Brooklyn Music School (Brooklyn, NY) is sending 20 students to Paris for a series of concerts in April. The students will be performing two concerts in Paris, following a successful concert with students from the Ecole d'Art Musical – a Suzuki Strings School in Paris, France, in April 2018. They held a fundraiser concert in April to raise the money for the trip. 

"BMS has had a tradition of presenting students abroad during the 1950s and 1960s,” says Piruz Partow, BMS Executive Director, “and our trip to Belgium in 2015 really ignited our school and community. Our string program is the strongest that it's ever been thanks to Michael Vannoni and I am proud that he and his students will represent the school, the borough, the city, state, and our country."

BMS students and students from Ecole d'Art Musical will be performing in two exceptional venues in Paris including, the Parish of La Madeleine, whose history dates back to the 13^th century, and the Town Hall of the 5^th Arrondissment, also known as Panthéon. 

Michael Vannoni, Strings Department Chair, said, “The students are working very hard to prepare and you can tangibly feel the excitement growing as the date of the trip gets closer. We had a very successful exchange concert with the Ecole d’Art Musical last year, and we are delighted to have the chance to visit them in their hometown and perform together again in Paris.”

 

COCA-Center of Creative Arts (St. Louis, MO) has announced that Jennifer Wintzer will join its leadership team as Artistic Director of Theatre. In her new role, Wintzer will "provide artistic and educational direction of theatre and voice programming as well as guide partnerships and collaborations with other St. Louis theatre companies and organizations," and oversee the new Berges Theatre, set to be completed in 2020.

 Wintzer has previously worked with the Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, as well as spending over a decade in New York City working as an arts administrator and educator with Lincoln Center Theater, Second Stage Theatre, MCC Theater and as a resident company member of the Chekhov Theatre Ensemble.

Founded in 1986, COCA is the fourth largest multidisciplinary community arts center in the country, one of only 16 schools in the nation accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Precollegiate Arts Schools (ACCPAS), and a national leader in innovative arts education. With a mission to enrich lives and build community through the arts, COCA serves 50,000 people of all ages and skill levels, from enthusiastic amateurs to emerging professionals—all taught by a faculty of distinguished arts educators. We provide meaningful arts experiences in our own studios, gallery and theatres as well as in schools, community centers and corporate settings in order to build a vibrant St. Louis that is creative, connected and inclusive. Visit www.cocastl.org to learn more.

Released in March, the latest issue of the TAG Quarterly is dedicated to Creative Youth Development research, practices, and organizations across the country. Featured in the issue is National Guild Chief Program Officer Heather Ikemire's piece about the Creative Youth Development National Partnership, as well as Guild Members and other organizations doing CYD work across the country. 

"Young people thrive when they have opportunities to maximize their creative potential." says Heather in her article. "Research shows that creative youth development (CYD) supports young people in developing the skills, attitudes, and behaviors that are critical to success in life, school and work. Yet there are sizable disparities in who has access to these programs across the country. Some communities have little to no access, while others have exemplary programs that struggle to meet a growing demand with limited resources."

You can read the full issue on the TAG website. 

In partnership with Education Northwest, Caldera Arts is asking organizations that serve youth and artists to complete a survey about their work. The survey contains 13-16 core questions that are important to Caldear, plus 5-8 additional questions depending on your type of organization.

The survey results will be shared with all survey takers, and will collectively create a landscape of the work of youth arts organizations across the country. 

You can access the survey and read more here.

Cleveland Classical Guitar Society student Damian Goggans and Executive Director Erik Mann appeared on CBS This Morning across the nation on March 15 to discuss mentorship and the way that CCGS’s program has changed Damian’s life. Also appearing were student Sylvia Settles and her mentor, Terence Greene of Cuyahoga Community College's Creative Arts Dance Academy. Both organizations are members of the Cleveland Foundation's Arts Mastery series.

Damian talks about his immense personal challenges and the impact of being in Cleveland Classical Guitar Society’s program.. “I used to, like, hate who I was… [guitar] kinda opened up a door for me. After I played that first note it was just like- woah! I play guitar and it’s like, it talks for me.” 

Erik Mann is a Community Education Arts Leadership Institute (CAELI) alumnus from the class of 2015 and credits this program for transforming his leadership style and greatly helping his professional and personal life.

Watch the segment here.

Francisco J. Núñez, Founder and Artistic Director of the award-winning Young People’s Chorus of New York City (YPC), announced last week the launch of YPC National, Inc., a non-profit organization founded to develop YPC-inspired choirs nationwide. The choirs will bring together children of diverse backgrounds through perfomances, community programs, and educational initiatives. 

“After many years of meeting choral directors and other individuals throughout the country who wished to replicate choruses in their own cities based on the YPC model, I realized the importance of expanding YPC initiatives beyond New York,” said Mr. Núñez. “Young people are the strength of our cities, and providing an oasis for children from diverse neighborhoods to work together and learn about each other can make a difference in not only their personal lives, but in building stronger communities through the power of music.”

The new choirs will be founded based on the core values of YPC, including artistic excellence, diversity, and education. 

Read more about YPC here. 

 

Community Music Center's New Voices Bay Area TIGQ Chorus has been featured by the San Fransisco chronicle for its work to offer a musical outlet for any singers who self-identify as transgender, intersex or genderqueer. 

“The reason we started this,” founder Reuben Zellman says, “was because it was clear there really wasn’t a space for people from our community to sing in an environment that was specifically designed to be supportive of them." 

Many aspects of singing are gendered – referring to voices as male or female, or wearing particular clothing in performance, or standing in an arrangement according to gender. The New Voices choir program has, for many, "become a venue to explore the joys and rewards of music in an affirmative environment."

