Talent Development Program. A Learning Community Program of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

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1 Talent Development Program changing the face of American Orchestras A Learning Community Program of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

2 talent development program

3 Fo r p r o m i s i n g y o u n g Af r i c a n Am e r i ca n a n d La t i n o c l a s s i c a l m u s i c s t u d e n t s, t h e Ta l e n t De v e l o p m e n t Pr o g r a m o f t h e At l a n t a Sy m p h o n y Or c h e s t r a o p e n s t h e d o o r t o o p p o r t u n i t y a n d a c h i e v e m e n t a t t h e h i g h e s t l e v e l. atlanta symphony orchestra

4 Eric Thompson, class of 20 02, wa s t he f irst T DP graduate to join a professional orchestra when the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra selected him as a fulltime substitute bassist. This is the latest of many firsts for Eric: first TDP student to win an Azira G. Hill Scholarship for summer study, first to win a principal seat in the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, first to be a featured soloist in an ASO performance, and first to place in the national Sphinx Competition. Ralph Jones, principal bass with the ASO, was Eric s TDP teacher and mentor. Eric says that one of his happiest memories is the day he called Ralph to report he had been accepted at the Curtis Institute of Music. Eric Thompson

5 Changing the face of American orchestras The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is influencing the evolution of the American Orchestra through the Talent Development Program. In the future, orchestras will be more reflective of the community, more diverse in membership, more ethnically inclusive. Bridging the gap from dream to concert stage, the TDP prepares a select group of outstanding young instrumentalists from across the greater Atlanta community to pursue classical music. It trains and mentors African-American and Latino student musicians who have shown exceptional musical skill, talent and commitment.

6 L e a d i n g i n y o u n g musician development The Atlanta Symphony was the first American orchestra to establish an intense development program designed to diversify the professional orchestra of the future. The Talent Development Program, nationally recognized for excellence, is often used as an education model by other orchestras across the country. Within the classical music world, TDP participation signals superior talent and exacting training under the guidance of top professionals. Since 1993, 100 percent of students completing the Talent Development Program have graduated from high school and many attend leading conservatories and college and university music departments, including Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the Juilliard School, Cleveland Institute of Music, New England Conservatory, the Curtis Institute of Music, Berklee College of Music and others. TDP students will influence the orchestras of tomorrow, as highly trained musicians, who are role models and ambassadors for classical music throughout the community.

7 Katie Algarra To realize how far she has come as a musician, Katie Algarra recalls her first bass recital after entering the TDP. I was terrified, Katie says. Now I am very comfortable speaking to the audience and presenting my piece. Taught by Ralph Jones, principal bass in the Atlanta Symphony, she has played with the Berlin Youth Orchestra in its home city and hosted one of its bass players in Atlanta. Katie s favorite achievement of all so far is holding the position of principal bass in the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. Katie hopes to play in a professional orchestra and perhaps one day to teach students like her. For me, the TDP is the difference between playing bass and not having music as part of my life.

8 The student-teacher relationship is t he hea r t of t he T DP, a s accomplished musicians pass to pupils the technical skill and discipline to excel, the poise to present well, and the assurance to uniquely cultivate their talent. For ASO Violinist Ronda Respess, the TDP is a great solution to the need to bring more diversity into American orchestras. I ve had some wonderful students in the program, she says. In addition to the TDP, Ronda coaches string players in the At la nt a Symphony Youth Orchestra and is the founder and artistic d irector of Fra n k l in Pond Chamber Music, a summer string quartet development program for pre-college musicians. Ronda is among an elite group of master teachers who are dedicating their talents to educate the musicians of tomorrow. Ronda Respess

9 Offering unparalleled opportunity The student musicians of the Talent Development Program enjoy a wealth of opportunities designed to optimize their skills, confidence, and potential. The TDP experience includes, but is not limited to: Private lessons from professional musicians, who are noted master teachers Abundant performance opportunities, from individual recitals to large ensemble performances Opportunities to represent the ASO in community engagement projects Preparatory support for auditions and musical competitions such as the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, national summer music programs, and conservatory or university applications Advancement through regular evaluations based on defined benchmarks and progress measurements Coaching for small ensemble performance and public speaking Opportunities for students and their families to regularly experience ASO performances and rehearsals

10 Partnering in the community The Talent Development Program was conceived in 1993 by a committee of community and volunteer leaders associated with the Atlanta Symphony. It was their aspiration to create authentic classical music opportunities for African-American students as musicians and as members of the audience. Their hard work inspired an expanded group of dedicated volunteers to continue to invest in the TDP year after year, donating their time, talents, and treasures to the advancement of the students and the mission of the program. Reflecting its genesis as a community vision, the Talent Development Program has an uncommon commitment to nurturing program graduates to likewise model service in their community. Engagement training and activities are woven into the fabric of the program s curriculum and are viewed as critical ways to expose students to their multifaceted roles as 21st Century orchestra musicians performer, educator and community partner. Each TDP student devotes a minimum of 10 hours each year to community engagement work, including participation in education programs and activities, and performances at high-profile events like Maya Angelou s 80th birthday festivities, Georgia s annual celebration of Grammy Award nominees, and events of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, a longtime supporter of the program.

