Insights to El Sistema Practices at the Music Learning Center of San Antonio, Texas. Aurelia Gregoria Rocha, B.F.A., M.A., M.M.

Transcription

1 Insights to El Sistema Practices at the Music Learning Center of San Antonio, Texas by Aurelia Gregoria Rocha, B.F.A., M.A., M.M., A Dissertation In Fine Arts Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Approved Dr. Michael Stoune As Committee Chair Dr. Peter Fischer Dr. Linda Donahue Dr. Stacey Jocoy Prof. Genevieve Durham Mark Sheridan Dean of the Graduate School December, 2016

2 Copyright 2016, Aurelia Rocha

3 Table of Contents Abstract... vii Preface... viii 1. Background and History...1 Statement of the Problem...1 Purpose of the Study...3 The questions that drove this study are:... 4 Terms in the Study for Complete Clarity...5 El Sistema...6 Beginnings... 7 Expansion... 9 Today El Sistema in the U.S. and Beyond...12 Dr. Abreu s TED Wish El Sistema Fellows Legacy of the Sistema Fellows History and Establishment of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio...16 Growth Turmoil and Expansion Music Learning Center Development History Method of Research...22 Methodology and Conceptual Framework of the Study:...22 Why Qualitative Research? ii

4 Case Study Role of the Researcher from Outsider to Insider back to Outsider Research from Within the Study Data Collection...28 Observations Interviews and Questionnaires Document-based data collection Validity and Reliability Theories of Social Change in Arts and Education...33 Literature Review...33 Social Change...33 Arts Influence in Society Social Change and Educators Arts Organizations and Arts Education in Texas Public Schools The Music Learning Center Becomes YOSA MÁS...43 Concerns About the Music Learning Center...43 How Sistema Do We Need to Be? Ability to Exhibit the Ideals of El Sistema Leadership Direction Transition to YOSA MÁS...48 Going Dark Planning for the Pilot Year of YOSA MÁS Creating Alignment Measuring Outcomes iii

5 5. Close of YOSA MÁS...63 The questions that drove this study are: Infrastructure Curriculum and Instruction Funding Outcomes The Close of YOSA MÁS...68 The Roosevelt Compact Plans for future programs...70 Case for Need Year Two of YOSA MÁS (After Pilot Year) Bibliography...75 Appendix A...85 Timeline YOSA, me, & El Sistema The fourth year and last year of the program at Good Sam / Summer Appendix B...88 Memorandum of Understanding...88 Introduction: Purpose: Scope: Definitions: Teaching Artists and YOSA Staff iv

6 Emergency Procedures and Student Safety Instruments and Other Supplies Needed for Teaching Transportation of Students Classrooms and Performance Space Maintenance Liability Funding Oversight Updates to the MOU: Appendix C...95 Phases of the Sistema Fellows Program...95 Phase I: Sept-Oct: Orientation, Understanding of El Sistema Phase II: Oct-Nov: Fieldwork Phase III: Nov-Dec: Research, Evaluation, and Assessment Phase IV: Jan-March: Building and Practicing Skills Phase V: April: Venezuelan Residency Phase VI: May: Reflection and Graduation Appendix D...97 List of El Sistema Fellows: Appendix E...99 YOSA MÁS end of year survey...99 Appendix F Examples of student surveys Appendix G v

7 Results from YOSA MÁS student surveys: Appendix H Developmental Assets for Adolescents Appendix I Driving goals of Excel Beyond the Bell Appendix J Instrument Take Home Contract for Students and Parents Appendix K IRB Letter Appendix L Proposal for Researching Human Subjects Appendix M YOSA MÁS Recruiting Letter vi

8 Abstract Research while engaged as an active participant in the study, can provide a prospective that might be unavailable from a strictly outsider s view. For smaller programs or programs that might be just starting up an insider s viewpoint gives the reader something to grasp or something with which to identify as they navigate their own programs and organizations. This dissertation describes the journey of one researcher as she moved from an outsider role to an insider role during her inquiry into one American version of an El Sistema inspired program in San Antonio, Texas. Using qualitative methodology which includes interviews, observations, and the study of printed documents, a narrative was created to describe a program designed to provide students on the west side of San Antonio, Texas access to rigorous, high quality music education in strings based on the Venezuelan youth orchestra model called El Sistema. Prospective provided in this study will be able to offer others in the nonprofit arts education field a chance to find similarities of experience in an attempt to offer pathways to success for their organizations. vii

9 Preface One bright, cool afternoon a small group of children walks down a busy street on the west side of San Antonio, Texas. All of them are carrying instruments. The street they walk along is full of shops and noisy cars. Stores they pass have all kinds of tempting things: pastries and candies, electronic games and toys with blinking lights, everything that small children love. A small girl, Esperanza, runs to catch up to the rest. On her back she carries a cello in a soft black case. She is wearing hand-me-downs from an older sister, but she is unconcerned all of the little girls in her group have on clothes that have been past down to them. The girls talk excitedly, Esperanza laughing and joking along with her friends. As they move closer to their destination, they are joined by other groups of children. Everyone has an instrument, some as big as the children themselves. There are big brassy tubas, violins in brightly colored cases, and cloth bags full of mallets and sticks. They enter a nearby building. The little cellist separates from her friends and goes into a classroom. Esperanza s classroom, which is small and sparsely decorated, has many functions. During the day, it serves college music students as they work on music theory and ear training. In the afternoons, it is a practice room for chamber groups. Evenings, the little cellist and her classmates use it for their music lessons. In one corner stands an old upright piano. The instrument is scratched and always out of tune from the abuse it suffers at the hands of the college students. On two walls are green chalkboards with music staves painted across their length. There are no windows, only harsh fluorescent lights; the floor is covered with ugly blue-green industrial strength carpeting. viii

10 Teachers have set up the room prior to the arrival of the students. The desks have been pushed back against the walls, leaving one row for parents who might come to watch the class. In the center, chairs are set up for the students with one chair facing them; this is for the lead teacher of the class. As the children begin to file in, they sit on the floor and unpack their cellos. Esperanza sits in the middle of the row setting up her instrument next to her chair, bow on one side, cello on the other. Teachers come around to each of the students and help them tune their instruments. As they work, they chat easily with each of the girls. The atmosphere is one of friendly good will. The students are comfortable with their teachers; they know them well, and work with them often. The teachers are all music students in the college with varied teaching experience. Each has been selected because of their interest in working with children and music. They pull from their own experiences as students as they teach. Esperanza watches closely as one of the teachers tunes her cello. He explains to her how tuning is done while turning the pegs of the instrument to change the pitch. The cello is very out of tune today, and Esperanza shyly admits that it fell over on its bridge. Her teacher explains to her why she must be careful, but he is sure to let her know that the instrument is not broken, only out of tune and can be easily fixed. The lead teacher calls the class to attention and the students scramble to their seats. As they sit with their cellos, the other teachers move about the room. They adjust arms and feet to get the girls into better positions with their instruments. Once the students are set, the class begins. The girls are excited because they have been told that today they will learn a new piece. This piece is the one that they will play with the rest of the classes in the recital being performed by the music school. Everyone in the class is ix

11 looking forward to playing with their friends. The teacher begins the lesson by playing the new piece, which they recognize instantly. Esperanza gasps with happiness; her older sister learned this piece when she first started violin! The teachers readjust the enthusiastic, wiggling students. Once ready, they begin. x

12 Chapter 1 Background and History Statement of the Problem When students participate in arts learning they acquire cognitive characteristics, or soft skills, that have been recognized as important to the future success of all adults in the 21 st century (National Govenors Association Center for Best Practices, 2002). These skills include: perception of relationships, finding multiple solutions to problems, attention to nuance, adaptability, decision-making and, visualization of goals and outcomes (National Govenors Association Center for Best Practices, 2002). The Arts Education Partnership (2002) has stated that, While learning in other disciplines may often focus on development of a single skill or talent, the arts regularly engage multiple skills and abilities. Engagement in the arts whether the visual arts, dance, music, theatre or other disciplines nurtures the development of cognitive, social, and personal competencies (p. ix). Additionally, the Partnership for 21 st Century Skills (2009) has identified proficiencies needed to help children navigate the multi-dimensional abilities required of them as they move into adulthood and begin their careers. These needed skills include such assets as information and communication, thinking and self-direction, global knowledge and understanding, financial and economic business literacy, developing entrepreneurial skills to enhance workplace productivity and career options, and civic literacy (Framework for 21st Century Skills, 2009, p. 1). As children move into adulthood, they need to have acquired skills that will allow them to find success in the 1

13 workforce. While concrete skills are important, soft skills are becoming recognized as important to the success of adults in the 21 st century. Music education programs, such as the Harmony Project, whose mission is to promote the healthy growth and development of children through the study, practice, and performance of music, conduct research on the skills that children gain through active engagement in music learning (The Harmony Project, 2015). Harmony Project s research examines the effect of arts education, specifically music, on communication skills, memory, and attention levels in at-risk elementary aged students in one of the most underserved areas of Los Angeles. While the inquiry is not yet complete, preliminary testing suggests that students participating in music lessons are making grade appropriate advancements in reading skills, while control groups comprised of students not enrolled in any music classes, are showing decreases in reading skills. There is further evidence within this study that supports the idea that music instruction may even lead to ways to close gaps in learning between economically advantaged and disadvantaged students. Harmony Project is part of a growing number of music learning programs that target students who may not have access to music education or instrument instruction as part of the curriculum at their local schools. This program and others, such as Play on Philly in Philadelphia, PA, or Kidz Notes in Durham, NC, are all based on the idea that high quality, rigorous instruction in music and ensemble playing can be used to create positive change in the lives of children and youth, regardless of the circumstances of income or socio-economic status. The basis for this idea comes from the Venezuelan model of youth orchestras and music education, developed in the 1970s, called simply, El Sistema (The System). 2

14 El Sistema has made its way into the United States slowly over the past few decades. In Venezuela, El Sistema consists of students, teachers, artists, and administrators who are all devoted to the concept that social change can be accomplished using classical music taught with a high level of musical artistry and rigor. Programs inspired by this idea have emerged across the U.S. and are serving students in a variety of performing arts areas in addition to their primary focus of music. Many of the programs in the U.S. self-identify as El Sistema-inspired and attempt to follow the fundamental principles that have been set up in Venezuela. Some questions about these programs include to what extent do they need to follow those fundamentals, and how much can they deviate from them and still identify as El Sistema? Personal experience in the field has allowed me to observe two things: that leaders in the field of El Sistema-inspired programs are adamant about not adhering to a strict definition of what El Sistema is, while they acknowledge that there are certain fundamentals that must be in place for a program to truly call itself El Sistema-inspired. The problem of this study is defining those fundamentals and designing a program around them while still working with the current school district s system, and with the tools that district might already have in place. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to examine one American version of an El Sistemainspired music education program and to try and discover a balance between providing a high quality, ensemble based, intensive after school music program with the music education structure already provided for in the district. 3

15 The study aimed to gain greater insight into four aspects of an American El Sistema-inspired program: 1. Infrastructure - How is YOSA MÁS organized and does it differ from other organizations of its kind? How is it the same? If there are differences, are these based on practices used by and begun in El Sistema? 2. Instruction and Curriculum What is being taught to students? Is there a specific curriculum that is being followed? What are other programs using and how can these ideas be worked into YOSA MÁS? 3. Funding - What are the funding sources of YOSA MÁS and how are they organized? 4. Outcomes What are the outcomes that YOSA MÁS wishes to achieve for students and the community it serves? How are these outcomes measured? In what ways will the results of those measurements be used? The questions that drove this study are: 1. To what extent were the values and practices of El Sistema being used? What are those ideals and practices and how are they identified? 2. What prevented the MLC from fully becoming an El Sistema-inspired program and why? 3. What changes needed to be made to the MLC for it to more fully embrace the fundamentals of El Sistema? 4. Why did the program end and what factors may have contributed to the decision to close the program? 4

16 Terms in the Study for Complete Clarity For the purpose of this study the following terms are defined below: 1. Society an ever-changing and complex network of patterns and relationships in which all the members participate in varying degrees (Vago, 1996, p.7) 2. Social Change [a] large number of people [who] are engaging in group activities and relationships that are different from those in which they or their parents engaged in some time before (Vago, p. 7) 3. The Arts - any one of the creative disciplines, including drama/theater, visual and performing arts, and the literary arts 4. Youth Orchestra - an orchestral ensemble made up of school age students of varied ages, which offers additional orchestral training for youth in music, both as a training ground for future players, and as component of community outreach (Lawson, 2003) 5. Latina/o or Hispanic - The terms "Hispanic" or "Latino" refer to persons who trace their origin or descent to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Spanish speaking Central and South American countries, and other Spanish cultures. Origin can be considered as the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of the person or the person's parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States. People who identify their origin as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race (U.S. Census, retrieved October 30, 2010) Frequently used acronyms: YOSA Youth Orchestras of San Antonio YOSA MÁS Youth Orchestras of San Antonio Music After School; then Youth Orchestras of San Antonio Music At School, after the program restructure 5

