Neighborhood Music Project

Maestro Dudamel performs with the TCHS Orchestra

For its historic 125th anniversary during the 2018-19 season, Princeton University Concerts brought conductor Gustavo Dudamel to campus as its first Artist-in-Residence for a year-long residency designed to propel classical music forward in a vibrant and socially relevant manner. Celebrated by the campus and broader community, this residency inspired a new outreach program, the Neighborhood Music Project, conceived to reinforce Maestro Dudamel’s commitment to music as a force for uniting communities, empowering young people, and promoting positive social change. A collaboration between PUC and TAP, this multifaceted program supports six initiatives aimed at expanding access to the arts and music education in both the Trenton Public Schools and the Trenton community.

  1. Artist Visits: Select musicians performing on PUC’s season visit Trenton Central High School to lead students in music workshops. These visits allow students to engage directly with some of the most renowned young musicians performing today.
  2. Field Trips: Students from Trenton Central High School are offered free tickets and busing to attend PUC's most popular series: Performances Up Close. Set with the audience onstage, these hour-long concerts feature an intimate and interactive way to experience classical music.
  3. Express the Music Contest: Modeled after PUC’s successful Creative Reactions Contest for Princeton University students, this contest invites Trenton students to capture the impact of a PUC concert by creating an artistic response. The 2022-23 winning entries can be viewed here.
  4. Trenton Youth Orchestra: The Dudamel Foundation supports TYO Faculty Fellow Dr. Anna Lim and provides the orchestra with an annual field trip to watch Maestro Dudamel perform.
  5. Trenton Arts Fellowship: The Dudamel Foundation funds the Trenton Arts Fellow who serves as the student leader for the Trenton Youth Orchestra.

Click here to learn more about the Dudamel Foundation.