Daniel and Esther: Finding Harmony After the Flames
The devastating wildfires that swept through our Harmony Project Pasadena community earlier this year left many families in their wake, including some of our own. But even amidst the loss and uncertainty, two of our students, Daniel and Esther, found a source of comfort and consistency in music. Their stories are a testament to the power of community and the healing nature of harmony.
Eliot Arts Auditorium. Photo courtersy of Bloomberg.
For Daniel, a seventh grader, the fires meant temporary displacement and a new school. He and his family had to stay in a motel for temporary housing, and the routine he once knew was gone. But at Harmony Project, he found a welcome escape. "Harmony Project was a great way for me to get away from all of that," Daniel shares. "Talking to my friends, learning cool songs, and learning about the history of music really helped take my mind off the stuff that was happening."
Daniel (centered) with his trumpet preparing for a local performance.
Daniel's favorite part of Harmony Project is the opportunity to be with his friends and learn new things, a small but vital sense of normalcy in a time of great change. To our donors, he says, "Thank you for giving us such kindness. I ask that you keep supporting so that kids who love music can get into it."
Esther, an eighth grader who loves playing the piano and the drums, was one of the many who lost her home entirely. The fires took her house and some belongings, but they couldn't take her passion for music. "Music makes me smile because it’s very fun to listen to," Esther says. When she is at Harmony Project, playing different instruments and smiling with friends, she finds a place to be free. "When I’m at Harmony Project and playing music, it helps me forget about it [Eaton wildfire]and get away from it all."
Esther locked in as she listens to her Harmony Project percussion teaching artist during her drumline class.
Daniel and Esther’s stories are a powerful reminder that music education is more than just learning to read music notes. For these children, it became a form of therapy. It is a safe space to process their emotions, find joy, and connect with a like-minded community that understands. It’s a place where, even after the flames and smoke, they can still find harmony.
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.