A Community’s Gifts of Music Strike a Chord

In only 15 years,
the Fund’s balance
has grown to
$499,320

25⁺ students each receive 900⁺ minutes of instruction during school each year

West Hartford is a town with increasingly diverse families and needs. All fourth-grade public school students are provided an instrument, but supplementing classroom instruction with private lessons is too expensive for many.

A group of dedicated and grateful parents recognized this barrier and took action to ensure all children have the opportunity to discover and develop their potential.

Their idea quickly gained support: Other families happily donated to help extend the “Gifts of Music” to those who could not afford them. A donor-advised fund was created at the Foundation, and the school system and Hartt School of Music’s Community Division became dedicated program partners.

Fifteen years later, Gifts of Music has become a natural extension of the West Hartford music community. Through the generosity of many local families and the Foundation’s stewardship, the Fund has quickly grown to almost $500,000. Having the Fund administered by the Foundation also enabled the program’s advisory committee to focus on meaningfully and modestly growing its efforts. Now, the founding families are looking to secure the program’s sustainability and pass the torch to the next generation.