Holiday Music

By Dr. Marciene Mattleman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia has always had lots of good holiday music and a new group is gathering a large audience - mostly parents. It's Music in Charter Schools comprised of students grades 5 through high school from 11 charter schools in the city and it has attracted national attention.

Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, you may remember that name from the Richard Dreyfus movie, has made a grant of $25,000 to the founding organization, the First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School.

Abreu Fellows from the New England Conservatory of Music and the New York based ensemble, Opus Nine, lead workshops for the 300 young musicians. There is heavy emphasis for students on learning about music, not just playing, with a course on listening as well.

With the arts vulnerable in traditional public schools, the Hallelujah chorus, American folk songs and the colorful Medieval Knights from the repertoire of Music in Charter Schools, is most welcome.