About CFKF

Director's Greeting

Welcome to Classics for Kids Foundation! I'm Michael Reynolds, CFKF's Executive/Artistic Director. We created Classics in 1997 in response to the decline of support for string programs around the country. I grew up in a small town in Montana, and was very fortunate to experience a very fine string program. I've seen firsthand both as a performer and educator what a difference a young person's involvement in a string program can make in their lives.

It's our view that one of the best ways to support string programs is through access to fine instruments. A beautiful new instrument can be the key to keeping a kid inspired and involved with their program, bringing with that experience a myriad of lifelong benefits--better self-discipline, communication skills, better academic performance, and immersion in the great culture of classical music. It's my view that involvement in a string program, with fine instruments that inspire and excite kids, can be the "magic bullet" that can lead a young person to greater success in life.

Teachers benefit as well, with instruments that are easy to tune, manage and maintain--contributing to a better and more effective classroom environment. They also allow kids and families who can't afford to buy or rent instruments the ability to participate in strings. Our matching grants make it possible for schools to make the reach to fine instruments that will give decades of joy and service to generations of young musicians, their families and teachers. Check out our Quality Instruments page to find out more about the difference between typical school instruments and what our grants support.

I welcome you to browse our website to learn more about what we do; please feel free to contact me at mr@classicsforkidsfoundation.org with questions about our matching instrument grant program. And thank you!

Our Team

Read about our staff, Board and Advisory Board

Our Vision:

We believe that learning a stringed instrument provides important life benefits to a child:

• The joy and pride of doing something well
• Better discipline
• Better coordination
• Increased communication skills
• Higher performance on standardized tests
• Immersion in the great world of classical music.

School music programs, and particularly strings programs, have been a primary target for budget cuts over the past two decades. Classics for Kids Foundation was founded in 1997 in response to this crisis in education. CFKF strengthens strings programs through our matching grants, which encourage partnership with local philanthropy. Students with beautiful new instruments are more engaged, tend to practice more, and participate longer in their strings programs.

Through our grant programs, young people in more than 40 diverse communities nationwide are carrying these benefits into their other educational and life experience. Check out our Current Projects to see some of the communities we've been supporting with grants for beautiful new instruments.