NEWS FROM BSO ORCHKIDS !
Alumna Spotlight :
Partnership & Pathways — OrchKids & Tuned-In 12 years ago , the first group of OrchKids students enrolled in the Peabody Preparatory ’ s Tuned-In Program . Four students led the way for what is now a robust pathway to Peabody for OrchKids students who are especially committed to studying their instrument . The Tuned-In Program was founded in 2007 by Dan Trahey , who also helped start OrchKids . Now , 40 OrchKids are enrolled through this partnership .
Tuned-In students have access to private lessons ; ensembles ; classes in digital audio , improvisation , and music theory ; and summer residencies . OrchKids collaborates with Tuned-In in several ways , such as strategic instrument upgrades for students and audition preparation both for Baltimore School for the Arts and outside summer programming opportunities such as Interlochen Center for the Arts , the Archipelago Project , Youth Orchestra Los Angeles , and the Ithaca College Summer Music Academy . The partnership also extends to teachers and staff through collaboration on professional development opportunities — the most recent being a session with Associated Black Charities on structural racism in Baltimore .
In the fall of 2020 , Tuned-In launched the Baltimore- Washington Musical Pathways program ( BWMP ), funded by the Andrew W . Mellon Foundation . The mission of the BWMP is “ to prepare and support student musicians in grades 8 through 12 from communities historically underrepresented in U . S . orchestras for study at music conservatories or as music majors at four-year colleges and universities , leading eventually to professional opportunities with the country ’ s leading ensembles .” Through this program , an elite cohort of 15 students from diverse backgrounds receive a new professional-level instrument ; solo , chamber , and large ensemble performance opportunities ; masterclasses and side-by-sides with professional musicians ; paid transport to college auditions ; college preparation help ; tutoring ; and more . Nine of the 15 students in this selective group are OrchKids . Keep your eyes peeled for these rising musical stars !
Nema Robinson
OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS Nema Robinson has been an active student in the OrchKids program . In addition to OrchKids programming , Nema spent two summers studying violin at Camp Encore / Coda in Maine and was a camp counselor there during the summer of 2021 . Through OrchKids ’ close partnership with Peabody Preparatory , Nema attended their Tuned-In Program , and the strong ongoing collaboration between OrchKids and UMBC led her to participate in several artistic projects with UMBC faculty and students . This helped to create a pathway for her to pursue a degree in Music Education at UMBC , which she started this fall . Please join us in congratulating Nema on this next step in her educational and musical journey , which all began in an OrchKids classroom !
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