Community Outreach…
Your generosity and support are instrumental in allowing music to blossom in our community. Donations and grants enable Parlando to: Provide access to students and families facing financial challenges through our Tuition Assistance and School Outreach Programs; Bring the joy of music to those living with intellectual disabilities and neurodiversities through Julie’s Program; And provide a tangible and lasting impact for smaller groups we work with in early childhood centers, retirement communities, and organizations that serve children and parents in need.
Because of our unique tuition and revenue model, 100% of all donations go directly to programming - not administrative costs. When you donate to Parlando, you do so knowing that every penny of your donation is used to bring music and the arts to ALL members of our community.
Parlando receives donations and grants ranging from $5 to $250,000. Join us in bringing the transformative power of music and the arts to our community with YOUR gift today.
“The secret to change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” – Socrates
M.O.R.E. for Colorado
School Outreach Program
Music + Outreach providing Resources + Education = MORE! Parlando’s M.O.R.E. for Colorado program provides supplementary instrument instruction to school music classrooms. We focus on schools serving marginalized students including schools whose student population is majority low-income and/or BI&POC. Parlando instructors go into music classes during the school day and provide help to students struggling to keep up. In addition to support students in need of additional help, this also allows the schools’ music teachers to spend more time with the remaining students in the class. It’s a win-win!
During the 2022-2023 Academic Year Parlando provided support to over 3,000 music classrooms in 29 schools across 4 school districts, resulting in over 90,000 student interactions. Partner schools reported:
-20% higher attendance rates;
-24% higher graduation rates; and
-GPAs of 3.0-3.5 compared to 2.0-3.0 for non-music students.
From Kati Sainz, BVSD Band Teacher:
“THANK YOU for all you do. Parlando teachers have been so incredibly helpful in getting kids who were behind up to speed. It's been a lifeline for these kids!”
Major support for M.O.R.E. for Colorado is provided by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) and the Cielo Foundation.
Tuition Assistance
We only share the faces of two tuition assistance recipients: Our co-founders, Travis and Christine LaBerge. The beneficiaries of reduced price music lessons and collegiate scholarships, Travis and Christine founded Parlando in 2002 understanding that children don’t determine their financial situations.
At Parlando, we believe that all students should have access to the opportunities provided by music and the arts. That’s why every year Parlando provides tuition assistance to more than 100 students who cannot afford the full cost of music lessons. These are students who demonstrate a passion for music but whose financial circumstances would otherwise preclude them from equitable access.
In 2023 Parlando celebrated going over the $750,000 mark in total tuition assistance allocated since inception. During this time we have supported over 2,100 under-represented students who would otherwise not have had the opportunity to pursue their artistic passions.
From the parent of a tuition assistance recipient:
“I just want to start by sharing what a huge relief this is. It is truly a wonderful gift and opportunity, and my heart feels tremendous gratitude for you and Parlando.”
Major support for M.O.R.E. for Colorado is provided by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), the Bacca Foundation, the Caruthers Family Foundation, and the LaBerge Family.
Julie’s Program
Inspired by our founder and executive director’s sister, Julie’s Program provides music and theatrical classes and performance opportunities to members of some of our most often overlooked community members: People living with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as neurodiversities. Built on our belief that music and the arts should be available to everyone, Julie's Program ensures that people of ALL abilities are able to pursue their passions and interests.
During the 2022-2023 Academic Year Parlando provided over $25,000 in programming to more than 1,300 people with disabilities and neurodiversities. Programming was offered both in-person and online, including a return to our in-person collaborative staged performance with IMAGINE.
From Gina Coufal, Founder and Executive Director of FRIENDS of Broomfield:
Music has great therapeutic value to many of our folks with sensory integration difficulties. We have also seen some of our non-verbal participants come alive.
“We thank you for continuing providing this class to our adults as they look forward to it each week. Your music class continues to be one of the MOST popular classes they choose from. You have created something truly extraordinary.
“We are very grateful to you, your staff, and your supporters for making this happen!”
Major support for Julie’s Program is provided by the Ritter Family Foundation and the Broomfield Community Foundation.
Intergenerational Programming
In order to reach people of all ages and abilities, Parlando works with several smaller groups in our community. These include early childhood centers, retirement communities, and organizations like Boulder Day Nursery and Mother House.
In addition to being fun and encouraging communication and community, the research is clear: When children are exposed to music at a young age, they develop more advanced cognitive and spacial reasoning capabilities. This translates to better verbal skills, mathematical computation abilities, and “grit” later in life. And later in life, music has been shown to delay and diminish the effects of diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
During the 2022-2023 Academic Year Parlando more than $20,000 in early childhood outreach and $7,500 to provide concerts, lessons, classes, and performances for senior citizens - including a new partnership with the Parkinson’s Association of the Rockies.
From Peggy Austin, Music Teacher at Superior Elementary School:
“Thanks so much for coming and sharing the trip around the world with my students. They especially loved meeting a published author and enjoyed following along with you. What a treat for emerging readers.”
Major support for Parlando’s Intergenerational Programming is provided by the Boulder Arts Commission, an agency of the City of Boulder, the City of Boulder’s Human Relations Fund, and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD).
