Our Story

Where It All Started

Founded by Cammie Lee and Isabelle Zheng, Project Prelude’s first group lesson program started in the fall of 2016 at Aloha-Huber Park K-8 School. The weekly class had over 25 4th-5th graders, had no barrier to entry and was at absolutely no-cost to the students. 85% of Aloha Huber Park’s students are economically disadvantaged, and would not have otherwise had the opportunity to learn how to play an instrument. All of the class teachers were high school musicians with years of experience on their instruments.

Small groups of around six students were formed for each teacher, allowing students to enjoy individual attention. Students learned new pieces every few weeks, and continued to improve and refine the music they already learned. The initial curriculum was loosely based on the Suzuki method.

Mr. Meek, the music teacher at Aloha-Huber Park, said of the program: "The growth of the students over the course of the year was amazing. Many started off with very little experience on the violin, and were not used to performing as an ensemble. The students learned many different songs and variations, and learned how to play together and give constructive feedback to each other. This was a wonderful opportunity for the students to perform in small groups with their teacher and demonstrate all of the music they had learned to play. The students were clearly excited and proud of how far they had come and were delighted to perform for their families. The students were so sad when the program ended and they had to return their instruments."

A parent of one of the students wrote, "The enthusiasm that the kids developed for music and strings over the year was evident. The high school students that taught were clearly passionate. They created a great program for the kids."

Since its launch, Project Prelude has grown to offer an expansive range of programs serving the community. Looking to the future, the organization strives to continue instilling the values of passion, creativity, and dedication in the next generation while building a dynamic community of artists.

Past Programs