11 Azira Gonzales Hill While her husband Jesse Hill was reshaping business and politics in Atlanta, Azira Gonzales Hill applied her energy to creating opportunity for young minority musicians. Born in Cuba, Azira studied nursing in A tlanta and met Mr. Hill when he was a young man rising to the top of America s largest blackowned insurance company. For over six decades they have promoted community advancement, worked for civil rights and helped African-Americans attain leadership in local, state and federal offices. Azira joined the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Board in 1990 and soon inspired formation of the Talent Development Program. ASO President & CEO Allison Vulgamore praises Azira s sense of joy, detail and perseverance. For Mr. and Mrs. Hill, involvement in the TDP has been hands-on and personal. TDP violinist Lewis Eichelberger characterizes it his own way. They cheerleaded me.

12 When TDP horn player Casey Rhyne went to the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute & Festival, he was in the process of changing his embouchure the way a horn player places his mouth on his instrument the equivalent of a baseball player adopting an entirely new batting stance. The six-week Brevard program, which Casey attended with an Azira G. Hill Scholarship, helped him make the adjustment quickly and elevated his playing to a new level. Musically it was a massive improvement, he says. This was evident as soon as he returned home. Within weeks Casey was named first chair horn in both the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and All-State Band. Casey Rhyne

13 P r o v i d i n g s c h o l a r s h i p s f o r n a t i o n a l summer programs TDP students are invited regularly to attend prestigious summer music programs, including the Interlochen Center for the Arts, the Heifitz Institute for Strings, and the Tanglewood Music Center. The TDP faculty believes that total musical and social immersion, which occurs during these summer training programs, is a catalyst for dramatic development. However, these national programs are beyond the reach of many TDP families. Since 1999, TDP students have received summer tuition scholarships, through the Azira G. Hill Scholarship Fund, to ensure that students may benefit from the opportunities and life experiences these summer programs offer. The scholarship fund is named in honor of Azira Hill, a long-time ASO Board Member who, with ASO volunteer Mary Gramling, envisioned and inspired the creation of the Talent Development Program.

14 Cultivating professionalism In addition to developing as polished and disciplined performers, TDP students acquire the full range of qualities involved in professional musicianship. They learn how to introduce programs and selections; interact with organizations and employers; give media interviews; and manage musicians many responsibilities beyond performance. Earl Sharpe The TDP has given both of our daughters wings, says Earl Sharpe. Violinist Chelsea and cellist Lindsey are among several sibling groups to be accepted into TDP since its founding. My wife and I decided they would play instruments, says Earl. The girls decided they would be leaders. According to their father, involvement in the program has been beneficial for the whole family. For Earl and wife Tanya, TDP is a partner for our journey. They have a vested interest in our kids. They are with us, ahead of us, behind us, guiding us.

15 Selecting for success Rigorous and challenging, the TDP seeks young musicians who are dedicated to a musical future as well as sufficiently talented to attain it. Auditions are open to African-American and Latino students in grades 4-10 across the greater Atlanta community in public, private, or home schools. Eligible candidates are invited to audition in September and October. Criteria include: Demonstrated talent and skill playing an orchestral instrument Interest in a classical music career and commitment to its disciplined pursuit Participation in their school s instrumental music program, if offered Agreement by their school to support the student s participation Recommendation by the student s instrumental music teacher or private music instructor Parent commitment to participate fully in TDP activities

16 TDP parent Lucy Wright credits the program with preparing her and husband Al to help their talented son Bryant make choices for the future. Bryant is an outstanding violist who has known since 7th grade that he wanted an orchestral career. We can give him better parental support and help him fine-tune his plans because of the TDP, she says. We have grown in our understanding of the possibilities that are out there for him. Lucy says, The TDP really has been a family affair. Parents are involved in helping out with events, orienting new families in the program, fundraising and participating in parent board meetings every month. With Bryant, this has not been difficult. Bryant always realized the opportunity he had been given and took it seriously. He ha s worked ver y ha rd. Without the TDP, he would not have had the opportunity to develop as he has. Lucy Wright

17 The Learning Community of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Creating the 21st Century American Orchestra The Talent Development Program is part of the ASO Learning Community, a unique approach to engagement that embraces the full range of ASO performances, education and collaboration programs and initiatives. The Learning Community s purpose has multiple dimensions, each aimed at expanding and deepening the value that the greater Atlanta community experiences with the Atlanta Symphony, through enlarging the Orchestra s service capacity, strengthening its community partnerships, and advancing the understanding of the ASO s role as a music educator and community partner. The Learning Community s commitment to education, diversity, and community engagement reflects the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra s identity as a uniquely American orchestra. The ASO fully embraces its multifaceted roles as performer, presenter, commissioner, educator and community partner. Cultivating the innovative spirit of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the groundbreaking Creative Partnership of Music Director Robert Spano, Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles and President and CEO Allison Vulgamore have created the model of the 21st Century American orchestra.

18 atlanta symphony orchestra Support the TALENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM The program has not only given them a dream, but also has given them the tools to achieve that dream. These words of TDP parent Lucy Wright reflect the impact of the Talent Development Program. Charitable contributions support the aspirations of talented young African-American and Latino music students and help to change the face of American orchestras. With vital financial support, these student musicians receive the extraordinary benefits of the TDP, advancing their talent and dreams of a future in the classical music world. Charitable gifts and grants provide worldclass instruction and mentoring from ASO musicians, unparalleled performance opportunities with the Grammy Award-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and scholarships to the most prestigious national summer music programs all offering life-changing experiences for personal and professional growth. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is the only major American orchestra that offers student musicians a diversity program of this magnitude. Tax deductible contributions assure the Talent Development Program will continue to thrive, and cultivates the musicians of tomorrow!

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20 A Learning Community Program of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra For more information: