Sistema Fellows Program at New England Conservatory

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1 Sistema Fellows Program at New England Conservatory The Sistema Fellows Program is a professional training program designed for ten postgraduate musicians who are passionate about creating careers for themselves that connect music, youth, and social change. Based at New England Conservatory in Boston, the program is the first of its kind in the United States, and offers Fellows the opportunity to learn and apply the distinctive philosophy and methods of El Sistema, the renowned Venezuelan model of social development through music. Created in response to Dr. José Antonio Abreu s 2009 TED Wish to Change the World, the Program is a one-year certificate-granting curriculum operated through NEC s School of Continuing Education. Tuition free and offering a monthly stipend for living expenses, it builds skills in leadership, communication, non-profit strategy, funding, operations, evaluation and assessment, and educational philosophy and policy. The learning is a combination of classroom seminars and experiential work in the field. In the fall semester, Fellows spend four weeks in residence at El Sistema-inspired programs of their choosing across the US. There is also a month-long residency in Venezuela in the spring semester. To put their learning into practice, Fellows are required to spend the subsequent year serving the emerging field of El Sistema-inspired initiatives. Founded by Dr. Abreu in Venezuela more than 35 years ago in 1975, El Sistema is acclaimed worldwide for transforming the lives of at-risk children living in the most deprived conditions. In Venezuela, it has impacted the lives of over 300,000 young people through its free youth orchestra and choral programs. Thanks to its intense time commitment, rigor, loving concern for each child, and emphasis on the individual player as an essential member of the ensemble, the program has been a catalyst in creating hopeful futures and new opportunities for the students it serves. But El Sistema has also produced internationally acclaimed musicians such as Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Orchestra. It is this combination of artistic excellence and the improved lives of many children that has generated excitement throughout the world. Many programs inspired by El Sistema have begun to emerge and today they can be found in 45 countries on six continents, with more than 70 programs in North America and more than 50 in the US. NEC s Sistema Fellows Program occupies a unique space in this burgeoning international movement. Already four classes of 10 have graduated and are doing important work in the field. Having gained valuable experience and established a track record for excellence, these alumni are looked upon as the experts and leaders in the field. As founders or important faculty in such programs as Play on Philly!, KidzNotes in Durham, NC, the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, Juneau Alaska Music Matters (JAMM), Austin Soundwaves, the YOURS Project (Chicago), OrchKids (Baltimore), the Harmony Program (New York City), Sistema Scotland, and Sistema Costa Rica, they are regularly called upon to consult and advise their newer colleagues. NEC announced the fifth class of Fellows in early June With members hailing from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the US, it is the most international of the classes to date. What s more, several of the Fellows already have experience working with El Sistema-inspired projects, and several have worked in programs established by alumni of earlier classes. The class will begin its yearlong curriculum in September 2013.

2 2014 Sistema Fellows Amelia Downs from Arusha, Tanzania Ayriole Frost from Chicago, IL Eriel Huang from Cape Town, South Africa Beverly Hiong from Singapore Tatjana Merzyn from Berlin, Germany Megan Moran from Portland, OR Hana Morford from Baltimore, MD Ricki Nelson from San Francisco, CA Aubree Weiley from Chicago, IL Yang Clara from Brooklyn, NY A Sampling of What Past Fellows are Doing Today Lorrie Heagy, Class of 2010 Founder, JAMM (Juneau, Alaska Music Matters) Juneau, Alaska 280 participants annually Rebecca Levi, Class of 2010 Co-Founder, El Sistema at Conservatory Lab Charter School Brighton, MA 170 participants annually Alvaro Rodas, Class of 2010 Founder, Corona Youth Music Project Corona Queens, NY 30 participants annually 8 hours per week Katie Wyatt, Class of 2010 Founder, KidZNotes Durham, NC 110 students annually Jonathan Govias, Class of 2010 Conductor, writer, speaker, and consultant to the El Sistema movement Author of popular blog about El Sistema Daniel Berkowitz, Class of 2010 Manager, Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Philharmonic Christine Witkowski, Class of 2010 YOLA at HOLA, Music Director, HOLA

3 500+ participants annually 11 hours per week Dantes Rameau, Class of 2010 Aisha Bowden, Class of 2012 Founders, Atlanta Music Project & AMPlify Atlanta, GA 150 participants annually in orchestral and choral programs David Gracia, Class of 2011 Andrea Profili, Class of 2011 Founders, WHIN Music Project New York, NY 200 participants annually Laura Jekel, Class of 2011 Founder, MYCincinnati Cincinnati, OH 40 participants annually Steven Liu, Class of 2011 Founder, El Sistema Lehigh Valley Allentown, PA 80 participants annually Includes first summer program for children with special needs Patrick Slevin, Class of 2011 Founder, Austin Soundwaves Austin, TX 110 participants annually Liz Schurgin, Class of 2011 Former Director, B Sharp Youth Music Fort Worth, TX Currently working to launch an El Sistema-inspired program in Washington, DC Adrienne Taylor, Class of 2011 Founder, Daily Orchestra Program of Community MusicWorks Providence, RI 16 participants annually Isabel Trautwein, Class of 2011 David Malek, Class of 2010 Founder, El Rainey

