The Empire State Youth Orchestra’s CHIME program in Schenectady meets daily to provide free instruments and music lessons, ensuring the program remains affordable for students. WAMC reported that the initiative is marking its 10-year anniversary with a free concert at Proctors in Schenectady.
Ayden Chrisman, a senior at Schenectady High School who has played violin in the group since it began, said the program unites participants through a common goal of music empowerment. He noted the experience guided his plans to attend The Hartt School at the University of Hartford for music performance and Suzuki pedagogy. Director Zoe Auerbach told WAMC that students annually participate in the Amplify Our Voice residency, a yearlong project involving conversations and collective composition to create an original score. This year’s piece is titled “The Earth is OG.”
Percussionist Mia Montross, a junior at Schenectady High School, described the environment as one that stresses friendships and community rather than competition. The program faces high demand, with a current waitlist of more than 100 students. Auerbach said she hopes ESYO’s new Scotia-based campus will allow CHIME to admit more students and expand beyond Schenectady. The anniversary performance is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday on Proctors’ MainStage.
For more information, visit wamc.org.