Brookhaven, Nov 13, 2021 – Twenty-four students of the Buford Highway corridor performed their debut orchestra concert in front of their parents, neighbors, and community partners. Their journey to their debut performance culminated over many months of hard work and practices.
The students belong to a newly founded Buford Highway Children Orchestra. The orchestra was established under the guidance of Juana Alzaga, a retired music teacher who is passionate to inspire underserved immigrant children to excel.
Juana Alzaga and Lily Pabian, Executive Director of We Love Buford Highway launched the weekly musical lessons for immigrant community during the COV-19 pandemic in 2020. During the pandemic, tutorial lessons were delivered weekly via Zoom video online platform due to COV-19 restrictions.
There are currently two cohorts represented by children of immigrant families who are residents of the Buford Highway neighborhood corridor.
“It has been an honor for me to introduce these young students to music. I am very proud of the parents sacrifice who have volunteered to carpool and to make sure these young students attend classes,” said Juana Alzaga, musical director of the Buford Highway Children Orchestra.
The Buford Highway Children Orchestra is able to perform their debut concert thanks to the generosity of musical equipment donations worth $10,0000 by William Harris Lee & Company.
“I always stressed that if we want to make a difference in our community – we must start with our young children. We must lift our community and they are the future,” said Ms. Alzaga in her opening remarks.
The BHCO currently hold weekly musical lessons at the Latin American Association of Georgia headquarters building on Buford Highway.
For more information on Buford Highway Children Orchestra, visit www.welovebuhi.org
