Amani: Marching to the Beat of Her Own Drum
For eighth grader Amani, Harmony Project is more than just a place to learn music—it's a community where she can be her most authentic self. “I enjoy being around a group of people I can relate to and who have similar dreams as me,” Amani says. “In Harmony Project, I feel comfortable enough to be myself. Everyone here understands what each person is striving for.”
Amani playing the clarinet during class instruction.
Amani’s personal goal is to learn and play as many instruments as she can, with an ultimate dream of joining the drumline at her dream school, North Carolina A&T. To get there, she's dedicating herself to the skills that will make her a standout musician. “I’ve been developing my sight-reading, strengthening my own discipline, knowing how best to practice with music, and how to differentiate different music from one another.”
“Amani is a phenomenal student in and outside of school, says Leimert Park program manager, Malia Pinkard. “She has been in the program for over three years now and has demonstrated exceptional leadership. Amani is one of the few students that plays two instruments — drums & clarinet — and excels in both! I am so proud of her and I can't wait to see how she continues to grow."
Amani leads the HP Leimert Park Drumline backstage before a performance at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.
Amani's journey is a powerful example of how music education builds not just technical skill, but the discipline, confidence, and community that empowers young people to chase their dreams. We can’t wait to see her march with her dream drumline one day.
Amani (front center) performing at Dodger Stadium for the Mookie Betts Celebrity Softball Game and Juneteenth Celebration.
About Harmony Project:
Harmony Project is a nonprofit that provides high-quality music instruction and social support to children year-round at no cost throughout community hubs in Los Angeles. As one of Los Angeles’ largest music education organizations, Harmony Project is dedicated exclusively to serving children from low-income families and under-resourced communities. Harmony Project envisions a world in which all students have equal access to opportunities to learn how to play music and the resources needed to thrive in college and beyond. Harmony Project’s holistic approach to student success has resulted in impressive outcomes with 98 percent of the graduating high school class accepted to a college or university during the 2024-2025 academic year.