About OrchKids

Under Music Director Marin Alsop's leadership and direction, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is proud to offer this exciting education initiative that provides social and learning opportunities for Baltimore City youth. This initiative is inspired by El Sistema, the Venezuelan orchestral training program that has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of children over the last thirty years. OrchKids is committed to positively transforming the lives of Baltimore City children in significant and unique ways and becoming a model for similar programs throughout Baltimore and beyond.

Through the OrchKids initiative, the BSO is providing opportunities for personal development to Baltimore's most vulnerable children. We aim to help them overcome the social challenges that they face, including poverty, crime and failing public schools.

Many similar music education programs focus solely on developing professional musicians; however, the BSO is committed to serving our community and helping to develop the well-rounded citizens of tomorrow through music.

This program, by starting small, is making a significant, sustained impact on the lives of children in the most serious need. By expanding gradually, the curriculum and activities remain fresh and responsive to community needs.

OrchKids is striving to involve not only the parents, guardians and participating children, but also the entire community through partnerships and community events. It is dedicated to the improvement of the whole school community through physical improvements to the school and offerings of enrichment activities to non-OrchKids students.

It is part of our goal to see that students from the program become the leaders of their school in academics, music and school citizenship; that they become top candidates for prestigious high schools and collegiate programs; and over the course of time that they become leaders that give back and strengthen their community.