Come, let us shout joyfully to the Lord, shout triumphantly to the rock of our salvation! Let us enter His presence with Thanksgiving; let us shout triumphantly to Him in song.
– Psalm 95: 1-2
Through music education, performance, and experience, the boys at HOPE Farm discover parts of themselves that may have otherwise been hidden. Through the generous gifts of many supporters who believe in HOPE Farm’s ministry, we were able to purchase a 1911 fully rebuilt Steinway piano in August, 2011. As a result, we have been able to offer private piano lessons once a week to the boys studying at the Christian Life Preparatory School. Once a week, they participate in a 30-minute lesson and are able to practice each day. Their progress has been exciting to watch. In addition to private piano, the younger boys (up to fifth grade) engage in a weekly choir rehearsal. During rehearsals, we learn music from various genres attempting to expose the boys to a wide variety of musical styles.
In addition to the education part of our music program, HOPE Farm offers the boys individual and group performance opportunities. The HOPE Farm Boys’ Choir performs throughout the community on a regular basis. We perform at Hope Farm’s annual Open House in December each year. In addition, the choir performs the National Anthem at sports events including TCU basketball and baseball games. The boys also share their voices in churches, nursing homes, fundraising events, and prayer breakfasts to name but a few. Our piano students are given the opportunity to perform in recitals twice a year as well as accompany the choir from time to time.
The third component of our music program is that of experience—finding ways for the boys to be exposed to live music from professional musicians who are making a difference. In 2009, the Fort Worth Symphony invited us to be members of their Beethoven’s Buddies program. This community outreach program donates extra tickets to symphony concerts to non-profit organizations. Most recently, HOPE Farm has been invited to be a part of the Van Cliburn Foundation’s “Musical Awakenings” Program which features top-notch performers who bring their music to groups who may not be able to travel to outside concert venues.
