Street Symphony Lights Up Los Angeles Neighborhood

The restorative and galvanizing power of music will reverberate through the streets of downtown Los Angeles this week as Street Symphony presents its annual Messiah Project.

A joint venture between L.A. nonprofit organizations Street Symphony and the Midnight Mission, the eighth annual Messiah Project pays tribute to the legacy of one of the most acclaimed choral works in Western history, George Frideric Handel's Messiah. The 18th-century German-born composer aided social causes such as orphaned children and incarcerated debtors with performances of his revered oratorio, and in that spirit, Street Symphony's modern adaptation seeks to uplift Skid Row, an in-need neighborhood in downtown Los Angeles. Featuring a performance by members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Master Chorale — as well as student musicians from the University of Southern California and the Colburn School — the Messiah Project showcases the stories and voices of the Skid Row community. 

Street Symphony will perform the Messiah Project at the Midnight Mission gym on December 7. Three days later, Street Symphony will stage an encore performance at its new Re/Sound Festival, a free community celebration and resource fair held at nearby Void Studios. The block party also will include showcases by musical ensembles, health resources and services, hot meals, grooming, vaccinations, and arts activities. The festival's goal is to unite the city through music while offering Skid Row residents a lifeline of joy and hope.

Street Symphony empowers unhoused and incarcerated communities through performances, workshops, events, and musical instruction at clinics, shelters, permanent supportive housing agencies, and county jails. GRoW is delighted to continue its support of Street Symphony during the holidays.