Sweet Sounds of Service: What Your Support Made Possible

With encouragement and coordination support from the VMA, Newton South High School students have spent the past year expanding their outreach—bringing live music to new community venues and growing as service-minded leaders.

Thanks to the generosity of students, families, educators, and supporters across the VMA community, we’re grateful to share that the Sweet Sounds of Service campaign reached its goal.

This campaign was never about raising funds quickly—it was about sustaining the people and planning behind meaningful service through music. Your support strengthened the infrastructure that allows young musicians to bring live classical music into communities where it’s needed most.

What makes the VMA unique is the time we take to meet with families individually—even across different time zones on weekends—coordinating thoughtfully and tailoring each student’s service journey to serve the mission in the most meaningful way.

VMA Los Angeles students preparing to share live music with families at Ronald McDonald House, bringing comfort and connection through outreach performance.

In 2025, Sweet Sounds of Service helped VMA provide direct program support across the country, including student leadership advising, outreach concert coordination, educator onboarding, and national service recognition. It also supported the behind-the-scenes work that makes this possible: thoughtful planning, partnership development, fundraising infrastructure, and professional resources that students and educators can use again and again.

EKS Music School and the VMA working together to bring live music to the community at the Thayer Public Library—turning student performances into meaningful service. (Left to right: Elysses Kuan, Fred Springer, Jonathan Yasuda.)

As part of the campaign, VMA also made small, symbolic grants to several community music organizations whose missions align closely with service and outreach. These gestures were intended to recognize shared values and partnership, while the heart of the campaign remained focused on building sustainable programs rather than one-time cash distributions. The VMA chips in to support community-rooted organizations and partners deeply connected to their communities, including Arpeggione Ensemble, Boston String Academy, Community Music Works, Gather Hear, Cape Cod Music Society, and Music for Food.

Thomas Carroll introducing Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony during an outreach concert with the Arpeggione Ensemble, bringing live classical music to students at the Northshore Education Consortium.

Together, these efforts represent real, lasting impact. The value delivered through Sweet Sounds of Service meets—and exceeds—the funds raised, ensuring that music continues to serve as a force for connection, leadership, and compassion.

Thank you for believing in a model where service is built thoughtfully, partnerships are nurtured, and students are empowered to lead with purpose. Because of you, the music continues.

Through the VMA Leadership Initiative, the VMA connected David with outreach opportunities serving assisted living communities in the Boston area, where he shared live music as part of his service work. The VMA also connected him with the nonprofit MICLOT; after winning his division, he performed at Lincoln Center. Through the completion of his service work, David earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award.