Brooklyn United: A festival of sight and sound
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) — A group of youngsters from Brooklyn is preparing for a festival of sight and sound.
Brooklyn United, an after-school program featuring an ensemble of musically inclined public school students, has performed on big stages, namely the Apollo, Macy’s Parade and Carnegie Hall. More than their excellence in music, the group has become a community in itself.
“Behind the scenes, it's an amazing village of families working together to help raise some of the best children,” Tyrone Brown, founder of Brooklyn United said.
Brown said his life changed after deciding to play the tuba in his high school marching band. Now, kids he works with follow suit.
“The biggest thing I learned is that, like, you can't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone,” Shanice McBean, a dancer, said. “You have to learn to make mistakes and fall down in order to like pick yourself up and try harder.”
The experience has been character-building for these children, who balance hours of practice with their schoolwork, Brown believes.
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