17 MLC Music Learning Center SAISD San Antonio Independent School District EISD Edgewood Independent School District GSCS Good Samaritan Community Services NAESIP National Alliance of El Sistema Inspired Programs ESUSA El Sistema USA ES-i El Sistema inspired Teaching Artist an artist who chooses to include artfully educating others, beyond teaching the technique of the art form, as an active part of a career (Booth, 2009, p. 9) El Sistema The National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela was conceived as a way for young musicians to develop the skills needed to perform in an orchestral setting (Borzacchini, 2005). In the mid-1970s Venezuela had only two major symphonies: The Venezuela Symphony Orchestra and The Zulia Symphony Orchestra (Borzacchini, 2005). Conservatories in Venezuela at this time did not focus on ensemble playing and students often practiced alone. In Tricia Tunstall s interview with Dr. José Abreu (2012), founder of El Sistema in Venezuela, she quotes his discussion of the conditions in which music students practiced while at conservatory: From my very first days at the conservatory, I felt as though I had come up against a big wall. It was completely different from the kind of musical learning I had experienced with my piano teacher. Students at the conservatory studied and practiced alone it was a very hard and arid way of studying One had to study alone for many years and even then, the possibility of playing in an orchestra it was like a myth (p. 57) 6

18 A place where young musicians could train and hone their ensemble skills was needed. This need created the path for a system of orchestras, programmed exclusively for youth in Venezuela, to develop. Beginnings Dr. José Abreu began his musical career at age nine in a music school, run by Franciscan nuns, in Barquisimeto. His piano teacher, a woman named Doralisa Jiménez de Medina, had been a student of one of the nuns who, herself, had studied piano in Paris. Abreu s formative first learning experiences with Doralisa were of a kind and nurturing educator with a flawless technique on the instrument she taught. Tunstall (2012) quotes Abreu s remembrances of his music lessons: My earliest musical memories are of my piano lessons. I have a very strong recollection of my teacher s beautiful technique. Her scales were exceptional, and her touch on the keys perfect. And she had the gift of adapting her teaching to each student. I loved Mozart particularly, so she started me on a Mozart sonata almost as soon as I could play a scale. (p. 53) Doralisa s students did not always learn in a private lesson situation. Often more than one student was taught at the same time, each student on their own instrument using one of Doralisa s seven pianos. She would arrange music according to the level of each student using larger works as source material for her arrangements (Tunstall, 2012). The students would perform often, for many different occasions. In this way, Doralisa helped her students overcome stage fright and learn how to work together in an ensemble. For a young Abreu, music making was always as part of a community, and a time for joyful expression. 7

19 It was these early musical experiences, working in a community of musicians that lead Abreu to seek out similar experiences when he entered the national conservatory to study piano, organ, and composition with Vicente Emilio Sojo (Tunstall, 2012). Concurrently, he entered the Andrés Bello Catholic University to study economics (Tunstall, 2012). He finished his schooling at the age of 25 with degrees from the conservatory in organ performance and composition, and a Ph.D. in petroleum economics from the university. During his studies at the conservatory, Abreu gathered other students and likeminded teachers together to play and learn as an ensemble. The group rehearsed wherever they could find space, and practiced whatever music they could find from Bach, to Handel and Corelli (Tunstall, 2012). Practicing and playing in ensembles was not discouraged at the conservatory, but it was not encouraged either, nor was there a tradition of students playing together. However, the music students wished to hone their ensemble skills. While not all of the faculty at the conservatory supported their efforts, Abreu was able to find 12 members who worked, without compensation, with the students. Tunstall (2012) quotes Abreu as saying about this time period, You understand, this is the prehistory of the Sistema. A group of music students learning to play parts of specific works, and a group of very good teachers willing to work with them, helping them read and learn the parts (p. 58). To expand their performance opportunities, the group put together a weekly series of concerts developed and organized by Abreu and other musicians in the group. This series entitled, Festival Bach allowed the musicians to perform as soloists, as well as an orchestra, and, more importantly, it showed off the talents of young Venezuelan musicians. 8

20 Expansion After a few years, Abreu decided to grow the group of musicians and attempt to form a youth orchestra. The initial group of students was small, only 11 musicians turned up to the first rehearsal, but in the subsequent days and weeks, more and more musicians came to rehearse and learn. After one month, the group had grown to 75 players. Many of the players came from state-run music schools, which often did not have their own orchestras (Tunstall, 2012). These schools required several years of theoretical training before any instrumental lessons would begin (Hollinger, 2006). As a result, the level of musicianship among new students was often rudimentary (Hollinger, 2006). In order to improve the musical skills of these students, Abreu and his colleagues coached and worked with the newcomers. Using orchestra scores, Abreu taught the less-skilled players their individual parts while they played with the entire ensemble (Tunstall, 2012). Rehearsals were long, sometimes taking up an entire day, but in four months the orchestra had enough repertory to schedule a public concert in Caracas. In April of 1975, the orchestra performed works by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Bach, and Vivaldi. The performance was attended by a large and supportive audience, including several government officials and ministers (Tunstall, 2012). Explosive growth across Venezuela meant that funding would be needed to help support each growing youth symphony. Abreu decided that the government should take over responsibility for the orchestras and subsequent groups (Tunstall, 2012). The country was experiencing economic and governmental growth due to the expansion of the country s oil industry (Tunstall, 2012). Abreu asked then president of Venezuela, Carlos Andrés Pérez, for state support of the orchestra, not as an artistic program, but as one 9

21 serving youth development. The overall youth orchestra program became housed under the Ministry of Youth at the request of Abreu. Tunstall (2012) quotes Abreu s thoughts as he discussed his thinking behind his decision: It was always clear to me. In the Ministry of Youth we were together with all the programs that were just for children and young people, especially those dedicated to the lower-and middle income families. It was a totally different priority for the one you find in the world of music. But it was my priority. (p. 69) In 1979, the government created the Foundation for the National Youth Symphony so that the group and its programs could continue to survive (Rodas, 2006, p. 21). Now an official government program, the orchestras and ensembles could enjoy funding from both private and public sources. This, for Venezuela, was a first (Urquiola, 2005). Today The program now referred to as El Sistema, Abreu and his colleagues expanded the ensemble to include greater numbers of musicians. The initial youth orchestra was considered the core of the organization, any youth orchestras formed after in Venezuela were based on the Simón Bolivar Youth Orchestra (Rodas, 2006). This youth orchestra model eventually was duplicated in other countries around the world. In 1975, the Simón Bolivar Conservatory was founded as a branch of the Youth Symphony and offered certified individual instruction (Rodas, 2006). In keeping with the ideal of the orchestra as a model for community, the Conservatory focuses not on creating solo performers, but rather on orchestral performance. A new concert hall, the José Félix Ribas Concert Hall at the Teresa Carreño Center, in Caracas was built as well. Shortly after, the name of the orchestra was changed to Sinfónica de la Juventud Venezolana Simón Bolivar (Simon Bolivar Symphony of the Venezuelan Youth) (Borzacchini, 2005). 10

22 Other institutions, such as the Instituto Universitario de Estudios Musicales or IUDEM (the University Institute of Music Studies), were created to provide students access to higher education in music (Rodas, 2006). Additional organizations that formed include: the Inocente Carreño Media Center to archive and record performances and master classes, the Metropolitan Center for the Children s Orchestras (Montalbán Center) to provide outreach and host large groups of children, and the Luthérie Academic Center with the purpose to train young professionals in the maintenance and building of instruments. All of these organizations work in concert with each other for the benefit of students and young musicians in Venezuela. In 1996, all of the organizations and núcleos in Venezuela became known under the umbrella of Fundación del Estado para el Sistema Nacional de Orquestas Juveniles e Infantiles de Venezuela (State Foundation for the National System of Youth and Children s Orchestras of Venezuela). The Foundation is devoted to educational, occupational and the ethical rescue of children and youth, through education and collective practice of music, dedicated to training, prevention and recovery of those most vulnerable in the country because of socioeconomic status. (Fundación Musical Simón Bolívar, 2015). According to Tunstall (2012) all human resources and salaries costs are covered by the Foundation along with some operational expenses. Each individual núcleo is responsible for finding funding to cover all other expenses which includes instruments, and rehearsal and performance space (Tunstall, 2012). Eventually, the expansion of El Sistema as a model for youth orchestras moved outside the borders of Venezuela. 11

23 El Sistema in the U.S. and Beyond Since the inception of Sistema in Venezuela, many more programs have opened in the U.S., Canada, Scotland, the U.K., Japan, and Australia just to name a few. The start of this proliferation was scattered but it can be argued that Dr. Abreu s TED Wish and the subsequent formation of the Sistema Fellows program were catalysts in jump starting the movement in the United States. As interest in the program grew, and as more fellows graduated, musicians and educators devoted to social change started programs for youth in their cities and countries. Dr. Abreu s TED Wish While there were a few programs with El Sistema qualities already in the U.S., such as Youth Orchestras of the Americas founded in 2001 with its mission to act as a catalyst for social change through building of youth orchestras and leadership training and partnerships, the most public start to the El Sistema movement was through the TED Wish made by Dr. Abreu. As a part of the overall goals of the TED community, the TED Wish is an annual award given to leaders with a vision towards social change. Each winner receives $1,000,000 as well as support and resources in the form of the TED community (Technology, Entertainment, and Design, n.d.). The funding provided helps support a project s core infrastructure and allows global access and collaboration (Technology, Entertainment, and Design, n.d.). In 2009, Dr. Abreu won the TED Wish award for his dream to bring together 50 gifted musicians, in a special training program, who would be dedicated to bringing El Sistema to the U.S. and beyond (Technology, Entertainment, and Design, n.d.). His wish came to completion in 2014 with the final graduating class of the Sistema Fellows. 12

24 Funding provided through the TED Wish stimulated the beginning of the Sistema Fellows program. The Wish established a cohort of 50 musicians who began the journey and process of becoming change agents in the world of music education. The intensive curriculum covered topics such as leadership training, some non-profit and business strategy, as well as first-hand experience working and teaching in nucléos in Venezuela (Marlow & Sandoval, 2014). Over the span of five years these 50 individuals took part in a rare and limited opportunity to begin making social change a reality for young people across the United States. El Sistema Fellows Once Dr. Abreu s TED Wish had been awarded, actions were taken to bring it to fruition. In 2009, the Sistema Fellowship program was established at the New England Conservatory (NEC) of Music in Boston. Being housed in the conservatory allowed for one meeting place for all fellows to work together while in the program. Mark Churchill served as program director of the fellows program, as well as the founder of El Sistema USA. He had been involved with music education and El Sistema for many years prior to this appointment. Longtime friend of Dr. Abreu, Churchill co-founded the Youth Orchestras of the Americas in 2001, with Abreu and Hilda Ochoa Brillenbourg (El Sistema USA, 2009). In 2005 he [Churchill] led the signing of a Friendship Agreement between New England Conservatory and Venezuela s massive youth orchestral training program, El Sistema (El Sistema USA, 2009). Churchill now serves as Dean Emeritus of the NEC Department of Preparatory and Continuing Education. Currently, Heath Marlow serves as the Program Director for the Sistema Fellows. Additional staff for the present configuration of the fellows program includes Communication and Operations Director, 13

25 Virginia Hecker. With the goal, to prepare the Fellows to launch, manage, lead and teach in El Sistema-inspired programs in the United States (Marlow & Sandoval, 2014, p. 9), the program was developed to create a cohort of musicians who would have the skills and entrepreneurial spirit to go out, develop programs and to put their learning into practice supporting the emerging field of El Sistema-inspired initiatives (Marlow & Sandoval, 2014, p. 9). The overall curriculum for the fellows program was rigorous and concluded with a month-long residency in Venezuela where fellows observed, lived, and worked alongside teaching artists in local nucléos. Instructors for the program included faculty from NEC, and leaders of arts advocacy organizations such as Greg Kandel, founder of the Management Consultants for the Arts. The curriculum consisted of six phases, broken up by months (Marlow & Sandoval, 2014). The entire duration of the program was nine months beginning in September. At the end of the program fellows were charged with going out and putting what they had learned into practice for at least one year following their graduation. The information, freely shared by the fellows, helped to disseminate the principles of El Sistema throughout the music education landscape. Learning in the program was accomplished through both lecture and experiential means. The curriculum for the El Sistema Fellows can be found in the Appendices. Sistema Fellows now number 50 and this number signals the completion of Dr. Abreu s TED Wish. Currently the fellows occupy a number of countries outside of the U.S. and have started programs, as well as contributed thoughts, research, program models, and general support to the field. 14

