We can’t believe it’s already been over a week since Evening of Harmony! Last week’s event kicked off with a powerful video where Anderson Artist Program Manager Dr. Anna, tuba player Keith, board member and alumni parent Ravonna, and alumna Neary shared the positive impact of their POP experiences. Check it out!
Thank you to our video sponsor @pwpvideo for producing our 2023 Evening of Harmony video!
#playonphilly #immersedinmusic #musiceducation #pwp #video #philly #arts #artscommunity #musicforchange #impactvideo
One of our favorite parts of Evening of Harmony is the chance to catch up and celebrate with our community of supporters, partners, alumni, and families. Guests gathered in the Feintuch Lobby of Penn Arts Live connecting and enjoying music by the Vince Tampio Trio before heading into the concert. Thank you to everyone who attended and to our sponsors for helping us bring the space to life!
Join us in giving a loud POP cheer for our seniors as they embark on new chapters this fall:
🎓 Destiny played violin with POP for 2 years and is attending Drexel University for Civil Engineering.
🎓 Maleah is attending West Chester University on a full ride scholarship for Music Education! Maleah was with POP for 3 years.
🎓 Flute player Ethan has been with POP for 4 years and is going to Eastern University for Computer Science!
🎓 Deyanna rocked the trumpet with POP for 6 years and is going to Kutztown University for Biology!
🎓 Mya played trombone with POP for 8 years and will attend Mansfield University for Music Education!
🎓 Ellis first started with POP 12 years ago! They will be going to Muhlenberg College for Pre-Medicine.
🎓 Cello performer Cassia has been with POP for an incredible 13 years! This fall she will be going to Drexel University for Chemical Engineering.
🎓 Anderson Scholar and trumpet player Robert will attend Temple University to continue his music journey studying Jazz Trumpet. Robert was with POP for the last two years!
📷: Wright Eye Visuals
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! Teaching Artists (TAs) work with POP students to create safe spaces to learn foundational skills, to grow musically, socially, and academically over days, months, and years. That effort doesn’t go unnoticed by our community and especially by our proud POP parents who see the impact Teaching Artists have on their children.
“I want to thank the entire team for being so inclusive and supportive throughout the year. It’s clear that these teachers genuinely care about the kids, and that warmth really shows. I always felt that POP Teachers were courteous, approachable, and kind — which I really appreciate. That kind of respectful and welcoming energy makes a lasting difference.” - Khadiya Blanks, POP Parent
#teacherappreciationweek
#teacherappreciation
This weekend, MAYAP Scholars Robert and Tabor and recent POP alumni Zakyya traveled to Virginia to participate in the Equity Arc Festival Wind Symphony. This multi-day residency brought together talented pre-college and college musicians from across the country, and it culminated with a side-by-side performance with world-class faculty and conductors. The concert featured boundary pushing pieces by a wide range of composers, conducted by Dr. Rodney Dorsey, Professor of Music at the Florida State University College of Music. Congratulations to Robert, Tabor, and Zakyya!
Thank you to everyone who was able to join us last night for Evening of Harmony! It was wonderful to come together with the whole Play On Philly community to celebrate our 15th Anniversary and everything our talent young musicians have achieved.
The evening was filled with highlights, including our Marian Anderson Young Artist Program students performing with guest artist @jonathan_biss_official , celebrating eight students who are graduating high school and the program, being inspired by our guest speaker @michelleacann , and much, much more.
Thanks to the collective support of our POP community, this year's Evening of Harmony raised more than $200,000 to help support our student musicians through music education, mentoring, and performance opportunities.
We will be posting photos and videos over the next week, so be on the lookout! If you have any photos or videos from Evening of Harmony 2026, tag @PlayOnPhilly !
Photo credit @wrighteyevisuals
Play On Philly’s Summer Program is right around the corner, and we can’t wait to welcome over a hundred students for four full weeks of musicmaking and arts exploration. We recently spoke to one of our summer volunteers, Meredith, about how she came back to the program after first joining as a student.
“Looking back, I was getting ready to quit playing music,” she says. “But POP helped me find community through the orchestra I played with. I stayed in touch and asked if I could volunteer in high school. I wanted to contribute to that sense of community that has given me so much over the years.”
A link to the full newsletter interview can be found in our bio.
It’s hard to believe that 15 years have passed since the founding of Play On Philly. Over the last decade and a half, we have seen hundreds of Philadelphia students pick up an instrument for the first time, share their artistry with their communities, and forge friendships that will last a lifetime. We have had the pleasure of watching these young musicians grow into brilliant young adults, and we are so honored to have been a part of their journey.
This coming week we are celebrating everything our organization has achieved and all that our students have accomplished at Evening of Harmony on April 29th. Be sure to look out for highlights and photos in the coming weeks.
Since our founding, Play On Philly has sought to increase the field’s understanding of the positive impact of music education. Our partners at WolfBrown have worked with us through several joint studies to explore how music can help young people thrive. WolfBrown is an arts research and planning consultancy that helps nonprofit organizations, funders, and public agencies accomplish their missions and meet the challenges of change.
Thank you WolfBrown for your continued partnership and for sponsoring Evening of Harmony 2026.
Congratulations to the seven POP Chamber musicians who were invited to Stamford, CT to attend the King School’s El Sistema Residency. Over 150 students from across the East Coast were paired across programs to create original works connected by a shared musical foundation. The weekend featured performances from all the participating programs, professional musicians guiding the groups on their compositions, and a whopping three shows to introduce what everyone had created.
In 2016, POP students were invited to take a detour from their musical studies to visit one of Philadelphia’s most beloved art installations. Over the past 50 years, collage artist Isaiah Zager covered more than 200 walls with delicately mosaicked artworks. With his recent passing, this trip from a decade ago is even more special.
If you want to hear about more stories like this, please consider subscribing to our Fanfare newsletter. Link in the bio!
At this year’s Evening of Harmony concert, acclaimed pianist Jonathan Biss will perform a composition of Marian Anderson Young Artist scholar Zihem's called Theme and Variation for Piano. This piece is part of a multi-year compositional project for Zihem set by his composition teacher. At the end of the project, Zihem will have written a small work for nearly every orchestral instrument.
Check out this month’s Fanfare newsletter for an interview with Zihem about his history of composing with POP and what goes into his writing process. Sign up through our bio!
