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Programs - Peforming Arts

Program Mission: HOLA’s Performing Arts and Culture Program encourages youth to channel their energy and emotion into creative endeavors in music, dance and theater, developing their powers of self-expression, instilling self-confidence, and fueling their interest in learning.

Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA)'s Performing Arts and Culture Program provides quality programming to inner-city youth who have little or no access to such classes inside or outside of school.  HOLA's Performing Arts facilities includes a fine arts library, music rooms, and a dance studio.  HOLA's Hot Topic Music Program provides HOLA youth with introductory music instruction, rock bands, two full choirs and weekly drum, piano, and guitar lessons. Instruction is sequential and students are encouraged to progress from beginning level group classes to advanced private instruction. Exceptional students are assisted in preparing audition pieces for acceptance into various area performing arts schools and universities.

Annual recitals showcase the accomplishments of HOLA’s young musicians to audiences city-wide, and each year, Holiday of the Heart features performances by our young musicians before an audience of over 500 HOLA supporters. Each year, over 100 youth participate in the Performing Arts and Culture Program.

Program Goals:

  • Foster commitment to project/goal completion
  • Accelerate and sustain proficiency in the visual and performing arts
  • Encourage self-expression and improve self-confidence among disadvantaged youth
  • Promote post secondary education and arts-related employment opportunities      

Recent News:

 

 

 

Christine Witkowski

Performing Arts Director

Christine is a performing musician and educator dedicated to using music for social change. In 2009, Christine was chosen as one of ten inaugural "Abreu Fellows" at the New England Conservatory in Boston. This fellowship was named for José Antonio Abreu, the founder of the Venezuelan music system and youth development program, El Sistema. During this fellowship, she studied El Sistema extensively in both the United States and Venezuela.

Growing up in Detroit, Christine was lucky enough to have Joe Buono, an incredible Motown studio horn player, walk into her practice room at a local music shop and offer to give her horn lessons. Christine would go on received her Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University, where she studied horn performance with Gail Williams and William Barnewitz. While in Evanston, Christine worked at Youth Organizations Umbrella, Inc. (Y.O.U.) as the program director for "Breakfast Club," a mentoring, tutoring and enrichment program for underserved youth. In 2009, Christine received her Master of Music degree from McGill University in Montreal, where she studied orchestral horn performance with John Zirbel. Combining her love of music and passion for working with youth, Christine became the horn player in the Miami Music Project, a professional outreach chamber music organization dedicated reaching Title I Schools in the Miami area. Christine moved to Los Angeles in 2010 to work at HOLA and begin the second YOLA El Sistema initiative at Heart of Los Angeles in partnership with the LA Phil.

Mani Mekler Baker

Master Musician

Mani Mekler Baker is HOLA’s Music Chair and has performed with world renowned opera companies throughout Europe.  As a child, she studied with the great dramatic baritone and teacher, Tito Gobbi and internationally renowned coach, Maestro Luigi Ricci.  She spent several years as a guest vocalist in several international venues and she now resides in Los Angeles with her husband and nineteen year old son.

Nearly five years ago Mani Mekler Baker found a home to share her passion for music with LA's underserved youth at Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA). As HOLA's music director, Mani has dedicated herself to giving every child a chance to explore their love of music. Mani's introduction to Music class exposes HOLA's youngest memners to the joy of music, while her Rock Band provides a creative outlet to HOLA’s aspiring musicians.