4 Cleveland, OH 30 participants annually Graciela Briceno, Class of 2011 El Sistema at Josiah Quincy Elementary School Boston, MA 70 participants annually Marie Montilla, Class of 2011 Former Founding Director, Kids 4 Harmony (Pittsfield, MA) Artistic Director, Open Access to Music Education, an El Sistema-inspired program of Youth and Family Enrichment Services Hyde Park, MA 150 participants annually Alysia Lee, Class of 2012 Founder & Artistic Director, Sister Cities Girlchoir Philadelphia, PA and Camden, NJ Jennifer Kessler, Class of 2012 Director of Education, Orchestra of St. Luke s New York, NY Nucleo set to open in September 2013, initially serving 25 participants Albert Oppenheimer, Class of 2012 Director, YOURS Project, a program of the People's Music School Chicago, IL 200 participants annually Stephanie Lin Hsu, Class of 2012 Founder, YAMA (Yakima Music en Accion) Yakima, WA 30 participants annually David France, Class of 2012 Founder, Revolution of Hope Roxbury, MA Began in February 2013 with expectation of 25 participants annually Julie Davis, Class of 2012 Bridge Boston Charter School Dorchester, MA 36 students annually José Luis Hernández-Estrada, Class of 2012 conductor, educator, author

5 Aesthetics of Generosity: El Sistema, music education and social change (2012) Founding Executive Director, El Sistema Oklahoma Nucleo in Oklahoma City serving 100 participants annually set to open in September 2013 Avi Mehta, Class of 2012 Current: Conductor for preparatory ensembles at Longy School of Music of Bard College Cambridge, MA As of September 2013: Band Director for the El Sistema-inspired program at Margarita Muniz Academy, Jamaica Plain, MA Rachel Hockenberry, Class of 2013 Newly appointed founding Program Director for North Limestone MusicWorks Lexington, Kentucky First El Sistema-inspired program in Kentucky Diogo Pereira, Class of 2013 Continuing relationship with Musica nas Escolas in Rio de Janeiro Attempting to launch a program in collaboration with Desert Sounds in Tempe, Arizona Carlos Roldán, Class of 2013 Hired by the Encore Project as El Sistema expert in the field Palm Beach, FL El Sistema-inspired program serving 500 children in four public schools Elise Seymour, Class of 2013 Returned to Charlotte, NC to start the process of building an all-inclusive choral program inspired by Venezuela s Manos Blancas (White Hands) choir Monique Van Willingh, Class of 2013 Continuing her studies in Los Angeles as a participant in Longy School of Music at Bard College s MAT program. Will return to South Africa in 2014 to launch an El Sistema-inspired program Sara Zanussi, Class of 2013 Returned to Minneapolis, MN to co-direct Advocates for Community through Music Excellence, the El Sistema-inspired program which she helped to found in 2012

6 NEC-El Sistema in New Friendship Agreement March 29, 2012 NEC President Tony Woodcock Signs New Friendship Agreement with Venezuela s El Sistema Document Reaffirms Cooperation, Shared Ideals for Music as Catalyst for Social Change New Name for Fellows Program Announced Michael Gandolfi to Compose Symphonic Work Honoring El Sistema and Founder José Antonio Abreu New England Conservatory President Tony Woodcock and Eduardo Méndez, Executive Director of Fundacíon Musical Símon Bolívar (known familiarly as El Sistema ) signed a new Friendship Agreement today at a festive ceremony in Caracas. The celebration, which reaffirmed the cooperation and shared ideals between the two institutions, coincided with the conclusion of the five-week residency in Venezuela of the third class of 10 Sistema Fellows from NEC. Among those attending the celebration was Dr. José Antonio Abreu, founder of El Sistema who praised the Fellows program and NEC s work in the U.S. El Sistema movement: You are at the vanguard of Musical education in the world. You can count on us totally for the future. (In photo above, L to R: Rodrigo Guerrero, Erik Holmgren, Leslie Wu Foley, José Antonio Abreu, Tony Woodcock, Eduardo Méndez). This is the third Friendship pact since It serves as an official declaration of the continued collaboration between El Sistema and NEC with the goal of fostering programs and projects that benefit the students, staff, faculty, and other constituents of both. Among the goals cited in the Agreement are: continuation of the Sistema Fellowship in its current form through 2014, a commitment to broadly sharing the work of the Sistema Fellowship throughout the United States and the world, exchanges and residencies between students and faculty, and joint advocacy in support of music as a catalyst for social change. The signing ceremony was also the occasion to announce the renaming of NEC s training program for young leaders who are directing or working for El Sistema-inspired projects throughout the United States. NEC and El Sistema officials worked together to identify a name that would point to the larger, more universal principles of Sistema-inspired programs, which has always been the goal of Dr. Abreu. Therefore, what was previously known as the Abreu Fellows will now become The Sistema Fellows Program at New England Conservatory. (in photo below: Fellows with Maestro Abreu and Gustavo Dudamel earlier this month in Venezuela), Founded by NEC in 2009 and intended to extend over five years, the program is a one-year, post-graduate, tuition free curriculum. Each year, 10 gifted young musicians passionate for their art and social development are given the grounding in organizational management, pedagogy, fundraising, communications, and other skills needed to operate an El Sistema-style community music center. The current class is the third to go through the training and most of the Fellows have job offers that they will be finalizing this spring. The previous classes are already deeply enmeshed in the U.S. El Sistema network, doing valuable work from Atlanta to Juneau, Los Angeles to Boston, Pittsfield, MA to Durham, NC. The fourth group, Class of , will be announced in May. Looking toward the completion of its initial commitment to the Fellows program in 2014, NEC has commissioned a 10-minute work for youth orchestra from Composition Chair Michael Gandolfi to celebrate El Sistema and Dr. Abreu. The

7 new piece will use the growth of El Sistema and some of Dr. Abreu s most eloquent quotations as base material. President Woodcock announced the commission at the ceremony and presented a video recording of Gandolfi speaking warmly about the importance of music for social development and his eagerness to write the new work.