Last month, the Bay Area Music Project (BAMP) Youth Chorus took Sacramento by storm with performances at the California All-State Music Education Conference and at the State Capitol Rotunda.
“It was such a pleasure to be among so many passionate educators and youth musicians advocating for music education,” said Founder and Executive Director Lorrie Murray. “As an added treat, we got to visit the Assembly Floor as guests of Assemblymember Mia Bonta to learn about how laws are made.”
BAMP is a nonprofit music program, in and after school, designed to serve the social, emotional, cultural, and academic needs of children in grades K-12 in under-resourced communities throughout Alameda and Oakland.
Founded by Murray in 2014, BAMP was inspired by Venezuela’s renowned El Sistema program and its dedication to artistically rigorous ensemble training as a vehicle for social change. BAMP’s mission is to provide an opportunity where all children—regardless of circumstances—can thrive socially and academically through music education that promotes creative expression, teamwork, discipline, and social responsibility. No child or family is ever turned away because of financial limitations.
All participating students receive high-quality music instruction in both small group and orchestra settings, plus all necessary musical supplies, a nutritious snack, and academic support during the school year. Students learn the importance of collaboration and cooperation in and outside the ensemble; they learn how to become one voice, and through their shared experience, grow stronger as individuals and as a community.
Bay Area Music Project has been widely recognized by local and national education and service organizations such as California Department of Education, California District 18 Assembly and the Jefferson Award for Public Service to name a few.
Watch their performance in the State Capitol Rotunda:
