The musicians of Tune Up Philly (TUP), a daily after-school music education program provided by the PYO Music Institute for elementary school-aged students, will present their 5th Annual Festival Concert at The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Center, 4200 Wissahickon Ave, Philadelphia, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, at 2 p.m.

This heartwarming concert will feature TUP performers from several schools and community centers throughout Philadelphia that include The Salvation Army Kroc Center, The People for People Charter School, The St. James School, Independence Charter School, and Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter School. The program will feature works for young orchestra designed to educate, inspire, and engage communities. The expansive repertoire includes traditional folk songs and dances, works from the classical canon such as Schubert and Dvorak, and family favorites and American staples including the blues hit by Bill Withers Ain’t No Sunshine, and Pop tunes such as Redbone’s Come and Get Your Love. If students can rise to the challenge, they will include a Philadelphia classic, Love Train by local legends Gamble & Huff, made famous by the O’Jays.

This concert marks the beginning of the TUP pilot program for 2015-2016, during which they will hold weekend/Saturday rehearsals following in the footsteps of the PYO Music Institute (PYO), with the hopes of creating an orchestra opportunity for 200 students to regularly meet and perform together at an intensive level.

TUP Director Paul Smith says The PYO Music Institute continues to inspire the youngest generation of Philadelphia performers as it celebrates its 75th year. “Through the Tune Up Philly program, students without arts access can enjoy the positive communal and educational benefits that intensive orchestral study provides,” Smith explains. “Our 5th Festival Concert aims to mark our arrival as a geographically diverse Philadelphia performance ensemble with students from Nicetown, East Falls, Allegheny West, Southern New Jersey, and West/South/North Philadelphia, which creates a true harmony of our neighborhoods.”

Admission to the Tune Up Philly 5th Annual Festival Concert is free of charge; seating is limited. For more information, visit pyos.org or call 215.545.0502.