For many of these children, classical music is new and exciting. Most of the children do not come here with a fear of learning this music, widely considered to be the domain of the elite. They become more interested when they see me and our conductors perform and talk enthusiastically about the great works of Western civilization. Enthusiasm is infectious. As the boys get older and master the basic techniques, we spend time explaining the meanings of different works to further prepare them for performances.
Music is for the soul, nurturing the heart and challenging the brain.
That is not to downplay our primary goal of becoming a world-class performing arts organization. As for other subjects, Turnbull found that his staff had to spend considerable time tutoring the children, because they weren't learning at government schools. In 1987, he decided he had to do something. He started the Choir Academy of Harlem. It concentrates on the much-neglected fundamentals of English, science, math, history, literature, and foreign languages.