By TONI MARIE MARCHIONI

The face of music education in the New York City school system is about to change. In January 2007, The Juilliard School, in a partnership with Carnegie Hall, the Weill Music Institute, and the New York City Department of Education, will launch a pilot program of a new education initiative. Called The Academy—A Program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and The Weill Music Institute, the initiative was spearheaded by President Joseph W. Polisi at Juilliard and Clive Gillinson, executive and artistic director of Carnegie Hall. It seeks to combine the finest young professional musicians with music classes in New York City public schools in a three-fold mission: to nurture young performers in fulfilling their own talents, to help develop the evolving role of the musician in society, and to provide public-school children with access to a high level of music education and performance.

While both Polisi and Gillinson arrived at the philosophy of the fellowship program independently, their energies and goals came together in what Polisi described in a recent interview as a moment of "great serendipity and synergy."

“We wanted to change the paradigm of the orchestral musician. When fellows go through this program, they will be affected by the idea of orchestral musicians having a responsibility in the community.”

"Both of us agreed that we wanted to change the paradigm of the orchestral musician, so to speak," Polisi said. "When fellows go through this program, they will be affected by the idea of orchestral musicians having a responsibility in the community." Gillinson also expressed his desire to more effectively use Carnegie Hall's already "phenomenal education program"—the Weill Music Institute—by "having a core of musicians who can be at the center of providing inspirational interaction with children in the schools. We have wonderful programs, but not a huge number of them involve direct interaction with students. And that obviously can have a huge impact on children in terms of the effect of music on them."

Gillinson had been exploring the idea of recruiting the finest young musicians to devote their time and energy toward music education, but he also knew that Carnegie Hall could not create this type of training program alone. He said he felt that a partnership with a major educational institution was essential, with Juilliard being the "natural choice," not only because of its prestige, but because Gillinson felt that President Polisi would be on "the same wave-length, have the same passions about music and education. He would be the absolutely perfect person in exactly the right place to talk about a potential partnership."

Juilliard President Joseph W. Polisi (above) and Clive Gillinson, executive and artistic director of Carnegie Hall, spearheaded the creation of The Academy—A Program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and The Weill Music Institute. (Photo by Christian Steiner)

When approached by Polisi and Gillinson about the fellowship program, the New York City Department of Education was equally passionate. Sharon Dunn, the senior instructional manager to the Education Department's Office of Arts and Special Projects, expressed that all three sides held the same "larger vision, that these young artists could become teaching-artists and work with New York City teachers and students. In terms of the design and the willingness on all sides, it's very clear that it's a good thing for all of us."

A pilot program will commence in January with 16 New York City schools and 16 musician-fellows, invited from a pool of Juilliard graduates and the Weill Music Institute's Professional Training Workshop participants. The pilot phase will continue through the end of the 2007-08 school year. The fellowship will require approximately 20 hours a week, which includes one and a half days a week for a 12-week residency in the public schools, as well as weekly intensive education training classes and forums for feedback and discussion. Throughout the pilot period, the musicians will participate in several public performances including a small orchestra concert, chamber music recitals, master classes, and additional performances, to take place at Carnegie's Zankel and Weill Halls and at Juilliard. They are also entitled to coachings with Juilliard faculty and Carnegie Hall artists, as well as five individual lessons with a private teacher of their choice. In addition to first-class teaching instruction and performing opportunities, the fellows in the pilot program will also receive a stipend of $14,000, Juilliard student health insurance, and access to Juilliard's library, computer lab, and health facilities.

Clive Gillinson, executive and artistic director of Carnegie Hall. (Photo by Don Perdue )

In September 2007, the program will continue to expand, and participants will each be offered the fellowship for two years with an annual stipend of $24,000. While the fellows for the pilot were by invitation only, the next phase will include a more widespread pool of applicants, with nominations by the heads of music schools, conservatories, and performing-arts organizations nationwide. From this list of nominated candidates, the program will hold an extensive audition and interview process to choose the next group of fellows; for fellowships beginning in September 2008 there will be a national open application process for all interested musicians.

While exact details about the school curriculum are still being developed, Dunn explained that it will encompass the "full spectrum of music education" as stipulated in the Department of Education blueprint and "take into account five strands: music making, literacy in music, making connections to other disciplines, taking advantage of the resources of cultural institutions, and careers and lifelong learning in music." According to Polisi, the curriculum will also continue to be cultivated throughout the pilot in a "very organic and fluid way, as individualized programs for each fellow, resident teacher, and student." The fellows will be teaching broad, general music education classes, as well as private lessons specific to their instrument of expertise. Polisi is also hopeful that in the future, fellows will not just be involved in classical music, but also jazz, world music, and the latest developments in music technology.

The fellowship program's short-term goals of affording children access to great music education and helping fine young musicians become polished performers and experienced teachers are undoubtedly important, but the crux of the program is fundamentally forward-looking. Both Gillinson and Polisi hope that it will be vital in having a long-term impact on how American orchestras and musicians think about education. Participation in an Academy fellowship would provide musicians with the sense of obligation—and the skills—to give back to the community. As Gillinson said, he hopes it "will become a central part of the way musicians grow up to be and how they see their future." Polisi added, "You really will be asked to be an ambassador for your art."

The fellowship program shows how great cultural organizations can work with their city to transform the way children grow up.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of the fellowship program for everyone, according to Gillinson, is that it "genuinely provides an incredibly valuable template of how great cultural organizations can work with their city to really transform the way children grow up and what it is that children can have as part of their lives in the broader cultural context." For him, the program is "something that is totally replicable elsewhere" that may inspire other institutions and cities to work together in a similar context.

It is not until evaluation and observation throughout the pilot that the fellowship program can be deemed successful, but all three partner institutions are equally confident and excited that the program is unprecedented, necessary, and exceptionally special. As Gillinson admitted, "I think personally it is one of the most exciting, extraordinary, and inspirational projects I've ever been involved with. From the very beginning, I can't remember a single person that we've talked to who hasn't thought it's a remarkable and wonderful project that should happen and needs to happen. I can't ever think I've been involved in anything that had such a strong wind behind it in the sense of everybody feeling it's just got to be a success. It's bound to be."

Toni Marie Marchioni is a master's degree candidate in oboe. Her most recent article for The Juilliard Journal was an interview with the conductor George Manahan, in last month's issue.