Read the full article here, and find information and upcoming performances on their website.

 

Project STEP (String Training Education Program) (Boston, MA) announced that Alyssa Lee has been selected to lead the music school as its executive director. Lee comes to the organization with more than fifteen years of nonprofit experience, including ten years of executive level experience. Her past work has focused on community arts programming ranging from positions with community music schools, to arts activist organizations, and professional chamber music ensembles. 

Speaking on behalf of the Board, Diane M. Austin, Board President commented:  “All of us associated with Project STEP are delighted that Alyssa will be directing the organization at this remarkable time in our development.  Project STEP is entering a new phase in our history, with the imminent launch of the Boston BEAM Initiative (Bridge to Equity and Achievement through Music), funded by the Andrew Mellon Foundation. Alyssa’s experience and commitment to our mission will be invaluable as we work with our BEAM partners to change the face of classical music.” 

Alyssa Lee's predecessor, Gabriella Sanna, recently took a position as the Director, Rivers School Conservatory, and Performing Arts Department Chair. 

Read more from Project STEP here.

 

Charles Farmer, former executive director of the Community Music School in Portland, Oregon and National Guild board member, passed away in January. He is remembered fondly by his colleagues and students at the CMC as well as by Guild board members and trustees. The Guild is grateful for his years of service and leadership to advance the field of community arts education.

Before leading the Community Music Center, Charles was the director of the Applied Music Program at Reed College, and on the music faculties of University of Oregon, Lewis & Clark, and Reed college teaching piano, music history, theory, composition, and aesthetics. He was also involved in the arts nationally, serving on grant review panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and playing an important role in the national community arts education movement. 

Charles served on the board the National Guild for Community Arts Education (then the the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts) for four three-year terms, serving as vice president for six years and chairperson of the West Coast and Northwest Regional Chapters for three years, and chairperson of the Membership Committee for seven years. In 2004 he received the Guild’s Presidents Award “in honor of his passion and lifelong commitment to advancing arts education."

Read the full remembrance from Community Music Center here.

Below are remembrances shared by Guild board members and trustees about their time working alongside Charles.

Charles Farmer passing recently represents the end of an era.  Charles was a man blessed with old-fashioned grace and wit and urbanity.  Always ready with a smile and armed with an unexpectedly dry sense of humor, he could be counted on to see the irony in every situation.  He was a wonderfully loyal and steadfast friend both to the National Guild and to Azim and me personally.  Though ailing and somewhat frail, he made a special effort to attend the Guild’s Philadelphia conference and it was a delight to see him, impeccably turned out as always.  He was very active in Guild affairs in the early years both as a board member and a membership committee member.  His principles were firm and consistent, and he had an unwavering commitment to the Guild’s original mission and purpose.  He will be much missed by his many friends, colleagues and students.  Thank you, Charles for your precious legacy and for a life well-lived.

– Lolita Mayadas

When I first became acquainted with the National Guild, a friend and member said to me, “it’s a really great bunch of people. You’re going to like them a lot.“ In all my years of association with guild members, no one was kinder and nicer to me than Charles Farmer. His tact and modesty were hallmarks of my interaction with him. In the years when we both served as board members of the Guild, I grew to admire his wisdom and loyalty. He was truly a gentle man.  I last saw Charles several years ago at the annual conference of the Guild in Boston; he was there to receive one of the Guild’s highest honors, and I recall thinking then that an era was passing before my eyes—of colleagues whom I had learned from and trusted for the better part of three decades.

– David Lapin

When I became Executive Director of Community Music Center in San Francisco in 1978, there were a group of long-time directors of community music schools in places such as Chicago, Philadelphia, and St. Louis. A new coterie took over in the late 70's and early 80's in Boston, Portland, and the above cities. We admired the older generation of leaders. Years later we were the oldsters. Charles was one of those next generation directors. He had a special facility for relating to people – teachers, students, family.  He was a fine musician, and able administrator. Many of us of the 60's generation thought administrators were the enemy until some of us became administrators and found out that helping wonderful institutions such as community music schools to achieve their mission was a special and admirable undertaking.

Besides these things, Charles was a gentleman in the best sense of that word, an honorable person. Over the years we talked about our work, about music, and about fine wine. Always our conversations had a context of mutual support and caring. I am grateful for the years we knew each other, and I will always treasure his memory.

– Stephen Shapiro

I was privileged to serve with Charles for nine years on the board of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts.  His thoughtful voice, his gentle and generous spirit, and his deep commitment to music education were highly valued and appreciated there.  He remained a friend of the Guild in the years that followed.  I have long been of the view that the psychic payback we all receive for our investment in community service is a combination of the satisfaction we derive from supporting a cause that matters and the friends we make along the way.  My friendship with Charles is testament to that fact.  He will be missed.

– Lowell Noteboom

 

Cherie Hill, Director of Community and Culture at Luna Dance Institute (Berkeley, California) has been elected as president of the California Dance Education Association. The CDEA is a state affiliate of the National Dance Education Organization, a non-profit professional organization serving emerging, practicing, and master dance artists, teachers, and scholars. The organization advances dance as a performing art in diverse educational sectors and communities. 

In her new role, Hill says she is "honored to serve California and the field of dance education in this capacity and to join CDEA's incredible Executive Board. CDEA's work in advocacy is remarkable and I look forward to being a leader for emerging, practicing and master dance artists, teacher, and scholars throughout the state.”

Cherie Hill is an alum of the Community Arts Education Leadership Institute (CAELI).

Read the full release here.