For Immediate Release
Contact: Victoria Lanier
Phone: (818) 433-7600
Email: press@etmla.org / Website: www.etmla.org
LOS ANGELES, CA – On October 27, Education Through Music-Los Angeles (ETM-LA) was honored to have string students from partner schools Dorris Place Elementary (Elysian Park) and Castelar Elementary (Chinatown) perform for the historic re-opening of Angels Flight Railway. Angelenos came out to celebrate both the railway re-opening and the 100th birthday of the Grand Central Market, the city’s largest and oldest public market and frequent destination for railway passengers. The funicular, which began operating 116 years ago going up and down Bunker Hill, had closed due to the city’s modernization, but was refurbished in the 1990’s and now carries passengers daily.
The students were thrilled to take part in the city’s historic festivities and to ride the railway. Castelar 5th Grader, Joyce, exclaimed, “Today I feel great, because I can share music with everybody,” while Dorris Place 5th Grader, Hallie, added, “It was a great event and I liked how everyone…cheered for me.” Crowds gathered to listen to the young musicians perform two sets at 1:00pm and 1:45pm at the top of the Angels Flight platform.
Beyond taking in music from the city’s young artists, event goers received opportunities to ride the funicular, buy commemorative Angels Flight items, and indulge in Grand Central Market’s delectable food and drinks across the street – including a free slice of a 100-layer birthday cake from Valerie Confections!
ETM-LA provides quality, year-long, in-school music instruction in disadvantaged Los Angeles County schools as part of the core curriculum for every child. Since its founding in 2006, ETM-LA has grown to serve over 12,000 students at 25 partner schools in Los Angeles. For the 2017-18 academic year, ETM-LA is expanding to 30 schools reaching 14,000 students.
View photos from the event here.