It's been nearly 20 years since 9/11, in the wake of which there were memorial performances of Mozart's Requiem literally around the world. And yet the slaughter on our own streets, in our own communities, and often at the hands of law enforcement officials, sworn to protect and defend us, has continued virtually unabated. Enter Margaret Partridge, former executive director of the Philharmonic Association, the umbrella organization that hosts a wide range of youth performing organizations, from beginner orchestras to full-fledged jazz bands. It was her idea, sparked by the death of violinist Elijah McClain in 2019, to create a program called United Strings of Color to offer enhanced opportunities to young musicians of color....   Read on . . .