Causes: Education, Higher Education

Mission: The mission of the new world symphony is to prepare gifted graduates of distinguished music programs for leadership roles in orchestras and ensembles throughout the world. The new world symphony, america's orchestral academy (nws), offers a three-year postgraduate fellowship program focusing on musical technique, performance, audience development, and community engagement. Founded in 1987 by michael tilson thomas (mtt) and ted arison, nws seeks to expand its 87 fellows' musical and professional horizons beyond traditional conservatory training. Visiting faculty offer master classes, coaching, private lessons, and advanced seminars in audition training, performance psychology, communications, and community engagement. In addition, nws fellows perform weekly concerts, playing a diverse repertoire in an array of performance formats. Nws envisions a strong and secure future for classical music, seeking to redefine, reaffirm, and share its traditions with as many people as possible. Nws' ca

Programs: The fellowship program - (previously known as orchestral training) fellowship activities are structured under the areas of orchestral performance and musicianship, audience engagement, and leadership development. Each year, more than 150 visiting artists and coaches work with nws fellows, offering master classes and private lessons as well as instruction in audition preparation, performance psychology, communications, and community engagement. Instrumental coaches help prepare performance repertoire, lead sectional rehearsals, coach within ensemble settings, and play side-by-side with nws fellows in rehearsals and performances. Fellows learn how to connect with audience members in the concert hall and in the community. Nws' leadership development curriculum prepares fellows to be self-confident, influential "artist-leaders" in whatever professional endeavors they pursue. Leveraging the internet2 network-a high speed, next generation internet-nws fellows also conduct and receive lessons, master classes, interviews, and rehearsals with musicians, composers, and performers around the world. Fellows participate in approximately 75 classical music presentations throughout the 35-week season, with most performances taking place at the new world center in miami beach. Concert repertoire includes solo, chamber ensemble, and full orchestra works ranging from centuries-old compositions to world premiere commissions. Programming includes an orchestra subscription series; chamber music concerts; children's concerts; late-night "club-style" concerts; and a contemporary music series. The result of a multi-tiered training approach is an ever-growing cadre of nws fellows and alumni equipped with a deeper understanding of diverse styles and traditions within classical music; the ability to articulate this in their playing; and the skill to share their deeper understanding with audiences and with the next generation of musicians. In the 28 years since nws' founding, nearly 1,000 alumni have gone on to make a difference in communities and organizations worldwide.

audience research and development nws has linked several alternate performance formats to ongoing audience research. Confronted with an economic downturn, an aging audience, and more than a generation of potential audiences with limited exposure to classical music, orchestras nationwide have tested alternative ways to attract new audiences. This effort is essential for orchestras' artistic and fiscal health. Nws' alternate performance formats include the following: - pulse concerts: late-night concerts (9:30 pm to 1:00 am) each of which feature visually enhanced performances in the concert hall and an "unplugged" performance interspersed with a set of dj-spun electronica. Cocktail bars inside the hall, club-style lighting, and video projections mark these cutting-edge musical, social, and dance events. - encounters concerts: no-intermission educational performances lasting approximately one hour that feature extended, visually enhanced, introductory explanations of the music by a guest host and the conductor. - wallcast concerts: the live projection of select nws concerts onto the 7,000 sq. Ft. Front faade of new world center. These free, high-definition broadcasts are viewed by audiences in miami beach soundscape, an adjacent city-owned park equipped with a state-of-the-art surround stereo system. Each of these free monthly outdoor presentations generates an audience upwards of 1,500 people with some attracting as many as 3,500. The cycle of data gathering, content refinement, marketing redesign, and performance is ongoing. As part of this process, audiences are surveyed for their reactions to the alternate formats; this dialogue gives them a voice in the creative process and helps deepen their relationship to the fellows, the music, and nws. During the opening session of their 2013 conference, league of american orchestras president and ceo jesse rosen noted, "the new world symphony is one of our beacons for taking innovation to the next level. They have not only been testing new concert formats, but they have been adjusting as they go-getting audience input, evaluating the results, and collaborating with [partner orchestras in] san diego, charlotte, memphis, detroit, and kansas city to extend the tests outward. " nws considers its work a major step forward in bringing new ideas and research-based findings to the orchestra world. Results to date show promise. Alternate format concerts have allowed symphony orchestras and classical music presenters to take informed risks in their audience growth initiatives. Nws artistic director michael tilson thomas, nws fellows, and the institution's collaborating artists continue to reimagine the concert experience using video, lighting, and theatrical enhancements. These explorations intrigue audiences and deepen their understanding of the music; they also provide fellows with new perspectives that will inform their careers as they build on these models. Nws is a leader in using digital technology to enhance classical music performance and education, both in the concert hall and online. In september 2014, nws publically launched musaic, an online classical music video library of master classes, orchestral excerpts, how-to lessons, interviews, and performances. This free repository serves classical music students, professionals, and aficionados. Fellows benefit from its use as well while also creating content for the site. As of september 2015, musaic had over 62,000 users and more than 3,000 registrants to the site. Nws maintains partnerships with nine major music schools around the world, all of which regularly contribute content to the site. Nws' most recent digital venture is a video-based exploration of the work of john cage, one of the 20th century's most influential and provocative composers and visual artists. Debuted in april 2015, "making the right choices: a john cage celebration" grew from nws' landmark three-day festival, presented in 2013, commemorating the centenary of cage's birth. This free online resource is built around videos of works performed during the festival, behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage, and artist interviews.

