Music for Their Ears

If your kids regard orchestral fare as the Brussels sprouts of music--that is, nutritional and to be avoided at all costs--treat them and yourself to the Southeast Symphony Assn.’s golden jubilee concert at 7:30 tonight at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

The evening promises to be a tasty one, even for those who prefer a steady diet of rap, rock or Wee Sing. In addition to the Southeast Symphony--a 66-piece orchestra whose members range from ages 16 to 60, the program also features soprano Leona Mitchell, the Moses Hogan Chorale of New Orleans and the Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers in Los Angeles.

And while managing to keep its doors open for 50 years should be cause enough for celebration, what makes the Southeast Symphony Assn. remarkable is community outreach. During the symphony’s five-concert season, only its February concert is a ticketed event. All others are free and offered in neighborhoods in Los Angeles rather than music venues.

“We purposely hold our concerts at local high schools, churches and civic auditoriums so everyone--including students and those living on low or fixed incomes--can attend,” says Jacqueline Broussard, association president. “We try to reach the total community, not just people who already love going to the symphony.”

In addition, through its docent program, Southeast music educators go into classrooms to get kids informed and excited about what they’re going to experience at concerts. Volunteers even organize transportation from nearby elder-care facilities so residents can attend local Southeast Symphony Orchestra performances.

“Senior citizens and students will come up to me after a performance and say, ‘I’d never heard a symphony, but now I want to come back again,’ ” says Southeast Symphony Orchestra conductor John Dennison. “Some young people will even come up for my autograph,” he says. “I’m kind of taken aback, but it’s important to them, so I’ll go ahead and do it.”

In addition to its free concerts and outreach efforts, the association offers an apprentice program where young local musicians are invited to play alongside professionals. The association also sponsors Saturday music classes for kids through its Southeast Symphony Conservatory, at the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies. More than 200 students in grades 3 through 12 attend the conservatory; a dozen more kids are on a waiting list. Tuition is reasonable--$50 per semester--and even this fee can be waived if a parent is struggling to make ends meet.

“We have one student whose family moved to San Diego,” says Myrtle Moore, finance director for the conservatory. “But he didn’t quit. Instead, he takes the Amtrak train every Saturday so he can still attend.

“The arts are so important yet so neglected,” says Moore. “It’s a shame because they improve everything for students. Children learn how to learn through the arts, they learn how to get along. The arts can--and will--turn a student around.”

Tickets for tonight’s concert may be purchased at the Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion box office and through Ticketmaster. Prices range from $15 to $35. For additional information, call the Southeast Symphony Assn., (213) 293-SESA.