26 Legacy of the Sistema Fellows The fellows made several contributions as part of their legacy, including a resource center to continue the work of the fellows as well as to provide resources to all in the field of music education and arts education advocacy. As described by Eric Booth, the Fellows are uniquely positioned to respond and to provide for some of the major needs and interests arising in the El Sistema-inspired field in the U.S. (Marlow & Sandoval, 2014, p. 20). The contributions made by each cohort of fellows began with a nation needs assessment developed in 2012 to provide a picture of the state of the national field of El Sistema-inspired programs (Marlow & Sandoval, 2014, p. 20). Next, the fellows created and researched a strategic plan for implementing an El Sistema-inspired program in the Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana (Marlow & Sandoval, 2014). In 2013, the fellows organized and convened a Seminario and Symposium in the greater Boston Area which brought together local teaching artists, students, and thought leaders. Also in 2013, the fellows put together a document that attempted to meet one of the needs identified by the national needs assessment. Many of the organizations desired to know best practices and ways to assess and evaluate program outcomes. Several outcomes discussed, musical literacy, sense of community, and personal agency are considered to be especially useful for the field (Marlow & Sandoval, 2014, p. 23). The final class of 2014 spent a year in inquiry and reflection, using observations and a collection of mission statements from programs visited throughout the year. The outcome of this year in reflection was not to present qualitative data, but to encourage new perspectives and reflection and raise new questions about the field (Marlow & Sandoval, 2014). The Sistema Fellows during all of 15

27 the years of the fellowship have established over 20 programs across the United States. The fellows still meet periodically to reconnect, share current activities, and help one another out. History and Establishment of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio The history of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio begins in 1949 with the San Antonio Independent School District s (SAISD) first program for string instruction. The growth and success of the San Antonio Symphony, beginning with the arrival of Max Reiter, encouraged an interest in orchestral music and string instruction (Dowdy E. B., 1995). Reiter had taken over the San Antonio Symphony in 1939, and over time, interest and ticket sales for the symphony had grown (Oppenheimer, 2011). According to Dowdy (1995), prior to the start of the program no other string programs were in place in any of the San Antonio school districts (p. 12). This created a gap in music education that was filled by the establishment of the strings instruction program in the SAISD by G. Lewis Doll. The availability of string classes in this district and growing interest in orchestral music eventually led to the founding of the youth orchestras. Growth The growth of the SAISD string program prompted Doll to establish a district youth ensemble, the San Antonio Youth Symphony (Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, 2016). The youth symphony was created in part to supplement the string program started by Doll. Over time, students from other districts joined the youth orchestra. A second ensemble, the Junior Youth Symphony, was added for younger players in the early 1960s (Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, 2016). This expansion provided a reason to move from a district-only group to a more inclusive city-wide organization. A grant funded by 16

28 the Federal Reserve Sharing Contract through the city of San Antonio in 1974 allowed the program to become an independent organization (Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, 2008). The transition created a need for the founding of a governing board and the necessity for funding from sources outside of the school district. The name of youth orchestra also was changed to the Greater San Antonio Youth Symphony Orchestra or GSAYSO. Turmoil and Expansion During the third season of GSAYSO, the board hired Thomas Jensen as administrative music director and conductor. Jensen helped to expand the youth orchestra by recruiting more students. However, reduction of his contract caused Jensen to leave and the board hired Terence Frazor as the new music director. The turmoil, created by Jensen s leaving and the hiring of Frazor, led to the formulation of another youth ensemble in 1977, the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra of San Antonio (Dowdy E. B., 1995). Mr. Jensen was hired as its music director and conductor. Efforts to unify the two groups continually failed due to disagreements over Jensen's role and position in the program, the governing bylaws, and the structure of the organization. Finally, in 1979, the two groups merged (Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, 2016). The merger prompted a name change for the organization to the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA). Currently, YOSA houses seven youth orchestras: a flute choir, Prelude Strings, Capriccio Strings, Sinfonietta Strings, Concertino Strings, Symphony, and the top group, the Philharmonic. The Philharmonic performs the same repertory as many professional symphony orchestras, and all groups perform in concerts throughout San Antonio. 17

29 Music Learning Center Development History The Music Learning Center began in 1998 with a series of Saturday morning strings classes offered in underserved areas of San Antonio (Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, 2016). This free Neighborhood Strings Program provided instruments and beginning strings instruction to interested students in a variety, but limited, number of schools without orchestra programs throughout San Antonio (Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, 2016). In 2002, the program consolidated locations and moved to San Antonio s west side to Good Samaritan Community Services (GSCS), additional students were bused in from the Ella Austin Community Center located on San Antonio s east side (Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, 2016). Good Samaritan Community Services strives to provide comprehensive community services to more than 5,000 individuals, and 1,800 families in 14 counties in South Texas (Good Samaritan Community Services, 2012). In San Antonio, GSCS serves schools in the area surrounding the community center, which includes Sarah King, Brewer, and Rodriguez Elementary, all of which are part of the San Independent School District, and were three of the elementary schools which pulled students for the MLC. Ninety-seven percent of the population immediately around GSCS is Latina/o, (United States Census Bureau, n.d.). High levels of poverty create an at-risk environment for the students in this neighborhood. The per capita income level in the area served by GSCS is less than $22,000 annually, and 58% of families live at or below the national poverty line (United States Census Bureau, n.d.). The overall educational level is low, consisting primarily of those who have achieved only an eighth grade or lower level of education, 18

30 only 10% percent of individuals over 25 have completed high school or passed the GED (United States Census Bureau, n.d.). Good Samaritan Community Services felt that the inclusion of a music program would be beneficial as part of the overall programming at GSCS. In 2008, the YOSA board wanted to expand the reach of the Youth Orchestras to include more underserved students in music education programming, providing the impetus to develop the Music Learning Center from the Neighborhood String Program. In a white paper (2008) written as part of the expansion process of YOSA, the organization believed that: these values [the life-changing rewards of music education] have the potential to make a larger impact on the San Antonio community. By engaging many more children from all parts of the city, we believe this has the ability to impact the lives of their parents and extended relatives by bringing the community together through a shared sense of achievement and pride in the success of their children. (p. 2) GSCS, in collaboration with YOSA, added the MLC to its daily curriculum of after school programing in 2009 (Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, 2016). YOSA provided teaching staff and leadership for beginning musicians on violin and cello. All strings instruction was provided free of charge, and classes at GSCS took place during the school week after regular school hours. YOSA absorbed all the costs for the Neighborhood String Program (Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, 2008). In order to expand, YOSA needed more funding for personnel and instruments. A $100,000 grant from Impact San Antonio, a philanthropic organization dedicated to improving the community in San Antonio through effective philanthropy (Impact San Antonio, 2014), provided initial funding for the MLC (Impact San Antonio, 2014). This grant gave YOSA enough capital to purchase instruments, 19

31 equipment, and to put together a dedicated teaching staff. These items plus in-kind contributions from Good Samaritan Community Services, such as classroom and storage space, helped with the start of the MLC. Public and private donors in San Antonio including the Texas Women for the Arts, City of San Antonio Office of Cultural Affairs, and the HEB Tournament of Champions provided additional funding. With this startup capital and a teaching staff, the MLC began at the GSCS in a set of rooms on the center s campus. Through personal communication with YOSA staff and teaching artists, I learned, over time, the history of the Music Learning Center. According to B. Cadwallader the rooms used by the MLC at Good Samaritan Community Services served as instrument storage, rehearsal space, private lesson space, and a meeting place where parents could pick up their children after classes (Cadwallader, B., personal communication, November 14, 2011). Originally, students selected the MLC as a part of the electives offered at GSCS (Cadwallader, B., personal communication, November 14, 2011). At the start classes were large but attendance quickly dwindled as the school year moved forward. Attendance problems arose because parents would pick up their child early or because students simply would not arrive at GSCS at all. The second year that the MLC was in operation, students were required to be a part of the music classes (Cadwallader, B., personal communication, November 14, 2011). While this did improve attendance somewhat, other problems came up such as discipline issues with those students uninterested in being in a music class. In 2011, the MLC closed its classes in order to reassess the nature of the program. Despite the best efforts of teachers and administrators, the program was unable to succeed in providing consistent music instruction. Even though the MLC was included in 20

32 the overall curriculum of the GSCS, the program suffered due to lack of consistent student attendance and, as a consequence, inconsistent instruction. 21

33 Chapter 2 Method of Research Methodology and Conceptual Framework of the Study: Why Qualitative Research? A flexible and adaptable method of research, that still allows for validity and rigor, is best for inquiry that requires the researcher to work from within their study. Qualitative research methods have the flexibility that allows for the investigation and discovery of phenomena that may be new or in need of a fresh perspective (Stern, 1994, p. 116). Without adaptability, new ideas, fresh questions, and emerging themes might be missed. Ritchie, et al (2014) state: There is no single accepted way of carrying out qualitative research how researchers proceed depends upon a range of factors, including their beliefs about the nature of the social world (ontology), the nature of knowledge and how it can be acquired (epistemology), the purpose(s) and goals of the research, the characteristics of research participants, the audience for the research, the funders, and the positions and environments of the researchers themselves. (p. 2) However, there are characteristics that can help to define qualitative inquiry and offer some insight on the methods used to carry out this type of research. According to Ritchie, et al (2014) these characteristics include: Aims and objectives that are directed at providing an in-depth and interpreted understanding of the social world of research participants by learning about the sense they make of their social and material circumstances, their experiences, perspectives and histories. The use of non-standard, adaptable methods of data generation that are sensitive to the social context of the study and can be adapted for each participant or case to allow the exploration of emergent issues. 22

34 Data that are detailed, rich and complex (again, the precise depth and complexity of data may vary between studies). Analysis that retains complexity and nuance and respects the uniqueness of each participant or case as well as recurrent, cross-cutting themes. Openness to emergent categories and theories at the analysis and interpretation stage. Outputs that include detailed descriptions of the phenomena being researched, grounded in the perspectives and account of participants. A reflexive approach, where the role and perspective of the researcher in the research process is acknowledged. For some researchers, reflexity also means reporting their personal experiences of 'the field'. (p. 4) Additionally, other characteristics of qualitative research, according to Creswell (2014) include: Natural setting--where data are collected in the field rather than bringing participants to a laboratory or other staged situation. Researcher as key instrument where the researcher herself is the main collector of data. Multiple sources of data, such as interviews, documents, and audiovisual information, are gathered rather than relying on a single data source. Inductive and deductive data analysis methods. Participants meanings the research focuses on learning the meaning for the participants rather than the meaning that the researcher brings to their work Emergent design the design of the research is not tightly prescribed and that phases of the research might change or shift. Holistic account where the researcher attempts to create a complex picture of the problem or issue under study. (p. 185) Qualitative research designs and methods are best suited for an in-depth look at the outreach program YOSA MÁS in San Antonio, Texas. This method allows the creation of a narrative of the events that took place before, during and, for a brief time, after my work with the program. Additionally, this method might provide insights into how and why the program eventually failed and was restructured. Grounding my research 23

35 process will be the philosophies and notions behind practitioner action research and qualitative case study. Case Study For this dissertation, case study is the basic design followed to create the overall structure of the research and the delivery method of the research findings. Case study is the collection and presentation of rich, descriptive, and detailed information about a particular participant or small group of participants (The Writing Studio Project, n.d.). Often the group being researched will provide accounts of their experiences as part of the research. These accounts can be from the whole group or from individuals within the group. Conclusions are drawn only from that group and only in the specific context of the group. Emphasis in case study research is placed on exploration and rich description of the case being studied rather than finding generalizable truths. (The Writing Studio Project, n.d.) Case studies come in several types: illustrative, exploratory, cumulative, and critical instance (The Writing Studio Project, n.d.). These types are dependent on the goals and objectives of the researcher and no research project is purely one type, but pulls from all types. Descriptions of the MLC and later of YOSA MÁS make up the bulk of this study. Illustrative case study is the primary design method for this project. One reason driving this choice is my desire to describe the events that lead to change at the MLC and how these events affected the program. I feel that bringing to light the situations and events that drove decision making will show the path of the program and how that path lead to the eventual failure of YOSA MÁS as an El Sistema Inspired 24

36 program. By choosing illustrative case study as the primary design for this work, I will be able to provide an example of the setbacks of one program. My initial objective was simply to learn more about how the Music Learning Center was run and operated. I wanted to learn more about the program and its involvement with El Sistema. As I became more involved in learning about the program, and once I became the director, I wanted to know why certain decisions were made and how those decisions affected the way the program worked. Ultimately, my objectives for researching the program focused on discovering how others have solved the problem of creating an El Sistema-inspired program in the U.S. and how closely those programs adhere to the ideals set up by leaders in the movement in comparison to the Music Learning Center. Role of the Researcher from Outsider to Insider back to Outsider The role of outsider is often the traditional role of the researcher in qualitative studies. The researcher attempts to study the situation or case without becoming a part of it. According to Anderson, Herr, & Nihlen (2007), Most researchers attempt to study social reality either by decontextualizing variables or by being a fly-on-the-wall observer of a natural setting (p. 1). Remaining outside the setting means that all data collected is recorded, described, and finally interpreted by the researcher. My first role in researching the MLC was as an outsider looking into a program about which I was learning. Over time, my role at the MLC changed, and the program transitioned to YOSA MÁS. When I was hired as the YOSA MÁS Director in 2012, I became a full participant in the program I had previously studied. What began as an outsider s case study became a project in which I was directly involved. Practitioner research occurs when data is 25

