This feeder program increases our reach to rural underserved youth, serves populations of students who would normally have no opportunities to play the harp or receive formal music instruction, and is provided tuition-free to participants.
Started in 2008, the program expanded from six students to forty in the first year. HARPS-AYHE provides harp instruction four days a week from September to June: on site two days a week with four classes each day and at the HARPS-AYHE's home base after school two times per week. Instructional time per week totals 14 hours.
All Charles City County Students are included in local AYHE Performance Ensemble community concerts and encouraged to audition for major concerts in out-of-town venues. In fact, many Charles City students successfully auditioned and performed as part of the AYHE Kennedy Center Concert Hall debut on February 6, 2011. Enrollment continues to increase as growing numbers of Charles City students express interest in learning to play the harp and more AYHE students commit to assisting their peers in reaching their goals.