VIDEO: Play on Philly - 6abc Loves the Arts

It's called Play on Philly and it's an after-school music program for underprivileged kids. The idea is to use classical music to transform troubled communities.

Stanford Thompson started the program four years ago with the goal of making a positive difference in the lives of Philadelphia's youth. Today, Play on Philly has grown to over 220 members and, Thompson says, its success has been immeasurable.

"The idea of a child mastering something every single day, even if it's holding the ball a little bit better or even getting a note out that they weren't able to get out the day before, help to show the kids that they can really achieve something."

Play on Philly will culminate its season with an outdoor concert at the Please Touch Museum, featuring pop-up performances and festivities throughout the night.

"We're bringing our students from St. Francis DeSales School and also Free Area Charter Middle School together into one big orchestra around an American theme we're calling Play on America," says Thompson.

From performing with the Philadelphia Orchestra to making strides in the classroom, Thompson says, Play on Philly teaches the value of work ethic and provides students with a foundation for fostering their dreams.

"We see the impact and the power of our program. We watch the grades go up, we watch the kids go off to great high schools. We know that these are things to help change their lives and we're quite excited about what the future will have for the organization, for our programs and of course our students."

The Please Touch Museum concert is at 2pm on June 8th.

Go to www.PlayonPhilly.org for the student's full performance schedule.