The Urban Youth Harp Ensemble (UYHE) is the recipient of a $25,000 grant from the Genesis Inspiration Foundation to support and expand its in‐school and after‐school harp musicianship programs across Atlanta. The foundation, a nonprofit organization focusing on improving educational outcomes by providing access to arts programs for children in under-resourced communities, presented the award to UYHE on May 6.
According to a press release from UYHE, the grant will support UYHE’s mission to deliver quality no-cost musical instruction on the harp, develop music-reading skills, and build musicianship among at-risk urban youth. Funding will help sustain free daily instruction, expand after-school access, and provide instruments, performance opportunities, and the wraparound support that allows young musicians to thrive.
“The Urban Youth Harp Ensemble is introducing students to educational and professional opportunities that may otherwise be outside of their reach,” says UYHE Co-Founder and Executive Director Roselyn Lewis. “The exposure to harp musicianship will impact the gender and ethnicity of the harp world.”
UYHE delivers daily in-school harp instruction through its flagship partnership with Charles R. Drew Charter School, where students in grades 5–12 receive structured, ensemble-based harp education during the school day. The organization also operates after-school programs, both at Drew Charter School open to students from throughout metro Atlanta and at Atlanta Public School’s Harper-Archer Elementary School for students grades 4–5, ensuring access for students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to study a classical instrument.
“At Drew Charter School, we believe that the arts are an essential pillar of a well-rounded education, and our partnership with the Urban Youth Harp Ensemble is a shining example of that mission in action,” said Peter McKnight, Head of School at Drew Charter School. “This generous grant from the Genesis Inspiration Foundation ensures that our students continue to have access to world-class musical instruction right here on campus. It is inspiring to see our students—particularly our Black young men—shatter stereotypes and master such a complex, beautiful instrument, proving that when barriers to access are removed, there is no limit to what they can achieve.”
Learn more about UYHE in Harp Column’s article on public school harp programs in our March-April 2019 issue. Visit UYHE’s website and the Genesis Foundation website for more information.
