Gracie Borja
Eleven-year-old Gracie Borja of Stamford, Connecticut has already discovered something many musicians spend years searching for: the joy of performing and the confidence that comes from sharing music with others.
Gracie is a dedicated student at Project Music, a Stamford-based nonprofit youth music program that provides immersive music education, mentorship, and performance opportunities to young people. The organization’s mission is to use the transformative power of music to help students reach their fullest potential while building confidence, creativity, and leadership skills.
Gracie first learned about the program through her sister and cousin, who had participated before her. Curious and excited, she joined and quickly discovered a passion that continues to grow. Now, after three years of playing the violin, she has developed both her musical ability and her confidence performing in front of large audiences.
Her favorite composer is Ludwig van Beethoven and she loves Frank Sinatra, particulaly the song 'My Way,' but one of her favorite pieces to play is the lively William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini. Through Project Music performances, Gracie has had the opportunity to showcase her talent to many community members, including the Mayor of Stamford, who once heard her perform a solo and praised her afterward, telling her she did a really great job. Beyond music, the program has opened doors to friendships and cultural exchange. Gracie has met students from across Fairfield County, Connecticut, and even made friends whose families come from all over the world.
“My favorite part of being involved in Project Music is the feedback after a concert, but also that I get to meet a lot of new people,” Gracie explained.
Gracie credits much of her progress to her teacher, Quan Jiang, whom she describes as very professional and passionate about music. She says he helps students truly understand the music and encourages them to collaborate with one another to improve their sound. Supported by her parents and grandparents, Gracie plans to continue playing the violin for the rest of her life while exploring other instruments like the flute, clarinet, and possibly the piano. Her advice to other young musicians is simple: never give up, and keep going even when challenges arise.
BRYAN FERRERAS
Excitement, Kindness, and The Tuba
Article: Tim Sommer
Photography: Angela Stassheim
When a young person plays a song on their phone, they have a friend for a few minutes. When they learn an instrument, they have a friend for life. For Bryan Ferreras, Project Music is a gateway to confidence and a new way of listening.
Project Music has warmly welcomed 15-year-old Bryan Ferreras; in turn, Bryan has confirmed a lifelong relationship with music, and become a happy and talented advocate for this important program.
“I was really excited when I got there,” Bryan says. “The teachers and the kids were so nice, so it was very easy to keep going. I go every weekday except Friday, from two to six, and on Wednesdays I usually help the beginners or just be there for my little brother.”
Bryan has been involved with Project Music for over a year and a half. He’s the only student tuba player in the program. “I feel the role of Tuba is to give a steady bass line and keep the band on track, so they don't rush or drag.”
Not only does the program provides extensive practical knowledge, but Bryan finds it also changes the way he hears music. “Now that I play an instrument, when I listen to a song, I can break down what I'm hearing and the sounds or harmonies that are playing over it. I’ve learned to sight read music, too, so I try to find music on the internet that I might not know, and I play it and explore the dynamics.”
Perhaps most importantly, Project Music is providing Bryan with life skills and confidence building that will help him long after his high school years and his time with Project Music has ended. “I feel good about myself when I go over there. I do get told that I did really good on this or that, and it boosts my mood for the day. And when I age out of the program, I’d like to become a teacher there.”
Lucas Cosgrave
Fearless Young Musician Finds His Voice
Article by: Marty Shapiro
Photos by: Jay Cohen
Stamford’s Lucas Cosgrave blends music, culture, and sports with curiosity and confidence. He is the kind of young talent who seems to move effortlessly between worlds. At just 10 years old, the Stamford resident balances the discipline of music with the spirited energy of childhood.
The middle child of three growing up in Stamford, Lucas carries a sense of cultural richness that informs his artistry. His music director at Project Music, Pedro Falcon, describes him in a single, striking word: “fearless.” It’s a quality that reveals itself in the way Lucas approaches performance—not as something to shy away from, but as a space to explore and express himself.
The flute, often associated with delicacy, becomes something more dynamic in Lucas’s hands. His favorite genres of music are jazz and Halloween songs, “because the music is exciting and spooky”. He brings curiosity to each note. There’s intention in his playing, a sense that he understands music as both discipline and storytelling.
Lucas loves Project Music because he gets to play with his friends. “It’s really fun to learn together and make music as a group,” said the exuberant Lucas. “I also love the concerts, the summer camps, and of course the food and snacks. I really enjoy the special events we get invited to, like going to different symphony orchestra performances and musicals. Those experiences make it even more exciting and help me learn more about music.”
Outside the rehearsal room, Lucas is every bit the vibrant pre-teen. He has a passion for flag football, a sport that satisfies his competitive spirit and fearlessness. This duality—artist and athlete—makes Lucas particularly compelling. He is not defined by a single path, but rather by the confidence to pursue many.
In a world eager to label and limit, Lucas Cosgrave stands apart. Fearless, indeed—not just in music, but in the way he embraces life itself.
Isabel Mejia
More Than Music
Article & Photo: Laurie A. Guzda
If you ask Isabel's closest friends to describe her, three words come to mind: passionate, genuine, and friendly. Spend just a few minutes with her, and it is easy to see why.
Curious by nature and driven by purpose, Isabel is constantly looking for ways to learn, improve, and challenge herself. While she has strong interests in technology and finance, music has become an equally important part of her life—not just as an art form, but as a tool for growth.
That is one reason PROJECT MUSIC has had such a profound impact on her.
"Impactful" is the one word Isabel uses to describe the organization, but its influence reaches far beyond music lessons. Through her experience at PROJECT MUSIC, she has developed discipline, time management skills, confidence in sharing her ideas, and the resilience to face challenges without giving up.
Resilience, in fact, is the quality she values most about herself. "Project Music is more than just learning music," Isabel says. "It's a space where people grow, express themselves, and build confidence through creativity and collaboration."
Those lessons align perfectly with her outlook on life. Isabel believes growth happens when people push beyond their comfort zones. The best advice she has ever received is one she carries with her every day: "Don't get too comfortable where you are, because comfort can stop you from growing. Always remind yourself that there's more you can learn, more you can achieve, and a better version of yourself you haven't reached yet."
Looking ahead ten years, Isabel sees herself building expertise in technology and finance, earning and investing wisely, and continuing to learn. Yet she also plans to keep music in her life as a way to express herself and stay connected to her creativity.
Her imagined first album title says it all: More Than Music.
For Isabel, music is not simply something she plays. It is part of a larger journey—one focused on growth, purpose, and making a meaningful impact on the world.
“My favorite part of Project Music is the feedback, but also I get to meet a lot of new people.” - Gracie Borja
"I feel good about myself when I go over there…it boosts my mood for the day." -Bryan Ferreras
“I love the concerts, the summer camps, and of course the food and snacks.” - Lucas Cosgrave
"There's more you can learn, more you can achieve, and a better version of yourself you haven't reached yet." Isabel Mejia