By Daniel Choi

KYCC Bridge Historian

Every Monday and Wednesday afternoon, Music Instructor Kate Outterbridge comes to KYCC to teach our youth how to become musicians.

Outterbridge is part of The Harmony Project, Los Angeles’s largest music education nonprofit. They have been working with KYCC’s Elementary Tutorial Program (ETP) students since last December.

Students first learned the fundamentals of music, such as rhythm, beats, and reading music. Although the instructors are accompanied by ETP teachers, the Harmony Project instructors lead the music lessons.

The music lessons have been very kid-friendly and easy to follow. For example, students learned about beats through a series of foot stomps and claps.

In January, The Harmony Project distributed violins for the kids to borrow. Before they received their instruments, the kids were asked to read and sign a contract, in which they promised to take good care of their violins.

“The Harmony Project enhances our enrichment curriculum,” said KYCC Wilton Youth Services Supervisor Heather Jun. “Our kids receive professional musical instruction that the current staff at KYCC can’t provide at an affordable cost.”

The Harmony Project continues to provide music lessons to ETP today. The Youth Services unit at KYCC is thankful for the time and effort that they kindly contribute.