Contributing to the Field: Nationally and abroad, Chicago Sinfonietta’s Project Inclusion Fellows continue the work of late founder/Music Director Paul Freeman
Chicago, IL – 13 years after its launch, Chicago Sinfonietta’s Project Inclusion program has granted more than 80 fellowships. Graduates of the program have gone on to work in numerous posts in the industry, from serving in orchestras, ensembles, education, and diversity programs (both in and out of the field), to assistant conductorships and music directorships.
Nationally recognized for its work in bringing together talent and mentorship to further develop diverse and emerging musicians, conductors, and administrators on and off-stage, and for helping to eliminate institutional bias due to factors such as ethnicity, race, and socioeconomic status, Project Inclusion is the largest and most successful program of its kind.
Since its launch CS has mentored more than 80 diverse early career musicians and conductors. Approximately 95% of graduates from The Sinfonietta’s Project Inclusion Freeman Conducting Fellowship program have worked within the industry. Kellen Gray, a 2016-18 Conducting Fellow and 2017-18 Assistant Conductor of Chicago Sinfonietta (CS) under Music Director Mei-Ann Chen, is the latest to be selected for an international post. Today, he has been announced as Assistant Conductor of the 125-year-old Royal Scottish National Orchestra, beginning his tenure this April 2021.
Current fellows are attracting attention as well. Conducting fellows Glenn Alexander II filmed a TedX talk “Unlock Your Mind” that premiered earlier this month, and Taichi Fukumura was interviewed for Northwestern University’s website about his career as a conductor and musician. Antoine T. Clark, this season’s Assistant Conductor, recently served on a panel of distinguished alumni of Ohio State University. Ensemble fellow Adrienne Sherrod was accepted into NYU and Berklee.
Chicago Sinfonietta is pleased to announce that applications for the 2021-22 program are being accepted in the following categories beginning this coming week: Project Inclusion Ensemble Fellowship and Project Inclusion Administrative Fellowship (April 18th application deadline).
Project Inclusion Freeman Orchestral Fellowship and Ensemble Fellowship alumni and fellowship recipients include: Denielle Wilson, cellist with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra since 2019; Chauntee Ross, violin, Progressions Viola Instructor, Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra; Danielle Taylor, violin – Chicago Sinfonietta Project Inclusion Manager; Caitlin Edwards, violin, who has played and recorded with artists such as John Legend, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Common, as well as with classical orchestras; Kyle Dickson, violin, Concert master of Chicago Composers Orchestra, and a member of the Gateways Festival Orchestra in Rochester, NY and the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra in Branson, MO.
Project Inclusion Administrative Freeman Fellowship alumni work in the non-profit and for profits fields. Ryan Blocker is a Strategist for the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity; Miguel A. Garcia is at Chicago’s StriveTogether, a national network of local communities striving to achieve racial equity and economic mobility; Ashley Lugo is a Development manager for Chicago’s Tree House Humane Society. Kameron Locke is an Arts Diversity Consultant and creator and Co-Facilitator of London, England’s The Village at Goldsmiths Music Studio.
Numerous accomplishments have been achieved by former Project Inclusion fellows in the Freeman Conducting arm. They include: Roderick Cox and Sameer Patel – the first recipients of Chicago Sinfonietta Project Inclusion Freeman Conducting Fellowships. Cox has gone on to found the Roderick Cox Music Initiative (RCMI) – a project to help provide scholarship funds to young musicians of color from unrepresented communities, allowing them to pay for instruments, music lessons, and summer camps, and to develop a career as an international guest conductor. Patel has become Artistic Director of the Hot Springs Music Festival and Associate Conductor of the Sun Valley Music Festival. Kalena Bovell and Roger Kalia (2014- 15), the second graduating class, have both continued to expand their careers, Bovell as a guest conductor recognized internationally as a composer of color to watch and Kalia now holding Music Directorships with The Evansville Philharmonic, NH Symphony and Orchestra of Santa Monica. Deanna Tham, 2016-18 and 2017-18 CS Assistant Conductor, has become Principal Conductor of the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras, and was appointed Assistant Conductor of the National Youth Orchestra (NYO-USA and NYO2) for summer 2019, working with Maestros James Ross, Joseph Young, and Sir Antonio Pappano. Alejandro Gómez Guillén is Artistic Director and Conductor of Bloomington Symphony Orchestra. Jonathan Rush was appointed Assistant Conductor of Baltimore Symphony in fall 2020.
Michelle Isaac, the first recipient of a Project Inclusion Freeman Composing Fellowship (launched this 2020-21 season) has written a work for Chicago Sinfonietta that premiered at the fall Ball.
ABOUT Project Inclusion Fellowships
All Fellowships are nine-months long, and financially compensated with practical, hands-on experience. The program is overseen by Project Inclusion Manager Danielle Taylor. This season’s class of fellows is the largest since its launch, with 15 fellowships awarded in the areas of Ensemble, Conducting, and Composition.
Project Inclusion Administrative Freeman Fellowship
includes training and mentoring from Chicago Sinfonietta’s experienced administrative staff in the areas of development and marketing; direct involvement with Sinfonietta’s audience and donor engagement and Project Inclusion Fellowships; community immersion opportunities; and performance collaborations.
Project Inclusion Orchestral Freeman Fellowship
Includes one-on-one mentoring from Chicago Sinfonietta senior orchestra members; performances at every concert during fellowship; opportunities to perform for additional services, extending the impact of the fellowship; full salary for all rehearsals and performances; and assistance in securing work after the fellowship has been completed.
Project Inclusion Ensemble Freeman Fellowship
Features professional, freelance musicians who often find work performing chamber music. Ensemble musicians may also be selected for an Orchestral Fellowship and are chosen through a competitive audition process. Fellowship includes appearances at community events; monthly rehearsals that address individual and ensemble work, as well as introduce new repertoire and performance skills; coaching on presentation and speaking skills, verbal feedback from principal mentors; and payment for all services.
Project Inclusion Conducting Freeman Fellowship
Introduced in the 2013-14 season, the Conducting Fellowship fosters the development of 4-6 conductors of diverse backgrounds who are on the verge of professional careers. The conducting fellows have the opportunity to work closely with Chicago Sinfonietta Music Director Mei-Ann Chen and other experienced conductors, and industry professionals. Fellowship includes: intensive and extensive training, mentoring and conducting activities over a nine-month period; coaching of on and off-the-podium topics to develop the 21st century conductor; development of basic orchestra management skills, including but not limited to marketing, programming, fundraising and finance; opportunities to conduct live ensembles through partnerships with leading Chicago classical music organizations and educational institutions.
Project Inclusion Composing Freeman Fellowship
Introduced this 2020-21 season the Composing Freeman Fellowship was created to include emerging composers best suited to the program’s criteria and offerings. Composing fellows are given multiple opportunities to learn, workshop, and share the craft of composition with leading composers throughout the nation. They also receive extensive mentoring, technical training, and workshop activities spread out over the course of the fellowship. Sessions include Sibelius, Musicscore, and Finale software training, contract negotiations, management skills in marketing, programming, fundraising, and finance, mock compositional pitches, as well as more nuanced discussions on cultivating diversity, and leadership.
Questions about the Project Inclusion program or audition process may be directed to Danielle Taylor, Project Inclusion Manger, at dtaylor@localhost.
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