Electrify Your Music Foundation to Hold Concert at Brooklyn Tech

A new non-profit dedicated to revitalizing underfunded public school music programs will hold its first major fundraising and launch event at Fort Greene's own Brooklyn Technical High School.

Electrify Your Music Foundation will hold benefit concert 5-Borough Youth Rock Symphony at 7:30 p.m. on April 26 in the 2,700-seat Brooklyn Technical High School Theater at 29 Fort Greene Pl.

The organization, founded by Emmy Award-winning composer, electric violinist and music education advocate Mark Wood, is based on the success of his Electrify Your Strings! curriculum which has been brought into hundreds of less privileged public schools throughout America. The program has raised close to a million dollars and exposes students to cultural opportunities that might not otherwise be available to them.

For the foundation’s launch event, over 200 city music students from six New York City public schools, representing each borough, will come together for an electrified rock symphony performance. The student orchestra, along with Mark Wood, will perform his distinctive arrangements of the music of Led Zeppelin, Aaron Copland, The Beatles and Vivaldi. 

"It's not about turning students into professional musicians - though if that's the path they choose, great,” Wood said in a statement. “It's about empowering them to dream big, take chances, and break down barriers so that they can achieve success in any field."

F ort Hamilton High School and Brooklyn Technical High School will represent Brooklyn, Talent Unlimited High School will represent Manhattan, Celia Cruz High School will represent the Bronx, Bayside High School will represent Queens, Curtis High School will represent Staten Island and Westbury High School will represent Long Island.

"It is exciting to see initiatives that augment the programs we offer at the Department of Education and the creative ways that public and private efforts work together to assure that our children have fulfilling music educations," said Barbara  Murray, director of music of the New York City Department of Education. 

To purchase tickets or donate, visit Electrify Your Music's eventbrite page here.