In 2016, Andrew Lee received a call that changed his life and created a cultural sea-change in Washington DC. A conservatory-trained musician he juggled professional performances, running music festivals, and, as a community leader and volunteer, bringing classical music to under-resourced neighborhoods. He was invited to perform that night in a concert featuring brilliant musicians from across the globe. Andrew hopped on a train and headed to Carnegie Hall. The sheer artistry moved him to consider, “what am I doing to create this experience for others?” He launched DC Strings Workshop, a nonprofit organization that makes music education accessible to largely Black and Brown students in schools without arts funding. The logistics alone are impressive, from operating a summer camp, embedding music teachers in elementary and middle schools to performances by the Accord Symphony, an orchestra made up of semi-professional and professional musicians. As Andrew shares on this episode of Power Station, the work goes even deeper. It includes navigating difficult conversations about the impacts of economic instability and violence on students. And it engages young people in finding and using their voices to advocate for music in every school for every student.
