For 18 years, the Music Discovery Program (MDP), part of the Thurnauer School of Music at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly, has allowed students to study music both inside and outside the classroom. The program has allowed over 1,600 students to fulfill their dreams of studying and performing music.

And now, they have been greatly rewarded for their service. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) awarded the school with a $40,000 grant in recognition of their accomplishments. They were chosen in the Challenge America category, which supports programs that give underserved communities access to artistic programs. Since its creation over 50 years ago, the NEA has awarded over $5 billion in grants to recipients in every state. It is the only arts funder in the nation to do so. “We are so grateful to the ongoing support the NEA has shown us over the years, and the generous funding we just received will allow us to grow our MDP program,” said Thurnauer director Dorothy Kaplan Roffman. “Over the years, this program has generated long-term student interest and involvement with music. The students work hard and are really committed. Thanks to this grant, we will help more students achieve their highest potential both as musicians and as individuals.”

The MDP is a collaboration between Thurnauer and Englewood public schools. Englewood students are able to participate in numerous musical activities either at the JCC or at their own schools. Students can practice numerous instruments at the school, and both group and private lessons are offered. There are also opportunities to perform in choirs, as well as with the Thurnauer Symphony Orchestra. Every year, the school holds a spring concert to celebrate the partnership with the Englewood public schools. This year’s concert will be held on Thursday, June 2, at 6:30 p.m. It is free and open to the community.

“The arts are part of our everyday lives,” said NEA chairman Jane Chu. “No matter who you are or where you live, they have the power to transform individuals, spark economic vibrancy in communities and transcend the boundaries across diverse sectors of society. Supporting projects like the Music Discovery Partnership at the JCC offers students rare and meaningful opportunities to engage in the arts every day.”