The Orchestra Zone is a collaboration between Reading Symphony Orchestra and Reading School District, which offers free after-school instrumental music lessons on a weekly basis. Reading School District, Reading Symphony Orchestra and Reading Musical Foundation work together to make this program happen. Reading School District provides most of the instruments that the students use and all of the facilities where the lessons take place. Reading Symphony Orchestra provides the funding for the teachers’ salaries and extra equipment. Finally, Reading Musical Foundation helps by supplying extra instruments for the students to use and additional funding for the program. Reading Symphony Orchestra and the Reading School District have been running Orchestra Zone since 2008.
The Orchestra Zone program began with about fifteen sixth grade participants and has expanded to include over ninety participating students in grades six through twelve that take part in private instrumental lessons during a six-week summer program and throughout the academic year. Lessons are given after school at the middle school most convenient to each student and are supplemental to instrumental lessons and ensemble rehearsals received during the school day.
Following the completion of fifth grade, instrumental teachers from the district can recommend students that they identify as musically talented and responsible, and these students are then asked if they would like to participate in the free program, beginning with the summer session. Students are continually assessed on their progress and attendance.
Five teachers participate in the program: David Himes, RSO's Education Manager and a retired music educator from Reading School District; Jessica Manning, local musician and string teacher; Kathleen Stevens Bahena, local musician and string teacher; Andrew Keller, elementary instrumental music teacher in the Reading School District; and Ann Cusano, retired elementary band director in the Governor Mifflin School District. The five teachers give private instrumental music lessons in their specific disciplines.
Our Spanish translator for the program is Mrs. Gladys Mendez.