Inaugural Festival To Raise Money For PS 130’s Music Program Was A Resounding Success

The inaugural music festival at PS 130 (70 Ocean Parkway) last Friday was a huge success, with parents telling us the auditorium was jam-packed with students, parents and other neighbors who gathered to raise money for the school’s music education program.

The shindig featured parent musicians, both professional and amateur, whose styles ran the musical gamut, including Appalachian, Latin, jazz, rock, contemporary classical, and more.

The money raised during the festivities will go towards materials and supplies for music classes, the creation of private music instruction programs — including scholarships, piano tuning, PA system improvements, and more.

Explaining the need for the funding for the school — where 94 percent of its students qualify for free lunch — neighbors said in a press release:

PS130 remains dedicated to keeping music in the classroom. General music instruction, guitar, band, chorus are all offered to its students as an essential part of its mission to educate them effectively, but available resources are not adequate to fully fund these programs. In response to this need, singer/songwriter and PS 130 parent Debbie Deane germinated the idea for this event to raise awareness of the importance of music education and to raise additional funds PS 130’s music programs.

Many thanks to neighbor Kim Smith, a PS 130 parent and one of the event’s organizers, for these great photos of the evening. If you took photos at the event, let us know! Email us at editor@kensingtonbk.com, and we’ll post them on the blog.