Celebrating young musicians and equipping our future leaders. We are music without barriers!
Vision: El Sistema Colorado envisions a world where every young person, regardless of background, has access to music's transformative power. In partnership with our community, we embolden young musicians to become confident, empathetic, and resilient leaders who contribute to a more representative, creative, and connected society.
Mission: El Sistema Colorado is a scholarship-based, excellence-driven, and opportunity-focused youth orchestra program that develops musical and personal agency, transcends socioeconomics, and strengthens community.
Investing in Individualized Growth: Accelerando Private Lessons at ESC
El Sistema Colorado’s Accelerando Private Lessons Program is continuing into its second year, expanding opportunities for students to receive focused, individualized instruction through private lessons and masterclasses with professional teaching artists. The program provides students with consistent, personalized mentorship that supports both musical development and personal growth. Through individualized instruction, students build technical and artistic skills while developing confidence, perseverance, goal-setting, self-discipline, and a deeper sense of ownership over their musical journeys.
For students and families, Accelerando creates opportunities to pursue meaningful musical goals with the guidance and support of dedicated teaching artists. Students are challenged to stretch their abilities, take on new repertoire, and develop greater independence as musicians, while families gain a closer view of their children’s growth and accomplishments. The program reflects El Sistema Colorado’s broader commitment to providing high-quality, barrier-free music education and ensuring that students from underserved communities have access to the individualized mentorship and opportunities that can help them thrive.
These opportunities are made possible through the generous support of Think 360 Arts for Learning, whose investment in Accelerando helps ensure continued access to high-quality private instruction and mentorship. As the program enters its second year, this partnership is helping Accelerando build on its first year of learning and growth while deepening its impact on students’ musical development, confidence, and sense of possibility.
What We Do
El Sistema Colorado serves young people ages 3–18 through scholarship-based music education, providing students with instruments, ensemble instruction, and performance opportunities in a supportive orchestral setting. While all students are welcome to apply, we prioritize serving children and families who face financial barriers to accessing high-quality music education.
Our programs are based at our music center in Denver's historic Curtis Park neighborhood. Afterschool ensembles meet Monday through Friday from 4:30–6:30 p.m., with most students receiving two to three hours of ensemble instruction each week. Many students also receive free private lessons through our Accelerando program, further supporting their musical growth. ESC’s Early Childhood program meets at various times during the week, both on- and off- campus, to provide world-class, wellness-infused music education to eight local preschool programs and two groups of neighborhood families.
Participation in El Sistema Colorado requires a meaningful commitment from both students and families, creating a vibrant community built on shared goals, mutual support, and a love of music. We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive through exceptional music education, regardless of their background or financial circumstances.
Our work extends far beyond learning an instrument. We are committed to developing the whole child by fostering confidence, creativity, resilience, social-emotional learning, and leadership skills, while building strong connections among students, families, and the broader community.
At El Sistema Colorado, we are proud to bring Music Without Barriers to life every day.
Our Partners
Long-term mentoring partnerships with local professional orchestras and chamber ensembles are central to ESC’s programming. These collaborations open doors to the highest level of classical music for our wide range of young musicians.
We invite you to join us in this Purpose. Whether you are a potential partner, donor, volunteer, or advocate, there are countless ways to support El Sistema Colorado. Your involvement can help us reach even more children, create even greater impact, and continue making a lasting difference in our community.
Together, we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to experience the joy, creativity, and empowerment that comes from music education.
Work With Us
Visit our jobs page to see what postions El Sistema Colorado is currently hiring for.
Join Our Board
Apply to join our governing body that focuses on high level strategy, oversight, and accountability.
Donate Instruments
We are looking to add violins, violas, cellos and double basses for our ever-growing string orchestra program.
Your gift creates Music Without Barriers, transforming lives through access, equity, and the power of music.
Giving Circles
Supporters – $25
Patrons – $50
Ambassadors – $120 / $10 per month
Musician Circle – $600 / $50 per month
Orchestra Circle – $1,200 / $100 per month
Maestro Circle – $3,000 / $250 per month
Executive Director Levels
Sostenuto – $10,000
Maestoso – $25,000
Bravo – $50,000+
Planned Giving
Legacy Society – Ensure music education for generations to come
Sponsorship Opportunities
Event Sponsorship
Partners in Harmony Benefit Concert
Colorado Gives Day
Seasonal ConcertsProgram Sponsorship
Summer Programs
Early Childhood Education
Afterschool Orchestra Program
Accelerando (Private Lessons & Masterclasses)
Join a circle of supporters by giving Monthly and sustain our mission year-round.
-
ESC was founded in January 2012 with the first after school program in Denver Public Schools serving students at Garden Place Academy, adding Swansea Elementary and Bruce Randolph Middle & High School in the fall of 2013.
Drawing on the inspiration and approach from the original El Sistema established in Venezuela over 40 years ago, the founders of El Sistema Colorado envisioned children of marginalized communities having the same access to music as their more privileged peers.
In October 2019, we opened the doors to our very own music center and moved programming to our new location in the heart of Curtis Park. In 2026, we currently serve over 300 students from all across Denver every week.
Since our founding, ESC has served over 3,000 youth throughout Denver. We seek funding to expand our music programs to effectively serve our students with the highest quality music education possible.
-
El Sistema was founded in Venezuela in 1975 by economist and musician José Antonio Abreu and is now known as Fundación Musical Simón Bolívar. The system was designed to improve the life trajectory of young people living in poverty and as a paradigm for social change.
The intensive approach engages youth in group lessons, rehearsals and performance, while emphasizing peer learning and community engagement. The goals of El Sistema center on developing critical life skills and laying the groundwork for success.
An important product of El Sistema is the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, fed by young musicians from the program. The orchestra made its debut and succeeded brilliantly at an international competition in 1977 in Aberdeen, Scotland and has since toured extensively in Europe and America.
The El Sistema model has become a worldwide phenomenon as more music and education leaders have visited Venezuela and been inspired to adapt the program to their communities. Others have learned about El Sistema through the news media—including the news program 60 Minutes, which profiled the organization—as well as through the popularity of Los Angeles Philharmonic Music Director Gustavo Dudamel and other El Sistema graduates.
El Sistema has spurred conversations about how to reach low-income children using this daily, orchestra-based model of music education. The movement has expanded rapidly in the United States, including the formation of numerous El Sistema-inspired programs.
To learn more, you can watch the TED Talk for Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu here.