Building on hope, not only for city's children, but also for all orchestras

In the schools of Philadelphia and dozens of other cities struggling for basic resources, the realms of big ideas and arts education seldom overlap.

But something important is stirring here. In the fall, about 85 children at St. Francis de Sales in West Philadelphia began staying after school for more than two hours each day for an unusually generous dose of music: ear-training, chorus and instrumental lessons (plus snacks) in an intensive program, Tune Up Philly, modeled after Venezuela's lauded El Sistema program.

Fruits of the $300,000-a-year program were evident in a December inaugural concert in St. Francis' auditorium. Some of the trombonists and cellists had been playing their instruments for only 10 weeks, but their relative polish was surprising. Even more striking was the vibe. The musicians radiated glee and quiet pride. Parents looked tickled to hear what their children had been up to, siblings maybe a bit envious.

Many of these families live in down-and-out Southwest Philadelphia, and the triumph of after-school energies being diverted to the pursuit of something positive was lost on no one - least of all the nuns who run the school and are familiar with the often-trying circumstances of their students' lives.

Everyone in the room knew something significant was happening, something more than musical baby steps. Music-making often aligns with achieving greater things in life. Classical music takes discipline, focus, consensus, and a well-developed kit of problem-solving skills. Perhaps there's something, too, about re-creating the past that leads to being able visualize the future. You feel part of a bigger cultural continuum.

It's quite something to sit in a room and sense fate perhaps changing the course of children's lives. But there are implications far beyond the question of whether these particular musicians have a shot at someday playing Mozart and Mahler in Verizon Hall. This pilot program is not just about them - it's about all of us, the long-term health of arts and culture in the city, and the proliferation of an art form.

As classical music fights for its life, it has spent most of the last two decades implementing quick fixes: image-refurbishing marketing, splashier halls, social networking, changes in concert times and formats. A younger presence on the podium may bring in first-time listeners. But as audience behavior demonstrates, getting people in the first time is no hurdle; getting them to come back is.