A Houston couple founded this music foundation 11 years ago to reach kids in neighborhoods that are often overlooked.
HOUSTON — A Houston couple is on a mission to make sure children in underserved communities get to experience the joy and power of music, reaching more than 3,300 pre-K students across 20 schools in the Houston area.
Opera singer Ana Trevino Godfrey and her husband, violinist Jonathan Godfrey, founded Prelude Music Foundation 11 years ago to bring music classes to neighborhoods that don’t always have access to music education. The foundation uses the phrase “learn to sing, singing to learn” as its guiding philosophy.
Trevino Godfrey says the connection between children and music is something special.
“When you add children to music there is tremendous joy.”
For the Godfreys, the mission is deeply personal. Both say music transformed their own lives, and they want the same for the kids they teach.
Jonathan Godfrey reflected on the moment that set him on his path.
“I feel really lucky that when I was in kindergarten, someone played a violin in my class.”
When asked whether he ended up playing professionally, Godfrey was quick to put the focus back on the children they serve.
“That’s not the goal for every child, but having that exposure really opened doorways in my life.”
The couple says music is more than just a class. They describe it as a superpower that can unlock emotional connections in children, even those who have experienced trauma. Jonathan Godfrey shared one story that stuck with him.
“There was a child in particular who was new to the neighborhood and fresh from this traumatic experience. Wouldn’t interact with the adults in the room, and came and sat on Ana’s lap during the very first music class.”
Trevino Godfrey says seeing children light up is what keeps them going.
“To see that light in their eyes to start to shine, we see the future. We hope for the future of Houston, we see connection, we see hope, we see love.”
The foundation recently held a concert at Nativity Academy, featuring performances by the Apollo Chamber Players alongside songs from Prelude Music Foundation, giving students a chance to experience live music up close.
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