The concert was being held by the All-City High School Orchestra at the school administration building in Center City.
It was a 'thank you' to those who have given so much to the program over the years.
The performance also served as a plea to the lawmakers in Harrisburg to help find the money to avoid budget cuts in the school district.
The school district is facing a shortfall of more than $300 million and among the programs and jobs on the chopping block is music.
Though they knew it was coming, it was still a hard day for many in the district.
Alumni Ashley Vines plays the viola. She is now a music performance major at Temple University.
"They bought me a new instrument. I would never have been able to afford an instrument. I come from a single parent house and I'm paying for college. I would never have been able to buy one for years," Vines said.
"I do feel there's hope. We've been advocating for the jobs, we've been cut three times before, but never like this, and we got the jobs back," said retired teacher Kathleen Kilpatrick. "So I'm hoping everyone will see this is something we need to keep kids off the streets."
On Tuesday teachers will make the trip to Harrisburg in an effort to convince lawmakers to find the money they need to keep the programs in place.
