Trenton Music Makers

Trenton Music Makers is a creative youth development organization that empowers young people as teams of musicians, providing an environment of abundant resources and high expectations, and enriching our community through the joyful pursuit of excellence together.  

Developed in collaboration with the Trenton Public Schools Office of Early Childhood, the Music for the Very Young program provides high-quality and interesting first musical experiences for preschool children, support for their classroom teachers in integrating music across the preschool curriculum, and opportunities for children’s families to participate in the music-making. Our after-school orchestra program engages students two days per week in Grades K-1, and Monday through Friday in Grades 2-12. They participate in orchestra rehearsals, percussion instruction and choir, small-studio lessons, and collective composition. More experienced students receive theory instruction and chamber music coaching. Students also take part in community-building activities and performances across the city and throughout the region. TMM welcomes any child to participate, with no audition, and regardless of financial resources.

Upholding and strengthening the promising elements already present in children’s lives -- the network of caring parents and teachers, and the desire to develop skills that make them an asset to their communities -- we add proven curricula, access to musical instruments, the opportunity to travel outside of their local environment, and instruction by professional teaching artists.

Trenton Music Makers is part of the global El Sistema movement, which is inspired by the renowned system of youth orchestras and choirs that began in Venezuela in the 1970’s, seeking to affect social change through intensive ensemble-based music. Our students collaborate at least twice a year with students from peer programs; we are members of the El Sistema NJ Alliance, which hosts an annual full-day music festival in which students travel to other parts of the State to learn new music, dance, percussion, or compose together, and give a concert as an orchestra of 250. Each summer we join the member organizations of the ESNJA to operate a sleepaway camp in Blairstown, New Jersey. As members of El Sistema USA we have further chances to participate in multi-day festivals at the Northeastern or Mid-Atlantic regional level. We emphasize democratized teaching, in which every skill learned provides a peer teaching opportunity. Students who demonstrate special care and leadership can also achieve the privilege of becoming teaching interns, and serve as administrative interns.

We believe that every child can learn to express music deeply, receive its many benefits, and make different critical life choices as a result of this learning.