA,” said Davis Albayeros.

Another student has gone to the national festival multiple times and feels lucky to be able to be in Kids 4 Harmony.

“The fact that all of it is entirely free is such a blessing because I know my family would not be able to pay for private lessons, so this is definitely a great program and now, I am going to college for music so I would say they really helped me go a long way,” said Ethan Maisonneuve.

Lisa Chen has been to the national festival twice and is excited for her third year.

“YOLA has been such an amazing experience. It’s definitely something that can’t be shown or taught through books. You can meet new people, learn more difficult repertoire and meet very accomplished musicians,” Lisa Chen said.

The fourth student attending YOLA is Gina Bocchino, who plays the cello.

The students will go to Los Angeles for free for 10 days and practice under world renowned conductors.   

The students are currently practicing for a gala at Tanglewood on Tuesday. They'll perform a piece composed by Davis Albayeros.