Inspired by Community MusicWorks in Providence, RI, and Bill Strickland’s Manchester Guild in Pittsburgh, Yale School of Music graduate Tina Lee Hadari founded Music Haven in 2006. Convinced that a professional string quartet could contribute to social change in New Haven’s urban communities, she created the opportunity for a string quartet to teach and perform in four of the city's most underserved neighborhoods.
In collaboration with generous individual donors in the New Haven region, a small Board of Directors, and the Vinca Quartet, Tina launched Music Haven to provide programs that engage and inspire New Haven youth and their families.
In the Fall of 2008, the Haven String Quartet was founded to fulfill the needs of Music Haven’s mission. Each member of the Haven String Quartet teaches instrument lessons, mentors students, and performs for the entire community.
2006-07
· Tina Lee Hadari proposes the idea of Music Haven to many individuals in New Haven, traveling 4 times throughout
the year from Boulder, Colorado, where she studies with the Takacs Quartet as part of the Vinca Quartet, the graduate
quartet-in-residence.
· Vinca Quartet travels to New Haven to perform school concerts and benefit concerts to generate more interest
· Music Haven incorporated and 501c3 status acquired
· Board of Directors established
2007-08 Budget: $45,900
· Tina Lee Hadari and Vinca Quartet launch an urban residency in New Haven to teach and perform in the Empowerment Zone neighborhoods of New Haven.
· The quartet launches after-school lessons program at the John C. Daniels School and the Wexler-Grant School, teaching 24 youth
2008-09 Budget: $115,212
· Quartet-in-residence changes name to Haven String Quartet and gains two new musicians, Elise Pittenger and Christopher Jenkins.
· Sarah Perkins joins staff as part-time administrative coordinator to help improve organizational infrastructure.
· Haven String Quartet teaches 36 youth in the after-school program (1024 hours of lessons), performs 13 school
workshops for hundreds of children, produces 9 community concerts, organizes 4 performance parties, takes 4 concert trips,
and hosts 2 community-building events
2009-10 Budget: $150,300
· Haven String Quartet gains two new musicians, Yaira Matyakubova and Colin Benn.
· Sarah Perkins joins Public Allies and is placed at Music Haven as full-time Program Coordinator.
· Netta Hadari joins staff as part-time Development Director.
· Haven String Quartet teaches 48 youth in the after-school program (1536 hours of lessons), performs 13 school
workshops for hundreds of children, produces 9 community concerts, organizes 4 performance parties, takes 4 concert trips,
and hosts 2 community-building events