community engagement nws believes that orchestral musicians should be ambassadors for classical music-as advocates, educators, mentors, and leaders. Nws' community engagement programs (i) prepare fellows for leadership roles as educators, communicators, and role models; (ii) introduce children to classical music and the concert-going experience; and (iii) foster lasting and meaningful relationships between the orchestra and the community. Nws' community engagement activities include the following: - nws in the schools and community: fellows visit area schools to make 45-minute interactive and thematic musical presentations aimed at helping students discover and become excited about classical music. Nws fellows also play in various other community venues, including hospitals, hospices, and senior centers. - inside the music: these intimate lecture-based performances are curated and hosted by nws fellows, providing an intimate glimpse into their craft. Topics range from music appreciation to the historic context of composers. - rehearsal observations: local groups are invited to attend orchestra rehearsals with internationally renowned conductors and soloists. Prior to rehearsals, participants meet with fellows to learn about both the musical pieces and the instruments. Participating organizations include k-12 schools, universities, and adult learning centers. - education concerts: these daytime concerts are designed to introduce schoolchildren to the concert-going experience, major orchestral works, and famous composers. Nws provides free transportation for all attendees; teachers receive a study guide to heighten the educational impact of the performance. A post-produced broadcast of the concerts is made available to students in schools around the country. - side-by-side concert: this program offers advanced young instrumentalists in grades 7 through 12 an opportunity to perform alongside nws fellows in concert. Through this experience, participants and fellows develop a musical working relationship as together they rehearse and perform various orchestral works. Auditions are open to advanced string, woodwind, brass, and percussion students from across south florida. - musiclab: musiclab is a community program that brings nws fellows into the youth music programs of partner organizations within miami-dade county. The young musicians enrolled in these programs receive instrumental instruction from nws fellows in one-on-one and group coaching sessions on a bi-monthly basis. Each season's program concludes with a concert performance by the students at new world center. - nws connect: this online program enables purposeful discussions and interactions between aspiring young instrumentalists with mentorship from nws fellows. Students can find information about and participate in online events such as virtual hangouts (opportunities to converse in real-time with nws fellows through the google+ hangout platform), webcasts, and in-person events at new world center. Fellows also conduct online residencies with student music ensembles around the united states via skype and internet2. Reaching thousands of south florida children and youth each year, these programs allow fellows to mentor student-musicians, offer free music lessons, coach local school bands and orchestras, and offer free concerts tailored to young audiences. In the process, fellows sharpen their presentation, leadership, and teaching skills, which they will continue to use in their professional lives as musicians. Each season, nws reaches 12,500 youth, children, and adults through community engagement.