Nearly ten years ago, Trenton Children’s Chorus (est. 1989) and Trenton Music Makers (est. 1999) explored the idea of combining forces to take the musical life of youth in Trenton to the next level. Now, the Trenton music scene now resounds with the joy of young people in Capital Harmony Works: Home of Music for The Very Young, Trenton Children’s Chorus, and Trenton Music Makers.
Meet Cindy. Cindy joined Trenton Music Makers (TMM) and began studying the viola in 2018. That spring she played with 250 young musician from around the region in Richardson Auditorium, as part of Gustavo Dudamel’s residency at Princeton University. Last summer she attended Camp Encore/Coda in Maine, on a full scholarship jointly offered by the camp and Trenton Music Makers.
And now meet Azhaneet. She was the youngest chorister to ever enroll in Trenton Children’s Chorus. She was a little girl who loved dancing and singing, and the Chorus helped her cultivate this love all the way from her first rehearsal through singing for President and Mrs. Obama at the White House in 2014. These experiences turned her toward music education as a career path, and she plans to graduate from Westminster Choir College in 2022. Azhaneet now helps other Trenton Children’s Chorus singers as a Learning Coach through the Learning Academy – and loves it!
The amazing, lifechanging experiences for Cindy and Azhaneet will now be made available to Trenton area children – from ages 3 through high school graduates. Now, students like Azhaneet and Cindy will be able to meet one another and build creative, inspiring friendships that will grow far beyond the rehearsal room.
Kelsey Swanson, who spearheads Music for the Very Young, has been a part of Trenton Music Makers since 2015, and both of her sons are singers in Trenton Children’s Chorus. “What an opportunity we have now, to provide a strong early-childhood music program that can launch children into orchestra, or into chorus, or into both!” she adds.
“Trenton Children’s Chorus, Trenton Music Makers, and Music for the Very Young are all in such capable hands with their program directors,” added Carol Burden, who will continue as Capital Harmony Works’ President and CEO. “Drawing them under a shared roof, so to speak, enables them all to keep growing and thriving, and we can invite all of TCC and TMM’s friends to keep supporting the program that they love, whether one or all of them.”
“While our incredible teaching artists worked tirelessly to keep music in the lives of children over the past two years, our boards and admin teams explored behind-the-scenes the idea of expanding our model to a comprehensive city-wide music program. We were thrilled to discover – at every step forward – the complementarity, strength, and momentum each organization would gain from this,” said Kate Mulligan, Executive Director of Trenton Children’s Chorus.
Capital Harmony Works hosts its debut event on Thursday, May 19 at 6:00 p.m. at the Social Profit Center in Trenton. All are cordially invited to reserve a ticket and see the various programs together in action! RSVP today at https://musiceverywhere.givesmart.com.
