Elizabeth Kilpatrick believes her life would have been a lot different if she hadn’t been exposed to music at a young age.
“I grew up in a very rural area and did not have access to music classes in school, but I was very fortunate that my parents felt that music education was important,” she recalls, adding that she was regularly taking violin lessons, which eventually led her to going to college on a scholarship, something she didn’t think was even possible at the time.
“Music education gave me the opportunities that I don’t think I would have been able to otherwise get,” she says. “I know the value of having something like that and I want every child to be able to have that.”
Kilpatrick serves as executive director of Music Orchard Richmond, a nonprofit organization that seeks to enrich student learning through high-quality, inclusive and accessible music education. Its mission is to eliminate barriers to learning music by partnering with the community to provide low-or no-cost programming, instruments, supplies and resources for students, parents and teachers.
The organization currently provides in-school programming through Richmond Public Schools and Chesterfield County Public Schools along with after school programs with NextUp, Peter Paul RVA, St. Michael’s Episcopal School and the Robinson Theater Community Arts Center. Students receive guidance from expert musicians, personalized feedback, and the chance to play alongside peers from across the region.
Music Orchard Richmond began in 2013 by a student at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School as an afternoon club activity to provide music lessons to elementary and middle school age students. Once that student graduated, the program was handed over to the school’s orchestra teacher, who continued it until Kilpatrick took over in 2023 and decided to revamp the organization and institute new programming, which now includes an in-school teaching artist program, after school music lessons, and its annual Senior Regional Orchestra (SRO) workshop for middle and high school string students preparing for SRO auditions.
Kilpatrick says Music Orchard is not just about teaching music to students, but also how music can help with problem solving and managing their emotions.
“We start every lesson with a check-in on how they’re doing,” she explains. “They get a chance to work through any emotions they’re having so that when we actually start their lesson, they’re in a better emotional space and able to actually learn.”
Parents of enrolled students also experience the benefits of the organization.
“[It] has had a truly special impact on our family,” says parent JaVarrah Davis, whose daughter is participating in the violin classes. “The growth we’ve seen in her has been amazing. She’s gained confidence, patience and pride in herself as she learns something challenging and beautiful. Music has become something she’s excited to share with us at home, bringing our family together in new ways.”
“The Music Orchard is more than just music lessons,” says parent Portia Allman, who has two children in the after school program. “It is an experience that nurtures discipline, teamwork, and self-expression, all qualities that I want my daughters to possess. I have witnessed instructors who are dedicated and who create a support environment so that my daughters can achieve a level of musicianship that I never thought possible.”
With the increased success and popularity of the organization’s programs, Kilpatrick is looking to expand the size of current lessons and create a workforce development program for middle schoolers where students can meet music professionals and see the different ways they could have a career in music.
However, all these programs require sufficient staffing and funding to continue so Music Orchard Richmond is regularly hosting fundraisers and benefit concerts around the city, including its upcoming “Valentunes” benefit concert, which features a lineup of local musicians along with a raffle of local goods. The amount of support the organization receives from the community continues to astound Kilpatrick. She’s even seen it coming from her current students.
“We had a student who was performing in our Play it Forward fundraiser last November. He asked me what ‘play it forward’ meant, and I told him it was to help raise money to support his violin lessons. He then said to me, ‘I’ve got $94 in my savings account. I’ll bring that.’ I was so touched, but told him he didn’t have to do that, and that I would work harder to raise the money. He still ended up donating two dollars the night of the fundraiser and it was just really precious to see him wanting to donate to the program he loved so much.”
Kilpatrick believes removing barriers to music education evens the playing field and gives all children regardless of income and access a chance to explore an undiscovered talent that could potentially change their lives like it did hers.
“If we don’t have equal access to music, we risk not hearing from so many voices in the music world,” she says. “Just think about how many people we’ve never gotten to hear from because they didn’t have access to music education. We’re making sure that we have a chance to hear all of the voices.”
Music Orchard Richmond’s Valentunes fundraising event takes place on Saturday, Feb. 14 from 2-5 p.m. at Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint. Tickets are $10 and free for kids 12 and under. For more information on Music Orchard Richmond, visit musicorchardrichmond.com.
