Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic Awards Over $60,000 in Special Grants to Local Coachella School

Palm Desert, CA — Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic, a nonprofit organization serving the Coachella Valley for more than 45 years, has awarded over $60,000 in grants through their special Emergency Music Grant Fund to support music education in local schools during the pandemic.

The PSFP Board of Directors decided that in lieu of their typical season of world-class concerts that was postponed due to the pandemic, they would instead create a one-time Emergency Music Grant Program. The purpose of the grant program is to help alleviate some of the financial burden that local school music curriculums are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over 20 applications were received and reviewed by a committee that included PSFP’s president, Ken Turner, as well as board members Dean Kauffman, Dr. David Ko, John Fox, and Carol Lewis. A list of the winning grant applicants is listed here by school district.

Coachella Valley School District

• Bobby Duke Middle School – $6,000 for music instruments
• Cahuilla Desert Academy – $6,000 for music instruments
• Toro Canyon Middle School – $6,000 for music instruments

Desert Sands Unified School District

• Indio High School – $5,000 for music instruction
• Palm Desert Charter Middle School – $6,000 for music instruction
• John Glenn Middle School – $6,000 for music instruments
• Harry Truman Middle School – $1,680 for music curriculum license fee
• Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle School – $992 for music instruments

Palm Springs Unified School District

• Cathedral City High School (Band) – $6,000 for music instruments
• Cathedral City High School (Choirs) – $2,500 for computer technology
• Raymond Cree Middle School – $6,000 for music instruments
• Painted Hills Middle School – $3,000 for digital keyboard
• James Workman Middle School – $6,000 for music instruments

“The value of incorporating music into a child’s education cannot be understated. There is clear evidence that an education rich in music not only improves students’ cognitive function and academic performance but also teaches important soft skills such as teamwork, perseverance, and discipline . Simply put, children learn better when music is part of their school curriculum. We are grateful to the PSFP for this special opportunity” says Karen Cornett a member of the Palm Springs Unified School District Board of Education.

The Palm Springs Philharmonic Society (PSFP) is one of the world’s premiere concert presenters of classical music providing an annual series of internationally acclaimed symphony orchestras to the Coachella Valley and surrounding areas. In addition, PSFP fosters music appreciation for hundreds of local youths and encourages promising young musicians through scholarships, education and instrument donation programs.

For more information, please visit www.psfp.org or call the office at 760-341-1013.