Our Inspiration - El Sistema

Inspired by El Sistema music program and founded by Sistema Fellow David Gracia, the Washington Heights and Inwood (WHIN) Music Project started in August 2012 to offer choral and orchestral instruction as a vehicle for personal development, social inclusion, artistic excellence and community building for the children and youth of these New York City neighborhoods.

Our Story - Washington Heights and Inwood

Since August 2012, WHIN has served an average of 150 children through the following music programs: Early Childhood, Strings, Guitar, Children’s Choir, STAR: School-Time Annual Residency Program, Children's and Youth Orchestras and Camerata, developing a pipeline of music instruction for children ages 5 through 21. Students have performed in venues such as El Museo del Barrio, United Palace Theater, The DiMenna Center for Classical Music, New York Society for Ethical Culture and The Morris-Jumel Mansion, among others.

Our Impact - Milestones

Thanks to the rapid growth of WHIN, Mr. Gracia incorporated Orchestrating Dreams as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that serves as the umbrella organization for WHIN.  

• In 2014-2015 Orchestrating Dreams founded music programs  in Washington Heights, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and East Harlem in partnership with Dos Puentes Dual Language Elementary School, P.S. 304 Early Childhood School, P.S. 316 Elijah Stroud and TAG Young Scholars, respectively and serving an additional 300 students per week (70% minorities, 75% eligible for free lunch programs, 9% special education students).
• In the 2015-2016 year, the WHIN Music Project has incorporated private classes into its curriculum to provide a complete education to its students consisting of: private, group and ensemble classes, choral and percussion instruction and advanced orchestral instruction. 
• The Camerata Ensemble will make its Merkin Hall Debut on November 12, 2015 as part of the opening concert of the 10th Anniversary of the Latin American Cultural Week in New York City, performing alongisde internationally renonwned musicians such as Daniel Binelli, Polly Ferman and Eddy Marcano.

How You Can Help - Join the WHIN Movement

Through years of hard work and dedication by its leaders, teachers, families and students, WHIN has been able to improve the musical education of its students and reach new students every year. Although our families pay a small fee (based on a sliding's scale informed by each family's income), which helps to cover 40% of the program's costs,  60% of our budget is built on funds raised from foundations, volunteer work, and individual donations from people like you. Our $10,000 goal in this campaign will help us cover 10% of our yearly expenses including:

• Master Teachers: Our instructors are highly-qualified scholars, passionate musicians, and dedicated teachers who empower our students and help them grow personally and musically.
• High-Quality Instruments: A good music education requires quality instruments that help each student refine their musical skills and aim at excellence.
• Mentorship Program: We train our teenage students to become the next generation of music teachers so they can develop their 21st century skills to become productive citizens.
• Scholarships: All of our families receive subsidies to cover the costs of our music classes, but many of our families can't even cover the low cost of our program and they need additional financial assistance.

Contributions are 100% tax deductible.