Free and open to the public, in-person and online!

Opus 118 was founded in 1991 by Roberta Guaspari with a mission to provide quality music instruction and teacher development in an environment that nurtures excellence and creativity, without regard to economic status, age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or physical ability.

Since its founding, Opus 118 has helped more than 6,000 students from the greater Harlem area reach their potential through free in-school group music lessons and highly subsidized private lessons making music affordable and accessible to our community. For the purposes of this talk we will feature our founder, alumni and students and how music has changed their lives.

For more than 31 years, Opus 118 Harlem School of Music has used music education and string playing to promote the love of music, improve academic performance, provide positive alternatives to drugs and violence, build confidence and self-esteem and help children explore the world. Opus 118’s work is documented in the Academy Award-nominated documentary, Small Wonders, and in the feature film Music of the Heart, starring Meryl Streep in her Academy Award-nominated performance as Roberta Guaspari, Opus 118’s Co-Founder and Artistic Director.

Starting only as a day program, in 2022, due to parent demand, Opus 118 Harlem School of Music added an After-School Program, which expanded on the success of our nationally recognized In-School Music Program. This additional After-School Program allowed us to offer opportunities for New York City public school students to obtain one-on-one and ensemble instruction after-school. This program is a valuable resource for children who may not have music programs in their schools at all, and instruction for adults who wish to learn a musical instrument or advance their musical skills. Having been in continuous operation since 1991, Opus 118 alumni have gone on to have illustrious careers in every career imaginable, of which many return back to our program becoming Master Teacher such as Amanda Negron and Nicole Wright who will be featured today. As we continue to grow, Opus 118 remains committed to East Harlem as we continue to provide access and opportunity to music education to all the students of our community.

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About Sunday Platform

Sunday Platform is our most important and long-standing community event. These gatherings educate, stimulate personal growth, inspire reflection and action, and strengthen our community. Sunday meetings begin with music, followed by greetings and a talk given by a Society Leader, member, or guest.  Platforms cover a variety of topics that reflect current events, pressing social issues, and Humanist philosophy. Each Sunday meeting is followed by a luncheon and social hour.

To watch previous Sunday Platforms, visit our Videos page and YouTube channel.