OUR STORY
My name is Sasha Perskie. I created Play It Forward to bring music education to children who want to learn music but whose families can't afford the high cost of instruments and lessons.
I've been lucky enough to receive an education in music. I’m a classically-trained pianist, a singer-songwriter on the guitar, and an a cappella singer. You can learn more about me at sashaperskiemusic.com.
I'm also now a music teacher myself. I work as an instructor at the Lakehouse Music Academy, a 600-student music school based in Asbury Park, NJ, and I founded Harmony Music Instruction, teaching private classes in piano and guitar.
But with Play It Forward, I'm able to reach children who otherwise would not have the chance to learn.
I got the idea for Play It Forward in 2022, when I started at Red Bank Regional High School as a piano major in the school's Visual & Performing Arts Academy (VPA).
The VPA is a selective program, as students must pass an audition process to be accepted as music majors. Unfortunately, many students in the RBR community come from low-income families and did not grow up with access to a music education, which can be expensive.
I knew that the school wanted to make sure that all of its students had access all to all of its educational programs, so I proposed an idea.
Why not have the music majors in the VPA volunteer as teachers for the community's middle schoolers?
Then, in a few years, when those children were old enough to start high school, they'd be ready to audition for the VPA.
We'd use the school's current generation of music majors to create the next generation -- maybe the best generation yet, drawn from a wider pool of talent than ever.
The school approved my plan, lent us instruments, and agreed to award volunteer credits to all music majors who volunteered as teachers.
Since then, Play It Forward has been holding after-school classes in piano and vocals in six-week sessions, teaching middle schoolers in Red Bank.
Next year, our first group of graduates will reach eighth grade and will be prepared to audition for the VPA.
In 2023 I expanded Play It Forward beyond Red Bank, after I started working as a music instructor at the Lakehouse Music Academy in Asbury Park.
Lakehouse is one of the top music schools in New Jersey, but it's based in a community where few families can afford a music education.
Play It Forward now helps fund scholarships for underserved local children to attend classes at Lakehouse.
In 2024 I saw the chance to expand Play It Forward even further. During a sightseeing trip to Zambia to see the famous Victoria Falls, my family visited a local village and toured its school. The children greeted us by singing Zambia's national anthem. They loved music, but their school had little funding for instruments or music instruction.
Play It Forward now funds the music program at the school, paying for instruments and a teacher throughout the school year.
This summer I will return to the Zambia to teach courses at the school in piano, guitar, and songwriting, and prepare a concert by the children.