APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR THE 2012-2013 ABREU FELLOWS PROGRAM EXTENDED TO FEBRUARY 17, 2012.
Abreu Fellows Program at New England Conservatory
The Abreu Fellows Program has two primary goals: to educate 10 people each year to make significant and sustainable contributions to the growth of the El Sistema movement in the United States and, through that work, to contribute knowledge and artifacts that are of use to others interested in growing El Sistema throughout the world. Upon completion of the Abreu Fellowship, graduates of the program are required to work on behalf of The El Sistema movement, preferably in the U.S., for at least one year. Graduates will become members of an ever-expanding network of Abreu Fellows, mentoring other leaders and teachers while developing their own local programs consistent with the original intent of El Sistema.
Over the past two years, twenty Fellows have graduated from the Abreu Fellows program, seventeen of which have been involved in the creation and management of El Sistema inspired programs in cities throughout the United States. Fifteen of these programs have been created within existing organizations, while two Fellows have successfully founded their own 501(c)3 organizations. Others have served as consultants for new programs in the United States, Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. At conferences and events throughout the United States, the Fellows serve as guest speakers and consultants and, at this point in the movement, are widely considered to be among the experts in the field because of their training in the United States and the opportunity they have to work in Venezuela during the Fellowship.
The Abreu Fellows at New England Conservatory occupy a unique space in the growing El Sistema movement. While people and institutions throughout the country are building and running programs, the Fellows are uniquely positioned to investigate, reflect, and ultimately contribute to the field throughout their year at New England Conservatory by leveraging the resources of the fellowship toward supporting programs and creating new knowledge. As the dedicated learners of the field, the Abreu Fellows have 10 months to explore the field as it exists in the United States, to study it, reflect upon it, and ultimately synthesize the learning and skills of that time into substantial contributions in the future.
The 2011/12 Abreu Fellowship
The Abreu Fellowship is based on a student centered constructivist theory of education. In practice, this means that the Fellows are responsible for constructing their understanding of the field, the skills necessary to develop that field, and for find their own place within it. In this way, each Fellow is a unique asset to the program, to NEC and to the movement. The 2011-12 Abreu Fellowship is built around three kinds of learning: Experiential learning, Project based learning, and Seminar learning. These three types of learning are designed to develop three essential ingredients for future success in the field: Experience, Relationships, and Skills. Through seminar learning Fellows will work to develop skills that are often elusive in the training of musicians in our culture. Through individual projects, Fellows will develop contacts and relationships with others working in El Sistema and work to make contributions to the field during their time at NEC. Through experiences throughout the United States and Venezuela Fellows will have the opportunity to apply and test their learning and assumptions, and to immediately jump into any gaps that exist between theory and practice in an effort to pull them as close to one another as is possible.
Seminar Learning
Seminar learning in the Abreu Fellowship is divided into 4 graduate level courses that meet once per week throughout the year. These courses include Foundations of El Sistema Education, El Sistema in the United States, and two courses in Social Entrepreneurship – Strategic Mangement and Policy and Operations. The goal of seminar learning is to develop a set of skills and content knowledge in each of these areas while also providing a lens for the experiential and project based parts of the program. All 4 courses are designed to work together to develop a comprehensive understanding of the movement and how each Fellow might create something unique to deepen or broaden its impact in the United States.
Project Based Learning
In order to leverage the capacity and imagination of 10 Fellows the curriculum is designed to offer space and support for making individual contributions to the movement. Working closely with the Program Director each Fellow will devise and execute Individual Education Plan for the year. Each week, Fellows will meet with the Program Director for at least 30 minutes to discuss, direct, and realign their learning. Additionally, each Friday morning the group will come together as a whole and present their work for critique and advice.
Individualized Education Plans for each Fellow will include the following 3 components:
- Spanish Instruction
- Experiential work in Teaching and Administration
- Project based learning
Experiential Learning
A crucial part of the Abreu Fellowship is the opportunity to experience the El Sistema movement throughout the United States and in Venezuela. These are transformative experiences, grounding the learning that takes place in Boston, and filling each Fellow with a sense of the challenges and possibilities that exist in the movement. The 2011/12 Fellowship is designed so that the Fellows will never be away from children or programs for more than 3 weeks at a time. This will keep a constant balance between theory and practice, seminars and experiences, and administrative and musical work.
During the 3rd year of the Fellowship the Fellows will visit organizations in New York City, Los Angeles, and approximately 20 El Sistema inspired programs throughout the United States. The seminal experience of the Abreu Fellowship is a 5-6 week residency in Venezuela, which is widely regarded to be the single most transformative experience in music education in the world.
Applications for the 4th class of Abreu Fellows are now open. Find application form here.
Please contact Virginia Hecker with any questions relating to the Abreu Fellows Program.
Find information on making a gift to the Abreu Fellows Program at NEC.
2012-01-11
MILES DAVIS