Chicago 2022
Youth in Music Festival and National Pathways Summit
April 9-11, 2022
Presented in partnership with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative. Supported by the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation.
Executive Summary
The Equity Arc (formerly NIMAN) National Pathways Summit and Roundtable provided an opportunity for program leaders and stakeholders to convene around the promise and priorities of the emerging field of equity-based pre-college training programs for aspiring professional classical musicians of color. United by the goal of removing structural barriers of access from their path and preparing them for the requirements of collegiate training programs, we dedicated two days of working group meetings with leaders of pathways programs and a full day of feedback and sharing of ideas with stakeholders.
Participants developed a list of recommended next steps that Equity Arc will help the field explore, collaborate, and/or support in the short- and long-term. As we prepare for a second convening in March 2023 in partnership with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, we will call upon our colleagues to volunteer in various ad hoc committees to collectively refine goals, strategies, and objectives for implementation.
“It was fantastic to see people from around the country coming together for a singular goal of supporting our programs and students and sharing ideas and best practices to help us all improve our work.”
Najib Wong, Philadelphia Music Alliance for Youth
Participation
49
Young artists in the Festival Orchestra, self-identified as Black 41%, Latinx 35%, South Asian 14%, Southeast Asian 10%
7
Young artists on the Pathways Fellows Panel, facilitated by James Hall of Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative
74
Summit participants and roundtable attendees from organizations across the country
Highlights
Keynote address by Maestra Lina González-Granados, who led the Festival Orchestra’s rehearsals and performance of Valerie Coleman’s “Seven O’Clock Shout”
Sustainability Working Group
Led by Helen Eaton of Settlement Music School
- Developing the “Why”: the case for collective voice and interlocking systems
- Cooperation rather than competition
- Collective fundraising
- Expanding the network and approaching funders
Efficacy Working Group
Led by Mark Churchill of El Sistema USA
- Exploring operating models and indicators of success
- Tracking impact data
- Creating a theory of change
National Network Working Group
Led by Stanford Thompson of Play On Philly
- Creating name, mission, vision, and values statements
- Building trust among the national network
- Providing professional development for faculty and staff of Pathways initiatives
- Developing a resource library, facilitating workshops and networking meetings, and leveraging social media