37 collected and analyzed by someone who is also a full participant in the case or situation under study. While this might appear to be an ideal way to study a program in depth, critics of this practice may claim that insider roles, such as participant observer, are vulnerable to subjectivity and the unreliability of human nature (Merriam, 1998). Research from Within the Study As my involvement with the program grew, so did my understanding of what and why certain choices were made, and I gained additional insights. The work I did was as a single researcher working within the context of my research site. While not strictly action research or practioner research, the case study method I used borrowed from both traditions. The reflective process with which I examined the process I used can be described as a type of action research. Anderson, Herr, & Nihlen (2007) explain action research further, It is a reflective process but is different from isolated, spontaneous reflection in that it is deliberately and systematically undertaken and generally requires that some form of evidence be presented to support assertions (p. 2). Ideas about what action research consists of are still debated. The types and forms of evidence and data are questioned because this type of research relies heavily on experience and narrative (Anderson, Herr, & Nihlen, 2007). However, there are several working assumptions that can be made about action research which are generally agreed upon: Action research differs from traditional research without necessarily being less rigorous Action research is political There are many valid ways to do action research Action research can empower and include a greater number of voices [than other forms of research] Action research is best done collaboratively (Anderson, Herr, & Nihlen, 2007, p. 4) 26

38 27

39 Furthermore, action research is research that is undertaken with an eye towards results. Tesch (1990/2002) explains: Action research is also oriented toward outcomes, but much less passive. While evaluation research at best is formative, i.e., suggestive of ways and means that would help to achieve the intended results of a program where they had been found to fall short, action research is explicitly geared toward improvement of unsatisfactory situations. Its main characteristic, however, is the involvement of practitioners in research processes that concern their own affairs. Action research is meant to overcome the passiveness of the research process by turning research itself into a transformative activity. (p. 66) As the role of the researcher changes over time, so can the nature of the research. This study, which began as a case study of a music learning program in San Antonio, became an investigation of what makes a program embody the qualities of El Sistema and how those qualities may or may not affect the practices, successes, or failures, of that program. Several techniques have been used in order to understand my experiences in the study: Observations Interviews Document based data collection Data Collection One of the most important differences between qualitative and quantitative research is how the data are collected. The data collected for quantitative analysis usually consists of answers to questionnaires, while data collected for qualitative analysis might consist of interview transcripts, or researcher notes and observations. According to Smith et al. (2015) qualitative and quantitative research approaches also differ in the way the two methods analyze data collected (p. 1). Both methods collect verbal data, and while quantitative research requires that all information collected is "transformed into numbers" 28

40 for analysis, qualitative analysis is more concerned with understanding what that verbal data means rather than "finding the numerical properties of it" (Smith, et al., 2015, p. 1). Observations Observations add to the validity of the interviews and text-based research. My firsthand experiences, combined with my observations at the beginning of my research with YOSA and the MLC, allowed me to understand what occurred over time. Interviews and Questionnaires I utilized interviews throughout the course of this study. The interviews were open-ended in order to allow themes to emerge throughout the investigation. Open-ended interviews consist of loosely structured and flexibly worded questions (Merriam, 1998). Using an interview format of this type allows the researcher to be more responsive to those interviewed or observed. Questionnaires were developed in order to get feedback from students participating in YOSA MÁS. The questionnaire was used both to gather information for this study, as well as a request from YOSA to gather quotes and information from students about their thoughts as music students. YOSA used the quotes and other information as part of their newsletter sent to stakeholders and donors to YOSA and in specific YOSA MÁS as part of their annual funding drive. Sample questions for the interviews and questionnaires are: For student questionnaires: What do you like about music? Do you think you will learn to play your instruments well? What three things can your music teacher to help you learn music? 29

41 For interviews with leaders in the field of El Sistema in the United States: Arts/music as a vehicle for social change how Sistema do we need to be? Were there differences in the ideals of how you wanted to start your program to what the program is now? What changed and why? Flexibility of programs to meet needs of students, teachers, funders, and everyone Going forward as a leader what direction(s) do you think Sistema or your program needs to take in order to continue to success? How should/will programs develop? Program failure to thrive? Programs change, what moves, what stays the same? These formats allowed me greater freedom to discover emergent themes and topics that may be of importance to all those involved in YOSA MÁS. Document-based data collection Documents can provide information about the history and progress of an organization. Publically available records will provide a part of the data collected this case study. Documents used comprise official memos, minutes from board or other meetings, records, and other documents (Creswell, 1998). Some of the materials gathered and analyzed for this study are included in the appendices of this document. Validity and Reliability Validity and reliability in qualitative research is achieved through the process that occurs both during and after the study is completed to determine and maintain the standards of quality in the collection of data and how that data is analyzed (Creswell, 1998). In 2014 Creswell expands his ideas behind validity in qualitative research to include, Validity does not carry the same connotations in qualitative research as it does in quantitative research; nor is it a companion of reliability (examining stability) or generalizability (the external validity of applying results to new settings, people, or 30

42 samples (p. 200). In order to achieve validity in qualitative research, the researcher must use a set of procedures to check for accuracy of the findings (Creswell J. W., 2014, p. 200). In order to determine the reliability and validity of my study, I employed the methods outlined by Merriam in Qualitative Research and Case Study Applications in Education (1998) and enhanced by Creswell (2014) in his discussion of validity strategies: Triangulation Peer examination/member checks Collaborative modes of research Rich thick description to convey the findings Bias clarification, and self-reflection to create an open and honest narrative that resonates with the reader Presentation of discrepant or negative information that runs counter to themes Prolonged time in the field Peer debriefing to enhance the accuracy of the account; and An external auditor to review the entire project (p. 201) Triangulation is the use of many data sources to increase the validity of the data collected. Through interviews, observations, and the collection of document data, I was automatically involved in triangulation throughout my study. Peer examination and member checks are the use of others expertise to confirm the findings and analysis of the collected information 1. Over the course of my study, I utilized the experience and knowledge of my peers and mentors in order to determine the validity and reliability of the study. Finally, by using collaborative modes of research, I involved those being 1 Aubrey Marker, Teaching Artist with YOSA MÁS is included in peer triangulation. 31

43 researched (the teachers, students, parents, and administrators) in determining the accuracy of my findings. 32

44 Chapter 3 Theories of Social Change in Arts and Education Literature Review Programs like YOSA MÁS, which are inspired by Venezuela s El Sistema, are built on the idea that social change can be realized through intensive ensemble work, engaged participation from the earliest stages of learning, group learning, peer teaching, and a commitment to keeping the joy and fun of music making ever-present (El Sistema USA, 2009). The following literature review will discuss how arts can be utilized to enable social change. Social Change Because of the enormity of the subject of social change, even when pared to a discussion of social change in the arts, this study employs a brief and general definition for the sake of simplicity, and to keep the scope from expanding beyond the thesis. Social change is a constantly occurring process, which leads to difficulty in describing it. How social change is defined depends upon the group who defines it. For this study, I use the definition provided by sociologist Steven Vago (1996) as, large numbers of people [who] are engaging in group activities and relationships that are different from those in which they or their parents engaged in some time before (p. 7). In Vago s (1996) description of social change he includes several factors as part of what defines this type of change. These factors include: Identity of the social phenomenon which is transforming Level of the social system where the change takes place 33

45 Duration of or how long change continues after it has been accepted by the group in which it is introduced Magnitude of the change, whether incremental, comprehensive, and/or revolutionary Rate of transformation: if it is fast or slow, continuous or spasmodic, orderly or erratic While each of these factors is arbitrarily chosen, meaning that different associations can be assigned by different people, attaching specific ideas to each allows for the creation of a departure point from which theories and notions can be formed about social change. Social change in the arts is directed towards specific actions that are seen to improve the conditions in which any group of people might be living (Americans for the Arts, 2015). According to the Americans for the Arts website (2015) social change is, both the process and effect of efforts to positively alter societal conditions. Outcomes for this type of social change include: healing, greater awareness, changes in attitude, increased civic participation, movement building, and policy change (Americans for the Arts, 2015). These outcomes are echoed in many organizations status reports, especially those who work with youth and arts. For example, Austin Soundwaves, an El Sistemainspired program in Austin, Texas, emphasizes the change in attitude of students towards school as one of the positive influences it has on students attending Soundwaves music classes. The organization points to an 8.8% increase in student school enjoyment in academic year as one indicator that change is taking place (The Hispanic Alliance, n.d.). This one specific outcome is the result of actions taking place to enact social change through music education. 34

46 Arts Influence in Society The Ancient Greeks believed that the arts (drama, poetry, and dance combined with music) affected the ethos or the ethical character of each individual (Burkholder, Grout, & Palisca, 2014). If the arts can affect how individuals behave, then the arts can affect the way that society behaves and thus how it should be governed. What society perceives through the arts can be helpful or harmful depending on the experience. Greek philosopher Plato felt that the government should be discerning about what it allowed its citizens to see and hear due to the possible deleterious effects art could have on the human mind (Beardsley, 1966, p. 49). He felt that the wrong type of art could inspire laziness or violent behavior. Burkholder et. al. (2010) state, In both his Republic and Laws, Plato asserted that musical conventions must not be changed, since lawlessness in art and education led to license in manners and anarchy in society (p. 15). Because society can be adversely affected by the art it encounters, Plato discouraged government officials to allow citizens to view works that might promote harmful behavior. Aristotle had a different idea about how the arts affect the human soul. He stated that while the arts do arouse passions in the mind, this arousal has a cathartic affect and allows the citizen to have peace from the restless emotions that might otherwise cause them disharmony. Beardsley in his discussion of Aristotle (1966) states:...if we look only at the immediate frenzy, the audience s terror and weeping, it may seem that way, but if we look at the later and deeper psychological effects of going through the experience, the playgoer is like the religious enthusiast who feels cleansed and lightened and brightened by his emotional release. The playgoing citizen, in the long run, is probably the calmest and the wisest, for he gets rid from time to time of those festering emotional irritations that poison the temperament and the mind. (p. 67) 35

47 Both philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, shared the idea that the arts could affect the individual and influence society. Maxine Greene emphasized the importance of using the arts as a way for young people to become more self-reflective. Engaging in a self-reflective practice allows individuals to become more attuned to what is going on around them, and how their wider environment affects their everyday lives. Greene (1978) begins with a discussion of "wide-awakeness" through two philosophers: Kierkegaard and Thoreau (p. 161). Both men discussed apathy, or "civilizational malaise" which is indicative of people who are living with an aim towards material accumulation rather than working towards satisfying "the human spirit." Kierkegaard spoke of making people aware of what it means to exist in a "lived reality" to have an understanding of their "dreadful freedom." Thoreau wrote with the intension of moving "others to elevate their lives by 'conscious endeavor', to arouse others to discover--each in his or her own terms--what it would mean to 'live deliberately'" (p. 162). In addition to an awareness of what is going on outside the self, a practice of selfreflection is needed for complete wide-awakeness. A study of the arts can help to create a self-reflective practice by providing a way for students to explore their understanding of differing works and by learning how to explain their viewpoints and understanding. According to Greene (1978): involvement with the arts and humanities has the potential for provoking precisely this sort of reflectiveness we need to devise ways of integrating them into what we teach at all levels of the educational enterprise; we need to do so consciously, with a clear perception of what it means to enable people to pay, from their own distinctive vantage points, 'full attention to life'" (p. 163) 36

48 To be wide-awake is to be completely aware of, and interested in, what is going on around you; to ask questions and to seek out answers instead of accepting what is given or "living a mechanical life" of routine and habits (Greene, 1978). Greene (1978) further explains the idea of being "wide-awake" as the concept of, attentiveness, this interest in things, is the direct opposite of the attitude of bland conventionality and indifference so characteristic of our time" (p. 42). Greene (1978) goes on to discuss how being fully aware and "awake" allows for a more moral life. Because being "wide-awake" creates greater awareness in the individual, that person is now aware of inconsistencies and injustices around them. They might then desire to act on those injustices, to either rectify, or to bring awareness of injustice, to greater numbers of people. She states that the reverse is apathy. Greene (1978) explains: The opposite of morality, it has often been said, is indifference--a lack of care, an absence of concern. Lacking wide-awakeness, I want to argue, individuals are likely to drift, to act on impulses of expediency. They are unlikely to identify situations as moral ones or to set themselves to assessing their demands" (p. 43) While everyday life becomes more disjointed for the average person, and feelings of not being in control expand, Greene (1978) explains that, art and the work of artists becomes more important as a way to help people awaken to a "critical awareness, to a sense of moral agency, and to a conscious engagement with the world" (p.162). To be "wide-awake" for Greene, is to be concretely aware of one's situational surroundings and how that reality of situation is acted upon by external forces. In order to be "wideawake," individuals must be interested and attentive to their reality, rather than passively living in it. 37

49 Social Change and Educators While this study focuses on arts, specifically music, as a means to enact social change in the lives of at-risk students, a brief discussion on the role of educators who work with these students is needed to add depth to the conversation. Working with young people to enable them to access to the self-reflective wide-awakeness of Green, the catharsis of Aristotle, and the strength of character that Plato describes, means that the educators and teaching artists guiding them must also have a sense of being wideawake. Greene (1978) writes: I am convinced that, if teachers today are to initiate young people into an ethical existence, they themselves must attend more fully than they normally have to their own lives and its requirements; they have to break with the mechanical life, to overcome their own submergence in the habitual, even in what they conceive to be virtuous, and ask the 'why' with which learning and moral reasoning begin" (p. 46) Teachers should have an understanding of why and where they find their own sense of being wide awake and engaged with their students and their community. bell hooks discusses emancipatory educational practices in her work, Teaching to Transgress, she uses engaged pedagogical practices as additional means for educators to create the space needed for students to become more fully aware. She cautions that educators must also be working towards their own self-awareness and well-being in order to be successful with students in this type of educational practice. hooks (1994) writes: Progressive, holistic education, "engaged pedagogy" is more demanding than conventional critical or feminist pedagogy. For, unlike these two teaching practices, it emphasizes well-being. That means that teachers must be actively committed to a process of self-actualization that promotes their own well-being if they are to teach in a manner that empowers students. (p. 15) 38

50 In addition, teachers should be critical thinkers, and able to understand their multiple roles within the community as individuals and teachers. According to Green (1978) educators should know how they are seen and viewed, not only by their students, but also by the community in which they reside. For Greene being a teacher means standing as an example of what it is to be wide-awake and aware. For her an education that includes moral behavior is one that helps individuals achieve greater understanding of the world in which they live. "Moral education, it would seem, must be as specifically concerned with self-identification in a community as it is with the judgements persons are equipped to make at different ages" (Greene, 1978, p. 47). Concepts of how educators should conduct themselves outside of, and inside of, the classroom are also seen in the ideals held for Teaching Artists in American El Sistema-inspired programs. Mark Churchill and Eric Booth (2009) outline their Citizen Artist Teacher Scholar model for educators to follow in order to be effective in El Sistema-inspired programs. Referred to simply as, CATS, the paradigm asks teachers to, model a whole, positive, well-balanced example for young people to emulate as they develop. Both the influence of hooks and Greene can be understood as teachers are made aware that their example should be one that young people can follow as they learn how to be adults. To be able to think critically and to understand the role they serve in their community allows teachers to handle the various responsibilities given to them in the service of their work as educators. Arts Organizations and Arts Education in Texas Public Schools Organizations have harnessed the power of the arts to provide avenues for at-risk youth to develop the skills needed for success in life. For many organizations who work 39

51 with at-risk youth, the arts are considered an excellent vehicle for social change. Working in the arts can provide templates and models for living and thriving in the world, and potentially can provide a place to practice the skills needed for adulthood. For example, the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles states that an orchestra can serve as the true model of a collaborative, compassionate society (What is YOLA? Retrieved January 3, 2011 from The visual and media arts organization, Say Sí, in San Antonio, Texas states in their Core Values that they will, develop each individual student artist by enhancing their social, academic, cognitive and vocational competencies; improving their self-esteem and self-identity; and enhancing their character so that they will possess all the tools and motivation necessary to become productive, thoughtful citizens of our community (Say Sí, 2015). The National Association for Music Education (n.d.) recognizes the importance of arts, and music in particular, in society in this statement: Perhaps the basic reason every child must have an education in music is that music is a part of the fabric of our society. The intrinsic value of music for each individual is widely recognized in the many cultures that make up American life indeed, every human culture uses music to carry forward its ideas and ideals. (The Benefits of the Study of Music, p. 2) At-risk students gain multiple benefits from working in arts-based programs, whether as part of the overall school day or as part of out-of-school time programing. According to Catterall et al (2012): Socially and economically disadvantaged children and teenagers who have high levels of arts engagement or arts learning show more positive outcomes in a variety of areas than their low-arts-engaged peers. In middle school, high school, and beyond, they tend to do better on a host of academic and civic behavioral measures than do at-risk youth who lack deep arts backgrounds. To varying degrees, those outcomes extend to school grades, test scores, honors society 40

52 membership, high school graduation, college enrollment and achievement, volunteering, and engagement in school or local politics. (p. 24) Other outcomes for students engaged in arts programs include increased drive to learn and better testing scores. For example at Play on Philly, an El Sistema-inspired program in Philadelphia, PA, a outcomes study revealed that their young musicians scored an average of ten points higher on standardized testing, and had 30% fewer absences than a control group of non-participating students (Play on Philly, n.d.). Austin Soundwaves showed that their student musicians had an 18.5% increase in their motivation to achieve, learn, and create (The Hispanic Alliance, n.d.). For social change through the arts to occur, arts-based programs and education must be available and accessible. A-risk youth may not have access to places where they can gain the benefits of working in the arts. Using arts in day-to-day learning is one way to increase access. In Texas all public school districts that provide Kindergarten through grade 12 education must offer arts enrichment as part of the curriculum (Texas Education Agency, 2016). Furthermore, all high school students are obligated to have arts instruction as part of the requirements for high school graduation (Texas Education Agency, 2016). Before entering high school, all fine arts (music, theater, dance, and visual arts) classes offered at the elementary and middle school levels must adhere to the Texas Essential Skills and Knowledge guidelines adopted in April 2013 for implementation in 2014 (Texas Education Agency, 2015, p. 1). According to the Texas Music Educator s website, Teachers of grades K 12 in Texas public schools are required by law to provide instruction that covers 100% of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) applicable to each grade/level (Texas Music Educator's 41

53 Association, n.d.). Even before children reach grade school age, measures are being taken in San Antonio to increase the amount of arts use in pre-kindergarten classes. The Arts Fund, an organization dedicated to supporting arts in education by bringing innovative and inspiring arts programs to classrooms that help teachers to bridge achievement gaps in learning and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, or STEM (The Arts Fund, n.d.) in partnership with Wolf Trap, an organization whose mission is to to present and create excellent and innovative performing arts programs for the enrichment, education, and enjoyment of diverse audiences and participants (Wolf Trap Foundation, n.d.), are working to provide additional tools for teachers to use when teaching very young children. Residencies have been established for area teaching artists to build arts integrated curriculum in collaboration with pre-k educators. With a broad spectrum of arts organizations and in-school arts learning, more students will have a chance to receive the benefits that can occur through studies in the arts. 42

54 Chapter 4 The Music Learning Center Becomes YOSA MÁS Concerns About the Music Learning Center How Sistema Do We Need to Be? Looking into the world of El Sistema in the United States pulls up a multitiude of ideas about how programs should be run. Program leaders attempt to stay as close as possible to what was created in Venezuela. However, there are differences that require programs in the U.S. to evaluate how much they adhere to the guidelines and models set up by Venezuelan programs. One main question in creating a Sistema model in the U.S. is: how Sistema should we be, or do we need to be? What can U.S. programs take from Sistema in Venezuela and use, and what needs to be adjusted? Jonathan Govias (2011) suggests that an El Sistema inspired program possess five philosophical and foundational principles that are also present in the programs in Venezuela. According to Govias these principles exist as the main difference between general music programs and programs that identify as El Sistema inspired. The principles are: 1. Social Change: The primary objective is social transformation through the pursuit of musical excellence. One happens through the other, and neither is prioritized at the expense of the other. 2. Ensembles: the focus of el Sistema is the orchestra or choral experience 3. Frequency: el Sistema ensembles meet multiple times every week over extended periods. 4. Accessibility: el Sistema programs are free, and are not selective in admission 5. Connectivity: Every núcleo is linked at the urban, regional and national levels, forming a cohesive network of services and opportunities for students across the county. (Govias, 2011, p. 1) 43

55 Mark Churchill and Eric Booth (2009) provided a detailed set of Guiding Principles behind the El Sistema movement which are listed on the website El Sistema USA (El Sistema USA). These principles were developed so that programs in planning stages would have an understanding of the philosophy behind what had been done in Venezuela. They were written to inspire and provide focus for programs in planning, but not necessarily to be followed literally. These Guiding Principles (2009) are: 1. Mission of Social Change. The motto luchar y tocar, translated to play and to strive, demonstrates our commitment to using music and ensembles to help young people understand their role as an asset to their community. 2. Access and Excellence. Our program seeks to serve all young people, starting at young ages, and help them pursue excellence! 3. The Nucléo Environment. A safe, nurturing place where learning occurs with joy, in an environment of friendship and respect. 4. Intensity. The program is marked by frequent meetings, ideally daily, for many hours, that are full of fast paced and rigorous instruction and learning. Also, performances occur with high frequency. 5. The Use of Ensemble. Students are engaged in large and small ensembles to help convey the idea of working together and accomplishing great outcomes through cooperation. Instruction is centered on the idea of ensemble musicianship as well. 6. The CATS Teacher Model: Citizen / Artist / Teacher / Scholar. The teaching artists engaged with El Sistema programs are expected to model a whole, positive, well-balanced example for young people to emulate as they develop. 7. The Multi-Year Continuum. El Sistema programs are designed to engage students, starting during their childhood and extending to adulthood, and maintain relevance and a high standard for excellence and achievement at each stage. 8. Parent and Community Inclusion. Nucléos work to foster relationships with parents and communities, often inviting both into the program in order to enhance the experience for young people. 9. Connections and Network. The El Sistema program is a set of interconnected Nucléos that join together with one another regularly to provide enriching experiences, as well as joining with local leaders to provide opportunity to students and support to the program. 10. Ambition and Achievement. As an agent of beauty and happiness, the musical experiences afforded by El Sistema instruction become the basis for repeated efforts on the part of the young people, and consistently increasing selfexpectation from them. (El Sistema USA) 44

56 The Guiding Principles are based on a set of Core Values (2009): Every human being has the right to a life of dignity and contribution, filled with beauty. Every child can learn to experience and express music and art deeply, can receive its many benefits, and can make different critical life choices as a result of this learning. Overcoming poverty and adversity is best done by strengthening the spirit, creating, as Dr. Abreu puts it, an affluence of the spirit, and investing that affluence as a valued asset in a community endeavor to create excellence and beauty in music. Effective education is based on love, approval, joy, and consistently successful experiences within a high-functioning, aspiring, nurturing community. Every child has limitless possibilities and the ability to strive for excellence. Trust the young, informs every aspect of the work. Learning organizations never arrive but are always becoming striving to include: more students, deeper impact, greater musical excellence, better teaching, improved tools, more joy. Thus, flexibility, experimentation, risk- taking, and collegial exchange are inherent aspects of every program. (El Sistema USA) These Guiding Principles and Core Values all come together in an effort to describe the model nucléo. They set a stage for the ideal place for all students to learn music. Ability to Exhibit the Ideals of El Sistema When I began this study, I was an outsider looking in at a program inspired by a philosophy with which I had a great amount of interest. But in the beginning of my study I had concerns. Getting in contact with the Music Learning Center or Youth Orchestras of San Antonio was exceedingly difficult. Despite my s and other attempts to contact someone in YOSA, I was unable to schedule meetings or times to visit the program. Not only did this set back my research schedule, it negatively affected my view of the Music Learning Center and of YOSA overall. Over time I learned more of the reasons for this behavior and why I had difficulties with leadership at both the MLC and YOSA. 45

57 While there was much that worked well about the MLC, issues such as a lack of dedicated leadership, attendance, and the ability to work with students consistently did not allow the program to fully realize the ideals behind El Sistema. Chief among those ideals are rigorous music education with adherence to a high artistic standard of musical ensemble playing, time spent playing in an ensemble and learning from each other, an emphasis on student performances, peer mentorship, and a connection to the greater world of music and El Sistema (Govias, 2011). While the Sistema community fully understands and acknowledges that each program must find ways to work within the circumstances of their individual context, the adherence to these general qualities is considered by most to be of great importance and part of what allows individual programs to identify as an El Sistema-inspired program. The MLC, while providing much that was good for the students of GSCS, failed to create a cohesive community of student musicians who were connected to the greater world and who had achieved a high level even as beginning instrumentalists of musical artistry. Leadership In 2008, YOSA hired Maggie Raveneau as director for the pilot year of the MLC. Maggie had been teaching choir at Harlandale High School for several years after graduating with a performance degree in cello from Baylor University in Under Maggie s direction the MLC grew to 122 students. For personal reasons, Maggie shifted her position with the MLC to part-time. In her last year she served as a teaching artist with the last class of students at GSCS. Troy Peters, Music Director for YOSA, hired in 2009, and YOSA Operations Director Ben Cadwallader, worked with Maggie to help her lead the MLC. However, 46

58 their duties with the many other programs of YOSA, rehearsing ensembles, setting up auditions, and the day-to-day running of the organization along with the heavy time commitment needed to run the MLC, did not allow them to engage fully with students, the teachers, or to help Maggie as she struggled with attendance and other issues at GSCS. The lack of strong leadership and direction at the MLC meant that it was required to adhere to changes at the behest of the YOSA board and others not directly involved with teaching or the day-to-day activities of the program. Direction Discipline and attendance problems did not allow for a consistent implementation of curriculum or growth of an ensemble. YOSA tried several ideas to resolve the problems they encountered. Students in the first year of the MLC were allowed to select string classes as part of the extracurricular portion of the after-school activities offered by the GSCS. This allowed students to choose whether or not they wished to participate. Attendance became a problem in that first year as their parents pulled out students early or they missed class because they were not at the GSCS that day. During the second year, all students at the GSCS were required to take strings instruction as part of their after-school programming. This led to discipline and class management problems as teachers tried to work with unhappy students. The third year of the MLC only younger students were required to participate in strings instruction. This allowed those students uninterested in strings to pursue other classes or activities. Discipline problems did not diminish completely, but classroom management slowly got better. 47

59 When Maggie stepped down as the director for the MLC, YOSA began to look for a replacement to lead the program. Troy approached two Sistema Fellows, Liz Schurgin and Avi Mehta, but neither of them wanted to leave their programs in Fort Worth and Boston for San Antonio. YOSA decided to shut down the MLC during the search and transition to new leadership. A name change occurred at this time too, from the Music Learning Center to Youth Orchestras of San Antonio Music After School, or YOSA MÁS. The year prior to the shut down in 2012, I had returned to San Antonio in order to begin my research. I learned about the search for a new director from Avi while working as a teaching artist with Austin Soundwaves. Avi was at Soundwaves to visit the program and meet the students of the Austin program. Avi mentioned that he had spoken with Troy about the director position which prompted me to investigate and eventually send my credentials to YOSA and apply as the new director. Transition to YOSA MÁS Going Dark In fall 2012 the Music Learning Center shut down all classes and programming at Good Samaritan Community Services. During that time, I worked as the new director of the of the program, now renamed YOSA MÁS, to rebuild and move the program to a new location at the Edgewood Academy in the Edgewood Independent School District. There was concern that the remaining students who had an interest in continuing strings instruction might become discouraged and no longer want to be in music. To help those students, a short spring semester of YOSA MÁS was run at the GSCS. Recruiting was restricted to schools within walking distance of the community center and students who had previously been a part of the MLC. This restriction was put in place because of the 48

60 limited ability of YOSA MÁS to transport students to the center. All schools needed to be within walking distance of GSCS. These schools included: Sarah King Elementary, Brewer Elementary, and Rodriguez Elementary, all part of the San Antonio Independent School District. Other students, not from those schools but interested in the program, were pulled in directly from the after-school programming at GSCS. The students recruited into YOSA MÁS for its last semester at GSCS ranged in age and grade level from first through sixth. Some students had previously been in the MLC while others were new to string playing. The last semester at GSCS did not include a rigorous curriculum because the remaining time at the center was limited. Instead the semester focused on getting students familiar with string ensemble playing and healthy positions on the instruments. By the end of the semester nearly all of the students could read at a basic level in the clef for their instrument and could play well as an ensemble. Two teaching artists, Maggie Raveneau and Alexis von Biedenfeld, were hired to work with me for this final semester. A third teaching artist, Aubrey Marker, was brought in near the end of the semester to fill in for the loss of Maggie Raveneau, who had decided to pursue other job opportunities. Both Maggie and Alexis had been teachers at the MLC, and both were familiar with all of the returning students. Aubrey a cellist, had experience working with at-risk and special needs children. None of these teaching artists continued teaching with me after YOSA MÁS moved to the Edgewood Academy. At the end of the spring semester, Maggie took a position in nearby Boerne, Texas as orchestra director for Boerne Independent School District, and Alexis began teaching strings in Kerrville, Texas. Aubrey moved with her husband, a bassoonist with the San Francisco Ballet, to San Francisco, California. 49

61 As the director for YOSA MÁS I gained insights that I had not previously understood. The transition from outsider to insider of this study was complete the moment that I finished the interim semester at GSCS. By this time, I had learned a great deal about YOSA, the way the office worked, and about the difficulties that YOSA was having keeping this Sistema program alive and viable. The lack of full-time dedicated leadership, problems with student attendance, and no real coherent curriculum all led to a foundering program. That the MLC was housed at the GSCS meant that real growth for the program could not occur. There was not enough space for classroom teaching or instrument storage. Transportation limitations meant that student recruitment was restricted to the areas which the GSCS serves thus reducing the number students that could be served by the program. The beginning of the reevaluation of YOSA MÁS and a meaningful change to the way the program operated began with an assessment of the ideals of El Sistema and how to fit a program in San Antonio to those ideals. Planning for the Pilot Year of YOSA MÁS The first step that I took to re-envision YOSA MÁS within the fundamentals of El Sistema, was to picture what I thought an El Sistema program looked like. To help with this I used my previous research into programs and my own imagination of what a program could look like. My musings created an ideal setting of several student orchestras that acted as both music learning center and a place where students could practice the skill sets they would need as adults. These skills included those discussed earlier as 21 st Century Skills working together as a group, empathy towards others, and decision-making skills. 50

62 The fall of 2012 allowed me to plan for the final semester of the MLC, and to begin preparations for the fall of 2013 when YOSA MÁS would restart. I met weekly with Troy Peters during that fall to discuss what I had been planning and to ask questions. While the meetings took place with regularity at the beginning of the semester, they soon dropped off and stopped once the spring semester had begun. The brief mentorship with Troy was mainly focused on visioning, while the nuts and bolts of how the program would be run was left to me to figure out on my own. I consulted with Sistema Fellows, Katie Wyatt and Stanford Thompson to gain insights into how their programs were run on a day-to-day basis. To begin, I started with decisions about what the day should look like in YOSA MÁS. As the program was to be an after school program we needed to fit a snack somewhere into the timeframe. As part of the in-kind agreement with Edgewood, the Academy provided a daily snack for all YOSA MÁS students. Students would eat together in the Academy s cafeteria. The cafeteria was also the place where students would assemble after being dropped off by their respective busses. Problems arose when busses were late for a variety of reasons from bus drivers forgetting to pick up YOSA MÁS students to traffic issues on bus routes to the Academy. Unfortunately, no working (Dowdy E. B., 1995) solutions could be found within the year that YOSA MÁS existed at the Academy. Discussions with parents resulted in some students being dropped off by their parents, but due to transportation difficulties for many YOSA MÁS families, parent drop off was not a viable solution. Initially, I decided that the time with students would be divided into three parts: the first part was comprised of sectionals where students would practice their instruments 51

63 in a homogeneous setting all violins together, cellos together and so on; then the students would have a snack period; finally, the day would conclude with ensemble all instruments together in one group. The sequence of the day changed to allow students to have snack as they arrived for classes at the Academy, but the basic idea of the daily schedule would stay the same, sectionals followed by ensemble practice. This was the start to aligning YOSA MÁS with the Guiding Principles of El Sistema outlined by Churchill and Booth. Creating Alignment Changing locations allowed YOSA MÁS to have a fresh start and to come into closer alignment with the Guiding Principles of El Sistema. The move to Edgewood Independent School District meant that the program could move in to the Edgewood Performing Arts Academy. Edgewood I.S.D. contains ten elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools, not including the Academy. The Academy was a good home for YOSA MÁS because it allowed the program to have a central location within the district. In addition, the Academy had spaces large enough for rehearsing large ensemble groups as well as a performing arts hall, and a smaller recital hall. Edgewood Independent School District was founded in 1900 and at that time was known as District 41. District 41 was created from the eastern edge of District 15, which had been divided because it had grown too large (Edgewood Independent School District, 2010). As the city expanded and enveloped Edgewood ISD, a part of the southern boundary splintered off in 1922 and Edgewood lost a good portion of the land and its assets to South San District (Edgewood Independent School District, 2010). This meant that Edgewood had now lost a great deal of the tax benefit it received from those assets. 52

64 Although poorer, more families continued to move into the area requiring the district to provide more schools and classroom space. In 1996, Edgewood closed the Edgewood High School and moved all students to either John F. Kennedy or Memorial High School (Allen, 2011). The Edgewood High School was then renovated and in 1999 the Edgewood Academy of Communications and Fine Arts opened (Vara-Orta, 2014). The Academy works with high school students interested in pursuing further instruction in a variety of disciplines including theater, music, visual arts, and dance. Students are pulled from one of two high schools in the district, Kennedy or Memorial High School. Students attend the Academy for half of the school day, either in the morning or the afternoon, while the rest of their day is spent in their respective schools. The move allowed YOSA MÁS to contact a wider pool of students. This widening of the student pool allowed for greater access one of the principles of El Sistema. The district would also allow any San Antonio Independent School District students who might be interested, and who had been in the program prior to the move, to attend the program. Frequency, another fundamental principle of El Sistema, decreased from what it had been at GSCS. The school district determined that students would be allowed to participate in the program three days out of the week, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The reasons for this, according to Dr. Emma Dromgoole, Fine Arts Coordinator for EISD, was that attendance rates on Mondays and Fridays were not consistent due to a variety of reasons from family trips out of town to Friday night football games. Dr. Dromgoole assured me that using the middle of the week days would be a better option because of these reasons. The schedule that YOSA MÁS and EISD 53

65 settled on was Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to remain with students until the bus picked them up. Parents would be responsible for picking up their child at the end of program each day. In addition, Edgewood would provide bussing for students if they were to attend or perform in a concert outside of the Academy. Edgewood Academy also provided storage space for the instruments used by YOSA MÁS students. I wrote a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to solidify the agreement between Edgewood ISD and YOSA. The MOU served to provide in writing the agreement of in-kind contributions of Edgewood and what YOSA would provide for students. Both YOSA and Edgewood signed the MOU. While it is not one of the Guiding Principles, the use of teaching artists as educators in El Sistema inspired programs has become a standard practice. A teaching artist, as defined by Eric Booth (2009), is an artist who chooses to include artfully educating others, beyond teaching the technique of the art form, as an active part of a career (p. 3). For YOSA MÁS, I attempted to find area musicians who might be interested in working with the program for the three days out of the week. One problem that I faced while in this process was timing. YOSA MÁS occurs during the prime private teaching hours for many professional musicians and music studios. Because I was not able to provide an hourly rate that was competitive for many private teachers, I had little luck finding someone willing to teach at YOSA MÁS. The rates that I was able to offer were hourly and contract; a teaching artist would make $25 per hour, and a lead teaching artist would make $40 per hour. I wanted to hire two teaching Artists and one lead teaching artist. The lead teaching artist would teach two classes beginning violin 54

66 and would lead the ensemble. The other two teaching artists would teach beginning violin and cello classes as well as assist with the ensemble at the end of each day. To find teaching artists who might be interested and available to teach I looked to newly graduated students and to students in the University of Texas at San Antonio String Project. A teaching lab, String Project is specifically for music education majors. The Project provides a graduated and monitored teaching experience for students who desire to teach in the public school system. According to the University of Texas website, String Project started at the University of Texas at Austin in 1948 as a way to fill out the ranks of string teachers in the United States after World War II, the concept has spread throughout Texas and the United States (University of Texas String Project, n.d.). The UTSA String Project had been providing lessons to students in the Edgewood school district in three of the elementary schools. Edgewood provided weekday bussing for students to both the downtown and main campuses of UTSA where they were taught violin and guitar. It was my belief that String Project and El Sistema should have a natural relationship. Both programs seek to teach young and aspiring musicians but approach from two different angles. While String Project focuses on providing a structured learning environment for young music teachers, El Sistema is a program that provides social change for youth through rigorous ensemble instruction and music education. The joining of young well-trained teachers already accustomed to working with young musicians, and a beginning class of strings players seemed a natural fit. It was through The String Project at UTSA that I found my lead teaching artist, Martin Sanchez. I was introduced to Martin through Dr. Eugene Dowdy, professor and director of orchestral studies at UTSA. I had known Dr. Dowdy from my own 55

67 experiences as a music student in San Antonio. While there was no formal agreement between UTSA and YOSA, I was able to use Dr. Dowdy as a resource for finding music teachers and music education majors who might be a great fit for YOSA MÁS. Martin had been managing the downtown String Project as part of his graduating requirements. He was hired as a lead teaching artist with YOSA MÁS during his last semester. It was a homecoming of sorts since Martin was an alumnus of the Edgewood Academy. The other two teaching artists, Sovreyne Chadwick and Jackson Hocott, were hired as recent college graduates from Scheiner University and Vanderbilt University respectively. Sovreyne was a former cello student of mine from when I taught Applied Cello at Schriener University. Jackson Hocott sent in his resume and letter of interest in answer to a call for teaching artists on the main YOSA website. After many discussions and meetings with Dr. Emma Dromgoole, Edgewood Fine Arts Director, the big details were sorted out the MOU, bussing, snacks, and teaching artists, we, the teaching artists and I, turned our attention to building the calendar and determining the curriculum for the pilot year of YOSA MÁS. The first year I decided we would break up into two parts, the first part of the semester would be focused on basic skills using a modified Suzuki method. Suzuki uses rote and disguised repetition as part of its teaching method. Students first learn using pizzicato, plucking the strings of the instrument and then finally move to using the bow and playing arco. Over time, students learn and memorize longer and longer tunes on their instrument. The second part of the year coincided with the second semester. For this portion of the year the students would focus on reading. From the MLC inventory YOSA MÁS had Essential Elements 2000 books available for use. We took advantage of this inventory and used those books 56

68 for the second semester. The overarching idea behind the whole year was to get fourth grade students prepared for the possibility of continuing string instructions for another year with YOSA MÁS, while fifth grade students had the option of moving on and participating in their middle school orchestra if possible. If the middle school had no orchestra as part of its curriculum, fifth grade students could continue to attend YOSA MÁS or participate in the youngest string orchestra at YOSA, Prelude Strings. Performances were scheduled to occur roughly once a month. I titled them Informances after the performances that students in the Texas Tech University String Project presented at the end of each semester. Unlike the Informances at TTU String Project, YOSA MÁS students would perform monthly. Other performances scheduled for students coincided with two of the performances for the youngest of YOSA ensembles, Prelude and Capriccio. The first concert with Prelude and Capriccio took the place of an end of the semester concert for YOSA MÁS. While these performances were being planned, I was working also with Patrick Slevin, executive director of Austin Soundwaves and former Sistema Fellow, to plan a collaborative concert between his students and YOSA MÁS. With this last part of the year planned the transition of the MLC to YOSA MÁS was complete. To the best of my ability, with the tools and resources I had available, I was able to bring the program as close to the five fundamentals of El Sistema as possible: social change, ensemble, frequency, accessibility, and connectivity. By creating a space for elementary school students to begin string lessons, and helping to build up the orchestra program at Edgewood, we were creating an environment of social change through the vehicle of music with students in Edgewood ISD. These students learned the 57

69 value of working in a community and building the skills they needed to compete in the 21 st Century. The work that they were doing was the under the guidance and care of teaching artists and well-trained music educators who cared about the well-being of their students as much as they cared about the level of playing ability and the musical artistry that these students achieved. The frequency of the program had been created to allow as much practice time with the students as the district would admit, and I was working with the district to try and increase the time spent with students in YOSA MÁS. The program was open to all students who were interested in learning to play violin, viola, cello, or double bass. While the majority of the students came from Edgewood there was a growing number of students, and interest, from local charter schools and other schools in San Antonio. These students were not turned away and were allowed to participate in the program along with the others. Finally, a connection was being built between El Sistema inspired programs in Texas and at the national level to create a greater feeling of cohesion across the state. Measuring Outcomes Throughout the development and planning of YOSA MÁS, plans for measuring outcomes and impact were put aside until there was some stability in the program. Other than attendance records and photos from monthly Informances and weekly rehearsals, YOSA did not ask for outcomes regarding the program. While we were not in the district, or able to work with students long enough to measure outcomes or to see change that lasted beyond our residence in the district, we began the process that created space for orchestra in Edgewood. Orchestra programs in Edgewood and YOSA still have students who began in YOSA MÁS. 58

70 A short end of the year survey given to students did show positive thoughts and feelings towards school and the YOSA MÁS program. A copy of the survey given to students can be found in the appendices, along with graphs of the results. The first questions on the survey were written to discover students overall attitudes about school and learning. When asked if they enjoyed school, 60% agreed that they did in contrast to 3% who did not. The same percentage of students, 60%, told us they felt that they did well in school, while 34% only somewhat agreed when asked about school. Twenty-four percent of students wrote that they felt proudest of getting good grades, followed by 20% of students stating they felt proud of doing well in a variety of school subjects. A few students mentioned their participation in YOSA MÁS specifically as something to be proud of with 10% saying that learning to play an instrument made them proud, and 19% saying that learning something new in program made them feel proud, and 2% mentioning that performing made them feel proud. When asked about what was the difficult part of school, 32% of students surveyed discussed a variety of differing subjects as hard to learn, 20% mentioned math as being difficult, and 12% mentioned STAAR testing as being the most difficult part of school. For 9% of students having self-control was the hardest part about school. When asked about what was the easiest part about school, students mentioned math at 34%, with a variety of subjects, science, or social studies, at 17%. Young musicians used words like, awesome at 40% or fun and cool at 27% to describe what they thought about YOSA MÁS. They let us know that they thought that playing an instrument at 32%, learning new songs at 21%, and performing at 18% was the most fun part of being in program. Students described everything as fun at 31% when asked what they did not like about YOSA MÁS. 59

71 However, they also mentioned learning difficult music at 19%, not enjoying the district supplied snacks and not being allowed to use the school vending machines at 16% as the least enjoyable parts of program. The last part of the survey asked students what they thought about learning to play an instrument and if they enjoyed learning to play music. Eighty-one percent of students felt they learned to play their instruments well compared to 3% who did not. The majority of students at 97% enjoyed learning music, while 3% remained neutral. Before I learned of the closing of YOSA MÁS, I began working with the Excel Beyond the Bell San Antonio Out of School Time Collective (EBBSA). The collective was formed to improve services and access to out-of-school time programs for youth in San Antonio and Bexar County. Out-of-school time refers to any time that youth are not actively participating in or in attendance at school. According to Excel Beyond the Bell San Antonio (n.d.) less than 19% of all youth have access to high quality programs outside of school. The EBBSA mission is to change that number through shared goals, and outcomes measurement. Through this collective I gained insights about different techniques for measuring outcomes in out-of-school time programs. In addition to the surveys like the one above, I had planned to align YOSA MÁS with the Developmental Assets Profile (DAP) that Excel Beyond the Bell was planning to pilot as a way to standardize evaluation of service and programs for youth in San Antonio. The Developmental Assets Profile was created as a way to quantitatively measure the skills, experiences, relationships, and behaviors that enable young people to develop into successful and contributing adults (Search Institute, n.d.). The Institute has identified 40 assets that it considers are the building blocks of healthy development (Search Institute, 60

72 n.d.). These assets have internal and external components such as empowerment, and constructive use of time, to commitment to learning and positive values (Search Institute, n.d.). A full list of the Search Institute s components of the internal and external assets can be found in the appendices. Using both the DAP and internally developed surveys, I planned to measure several sets of outcomes for students. Those outcomes included: Musicianship o Students learn instrumental playing and ensemble musicianship in alignment with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills o Students learn and maintain a high level of instrumental and ensemble playing o Students perform in a variety of public venues outside of the Edgewood school district Social Change o Students gain a greater awareness of the musical activities of which they can be a part, and of the other organizations that they can participate in, in a musical way o Students attitude about music, and different music genres, is widened and informed through performance DAP o Student surveys show that YOSA MÁS is one of the ways that students gain through the assets o Other shared outcomes with those of Excel Beyond the Bell San Antonio, including that every student in attendance at YOSA MÁS is committed to learning and becoming college and career ready (Excel Beyond the Bell San Antonio, n.d.) Outcomes would be used to show viability of the program continuing in the district. Internal YOSA MÁS surveys given at the beginning of the school year, and then again at the end of the school year would measure changes in students attitudes towards school, learning, and music making. DAP measurements would be given in accordance to surveys set up through Excel Beyond the Bell. These outcomes would be used to track 61

73 student progress in alignment with the DAP as well as to find ways to improve the program for greater student enjoyment and achievement. It was hoped that by showing the added value of music learning in providing a program that is in alignment with TEKS, helps youth gain awareness of the world and possibilities outside of their school, and adds to the ways that students gain through the DAP, that YOSA MÁS would be more useful, and therefore viable, to the district and YOSA. Unfortunately, I was not able to be with the program long enough to gather and provide enough data to keep the program going. 62

74 Chapter 5 Close of YOSA MÁS The study aimed to gain greater insight into four aspects of an American El Sistema-inspired program: 1. Infrastructure - How is YOSA MÁS organized and does it differ from other organizations of its kind? How is it the same? If there are differences, are these based on practices used by and begun in El Sistema? 2. Instruction and Curriculum What is being taught to students? Is there a specific curriculum that is being followed? What are other programs using and how can these ideas be worked into YOSA MÁS? 3. Funding - What are the funding sources of YOSA MÁS and how are they organized? 4. Outcomes What are the outcomes that YOSA MÁS wishes to achieve for students and the community it serves? How are these outcomes measured? In what ways will the results of those measurements be used? The questions that drove this study are: 1. To what extent were the values and practices of El Sistema being used? What are those ideals and practices and how are they identified? 2. What prevented the MLC from fully becoming an El Sistema-inspired program and why? 3. What changes needed to be made to the MLC for it to more fully embrace the fundamentals of El Sistema? 63

75 4. Why did the program end and what factors may have contributed to the decision to close the program? Infrastructure The infrastructure of YOSA MÁS was not much different than other El Sistemainspired programs around the country. Housed in a community center and under the umbrella of a larger organization is the variation in which the Music Learning Center was originally configured. Other programs that are based within a larger organization include OrchKids, part of the outreach program with the Baltimore Symphony. According to their website, OrchKids is a year-round, during and after school, music program designed to create social change and nurture promising futures for youth in Baltimore City neighborhoods (Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, 2016). This program s classes are housed at local schools within the city of Baltimore. Another large El Sistema-inspired program that exists within a larger organization is Youth Orchestras of Los Angeles (YOLA). This program has direct roots to El Sistema in Venezuela through the Los Angeles Philharmonic s current music director, Gustavo Dudamel. YOLA s mission states, Through Gustavo Dudamel's Youth Orchestra LA (YOLA) program - inspired by Venezuela's revolutionary El Sistema - the LA Phil and its community partners provide free instruments, intensive music training, and academic support to students from underserved neighborhoods, empowering them to become vital citizens, leaders, and agents of change (Los Angeles Philharmonic, 2016). The program in Los Angeles is extensive, and one of the oldest in the country beginning in 2007, and combines community centers, schools, and small concentrated networks of musical activity to make up the entirety of its reach (Los Angeles Philharmonic, 2016). Other models 64

76 include programs housed in churches, and church community centers. The decision to move YOSA MÁS to the Edgewood Independent School District was made based on the need to expand the program. There was not enough room at Good Samaritan Community Services for expansion in class size. We would be limited in the number of students we could serve. Moving the program would allow us more room for expansion. Despite the idyllic surroundings at the Edgewood Academy, the conditions under which teaching artists were being asked to work was not ideal. The Edgewood Academy had a large recital room, a concert hall, and plenty of rooms that were not used during the after school hours, as well as a safe space to store instruments. However, problems arose when trying to transport students from their respective schools to the Academy. In addition, because of changes in the district, there was pressure to keep the number of days that students would be able to participate limited. Discussions with Dr. Emma Dromgoole at the end of the first year revealed that YOSA MÁS could no longer take place three days out of the week, but only two days, and the district was asking for more students to be allowed into the program despite the reduced teaching time (Dromgoole, E, personal communication, May 2014). Reduced teaching days meant that the El Sistema ideal of intensive music instruction would be more difficult to achieve. Curriculum and Instruction Students at the MLC were taught using a curriculum and method developed by Maggie Raveneau, former director of the MLC at GSCS. She developed her program and method based on color coding both the music and the instruments so that students could quickly learn short songs based on color identification (Peter, T. personal communication, 2012). However due to the sporadic attendance of many students at the 65

77 MLC, learning and ensemble work was difficult to maintain. When the program moved to the Edgewood Academy the curriculum was influenced by the training of Martin Sanchez, Leading Teaching Artist for YOSA MÁS. Martin combined Suzuki rote teaching methods at the start of lessons, and then moved to Essential Elements 2000 beginning strings books to teach both reading and playing to students. Discussions at conferences and with other program directors revealed that there is a wide variety of curricula used in El Sistema-inspired programs. In addition, not all programs focus on instrumental music making. For example, ComMUSIcation in St. Paul, Minnesota is an El Sistema-inspired program based on choral music making rather than instrumental (ComMUSIcation, 2015). Other programs showed learning in jazz, composition, and even rock on across the country. Funding All funding for the Music Learning Center was provided by YOSA, and when the program transitioned to YOSA MÁS that funding model did not change. While at the beginning of my tenure with the program I was told that all funding would continue to be taken care of by YOSA, at the end of the program I was informed that anything new, or any expansion that I wanted to create would be my responsibility to fund. This decision was based on the YOSA board no longer wanting to fund the program in its then current structure. Outcomes Some of the difficulties in gathering accurate data at the MLC came from Good Samaritan Community Services holding most of the information about the students. Because students in the MLC classes were initially registered as Good Samaritan 66

78 students, that organization was able to get data about their student population. While GSCS was good about sharing the data they collected they were not always able to get the information to YOSA in a timely manner (Peters, T, personal communication, 2012). Moving to Edgewood posed many of the same problems in gathering data about students. However, it was easier to collect student data in the form of end of the year surveys (see appendices). I was not able to determine whether or not the teaching artists, or Maggie Raveneau, of the MLC collected any surveys about the students they had in attendance. Through discussions with other program directors in the field of El Sistemainspired programs I learned that many programs ran into similar problems collecting data about their students. In my planning for the next year of YOSA MÁS, I had decided to give two similar surveys (see appendices) to gauge student school enjoyment, efficacy, and how much they enjoyed music making. In addition, to internal surveys, I had planned to work the Excel Beyond the Bell San Antonio Out-of-School Time collective, and their use of the 40 Developmental Assets as a way to measure whether or not we were delivering a high quality program. Other organizations that use the DAP to determine outcomes include KidzNotes in Raleigh Durham, North Carolina (KidzNotes, 2016). According to KidzNotes (2016), Through immersion in ensembles and orchestras, children develop the SEARCH Institute s [DAP] identified social skills that are critical for success in school and adulthood, including accountability, mutual respect, teamwork, intrinsic motivation, critical listening, discipline, focus and attention. Their use of the DAP has allowed KidzNotes to gather data which they can share with funders and others which might be interested in the programs they offer. 67

79 The Close of YOSA MÁS At the end of the spring semester 2014, YOSA decided to close YOSA MÁS as an after school strings program at Edgewood Academy. Discussions with Troy Peters led me to believe that the program was closed as a result of a board decision. In actuality, YOSA had decided to restructure the program to look more like outreach programming that YOSA had begun at the same time as the MLC at Good Samaritan Community Services. When the last remaining member of the YOSA board, who had been in favor of YOSA MÁS stepped down from his position as board president, and the decision was made to change the program. YOSA believed that they could create a faster impact by reframing YOSA MÁS to look more like the Roosevelt Compact. The Roosevelt Compact YOSA had begun outreach programming on San Antonio s northeast side in collaboration with Rackspace s efforts to improve the areas directly around the campus of the company. All funding for this collaboration was underwritten by Rackspace, while YOSA provided the administration and teaching artists. The Roosevelt Compact works at all three levels of the public school system in San Antonio, specifically the Northeast Independent School District elementary and middle schools which feed into Roosevelt High School. Teaching artists are recruited from area professional musicians, many of whom are part of the San Antonio Symphony. At the elementary school level, YOSA provides a teaching assistant to come in twice weekly and assist with fifth grade after school strings. Middle school orchestra directors at Ed White and Krueger Middle Schools are the primary teachers for all fifth grade after school strings that feed into their respective middle schools, and all after 68

80 school strings programs are taught at the two middle schools. YOSA provides two types of scholarships for middle school students, YOSA MÁS Scholar and a YOSA Scholarship. Students awarded either of these scholarships are chosen by their middle school orchestra director, and are chosen based on their ability to exhibit leadership potential in orchestra as well as financial need. The YOSA Scholarship provides full tuition into a YOSA ensemble for one year, and full tuition in the YOSA Summer Symphony Camp held each July. This allows students who might not otherwise have the means, to be a part of YOSA. For students selected as YOSA MÁS Scholars, an extra benefit is awarded in addition to full tuition to YOSA and Summer Symphony Camp. Scholars are given 20 private lessons with an assigned teaching artist, to be taken over the academic year. These lessons are designed to give Scholars the added benefit of private lessons in addition to participation in YOSA. Other benefits that YOSA provides are sectional coaches to work with students at both middle schools and the high school level. Orchestra directors at the middle schools and high school determine when and with what groups the teaching artists work. While this outreach program works well and provides a quicker return on investment for both YOSA and Rackspace, it does not fit into the Guiding Principles for an El Sistema inspired program. Troy Peters refers to the Roosevelt Compact, now called YOSA MÁS (Music At School), as an El Sistema legacy program, this is due to the history that YOSA has with El Sistema, and not the structure or philosophy underneath this outreach programming. Rackspace provides funding for only the schools in the Northeast ISD, which restricts access to the benefits of the program to students who attend only those schools. While YOSA has structured what was YOSA MÁS at 69

81 Edgewood, to look like the Roosevelt Compact, it is uncertain how long they will continue to fund student music learning. Plans for future programs A variety of deterrents got in the way of the MLC from fully becoming an El Sistema-inspired program. For example, the lack of space for expansion at Good Samaritan Community Services, in addition to the limited number of students that the Center serves, did not allow for growth and maximum access for all students. At the Edgewood Academy, YOSA MÁS was able to move closer to the ideals of an El Sistema-inspired program by reaching a greater number of students, with accommodations for students outside of the district, more consistent attendance and rehearsals with students three times weekly, and creating the space in the district for a multi-year curriculum within the district. But upcoming restrictions on how often we could meet with students and the loss of funding for the program meant that the program was not able to continue. However, I had started planning for the upcoming year in YOSA MÁS, and wanted to begin to put together plans for program expansion as well as for students in YOSA MÁS to perform with other El Sistema-inspired programs in Texas. This program plan is based on the nucléo plan for Youth Orchestra of the Lower Ninth Ward developed by the 2013 class of Sistema Fellows. While many items in this model are used, much must be modified to fit within the infrastructure at the Edgewood Academy. In addition, this model is written for the best possible circumstances, and assumes students maintained a three-day rehearsal schedule. 70

82 Case for Need YOSA MÁS is a needed program in a school district that is undergoing drastic changes to administrative leadership and is perceived in San Antonio as a poor and poor performing district. The effects of a stable program in which students can strive together towards the common goal of music making can be impactful for students experiencing instability both in their school day, and at home. With the guidance of field leaders and the support of local programs, YOSA MÁS will work to promote 21 st Century Skill sets, pro-social behaviors, and a high musical level for all students in the program. Year Two of YOSA MÁS (After Pilot Year) I. Operations Plan (Infrastructure) a. The MOU between YOSA MÁS and Edgewood ISD will be discussed and renewed with the following items added or retained: b. YOSA MÁS will continue to run concurrent with the academic school year of Edgewood ISD. All school holidays and teacher in-service days will be observed. c. YOSA MÁS will continue to operate at the Edgewood Academy i. Additional rooms will be needed to hold the first and second year of students. ii. Carpooling for students will be explored as an alternate to bussing, otherwise students will continue to be bussed to the Academy. iii. Edgewood will continue to provide snacks for students of YOSA MÁS; all snacks provided to students in Edgewood are required to 71

83 be provided by the district, any students not a part of the district will be given snacks provided by YOSA. iv. YOSA MÁS will have one core ensemble at first, and will add additional ensembles as student performance level grows. For the post pilot year, YOSA MÁS will need only one core ensemble. 1. Students will perform in monthly Informances, concerts designed to inform the community about music making, where their child is in their music learning, as well as show off new music students have learned. 2. Students will perform in two major performances with other students in YOSA. The end of the year performance to be at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts along with other students as part of Yosapalooza, a performance of all ensembles in the YOSA organization. The mid-year performance venue will be a collaboration between YOSA MÁS and another Texas El Sistema-inspired program, details are to be determined. v. YOSA MÁS staff will work to ensure a total of new students recruited into the program at the start of the new year; all students who were previously part of YOSA MÁS are invited to return to continue their music learning. d. Typical Operating Schedule Monday Tuesday Wednesday 72

84 As students arrive until 3:30pm Snack and tutoring Snack and tutoring Snack and tutoring 3:30-4:15pm Sectionals by instrument Sectionals by instrument Sectionals by instrument 4:15-5:00pm Ensemble Ensemble Ensemble II. Curriculum and Instruction a. Beginning students will start a similar learning plan as set up in the pilot year. b. Returning students will continue to work under the supervision of a Lead Teaching Artist. Teaching Artists will assess the level of students when they return from summer vacation and determine where they need to review, and what new challenges they can handle. III. Funding a. All funding for YOSA MÁS will continue to be provided by YOSA. However, with new data gathered from the DAP and internal surveys, collaboration between the YOSA MÁS director and the development team at YOSA will work to provide additional funding for program expansion, hiring additional Teaching Artists, and possible travel. IV. Outcomes a. Internal surveys will be given at the beginning of the year, and at the end of the year to determine changes in student efficacy and attitudes towards learning, school, and music learning. 73

85 b. YOSA MÁS will participate in the DAP studies through Excel Beyond the Bell San Antonio to build greater alignment with the 40 Developmental Assets. Plan summary This plan, while still basic, would have worked well with the YOSA MÁS program as it was prior to it being disbanded in There are currently no plans to rebuild this program at YOSA, instead relying on the Roosevelt Compact model both in North East Independent School District, as well as in the Edgewood ISD. In addition, there are no plans to rebuild an El Sistema-inspired instrumental program in the city of San Antonio. 74

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94 CF University of Texas String Project. (n.d.). History. Retrieved August 30, 2016, from Urquiola, M. A. (2005). Estudio Evolutive del Cambio Organizacional de la Fundacíon del Estado para el Sistema de Orquestas Juveniles e Infantiles de Venezuela, Años Unpublished Development Sociology Paper. Barinas, Venzuela: Universidad Nacional Experimental de Los Llanos Occidentales. Vago, S. (1996). Social Change (Third ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. University of Texas String Project: Vara-Orta, F. (2014). Edgewood ISD Making Statement with Steinway. Retrieved January 16, 2016, from San Antonio Express News: Wolf Trap Foundation. (n.d.). Mission. Retrieved August 29, 2016, from Wolf Trap: Yin, R. K. (1989). Case Study Research: Design and Methods (Vol. 5). Newbury Park: Sage Publications. Youth Orchestras of San Antonio. (2008). Music for All: Expanding YOSA's Beginning Music Education Program. 83

95 Youth Orchestras of San Antonio. (2016). YOSA History. Retrieved January 2, 2016, from Youth Orchestras of San Antonio: 84

96 Appendix A Timeline YOSA, me, & El Sistema YOSA adopted the El Sistema model in 2008 when they launched the Music Learning Center at the Good Samaritan Community Services. The MLC went through about three years of trying out different iterations of the program to find the right fit: At first students were allowed to choose music as an elective from their menu of after school activities The second year all students were required to participate in the music program. The third year only the younger students were required to participate in the school music program, the older students could opt out The fourth year and last year of the program at Good Sam I was hired in that year to try and revitalize the Music Learning Center and find a way to make it work. That last year at Good Sam consisted of the fall term the program was dark while I worked out some details and the spring term. In the spring 2013 we offered strings classes to interested students. Class attendance was spotty, but one student Jayleen Rangel is still a member of YOSA and continuing to play violin as a result of starting at the MLC. This was the year YOSA changed the name of the MLC to YOSA MÁS, YOSA Music at School. 2013/2014 YOSA MÁS was in pilot at the Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy (now called the Edgewood Academy). The year began strong with about 50 students, however due to bussing issues, after school tutoring, and other problems, attendance was poor. A number of students and students families were identified as being pro-active and supportive of 85

97 their child s music education. These families are still part of YOSA and those students are now part of YOSA Prelude Strings. I teach three of these students privately (2 violin, and one cello) at no/low cost to the family. Summer 2014 The YOSA board decided to cut the YOSA MÁS program and restructure it to look more like another more successful outreach program that YOSA had been running concurrently on San Antonio s east side. This program, then called the Roosevelt Compact, is underwritten by Rackspace. Rackspace was seeking to provide funding for arts and education improvement in the area that they could see all around them. This means that only the high school, two feeder middle schools, and four elementary schools are funded by Rackspace. The model used in this program is not based on El Sistema, but rather provides sectional coaching for all strings in each of the middle schools and the high school, an assistant string teacher for the after school strings programs at the elementary schools, and private lessons for selected students at the high school. This program has allowed for a small number of students each year to achieve a high level of string playing, successful audition into YOSA s various ensembles, and some of the students have gone on to college (usually the first in their family) and become music education majors. The Roosevelt Compact is in the Northeast ISD, a relatively affluent district. The schools that are served by the Compact now called YOSA MÁS Roosevelt are located in a pocket of low income and working poor within the larger district. While other schools in the district enjoy strong string programs, this part struggled. 86

98 In Edgewood YOSA MÁS has been restructured to look more like YM Roosevelt. The Academy middle school (formerly the Edgewood Fine Arts Academy) now houses the districts orchestra program. Three students from the Academy have been selected by their orchestra director to participate in private lessons paid for by YOSA. YOSA provides a String Mentor to assistant in teaching at one of Edgewood s magnet school s after school strings program, and YOSA also teaches one class of after school strings at a second elementary school in the district. All String Mentors and instructors are contracted musicians within the city of San Antonio. I have been hired on at YOSA as Operations Coordinator. I still run the YOSA MÁS programs in both Edgewood and at the Roosevelt Compact, but at a lower level with no decision making power. I provide scheduling and resources for all the contracted instructors who work with YM students and I make weekly visits to all schools served by the YM program. 87

99 Appendix B Memorandum of Understanding Youth Orchestras of San Antonio Music After School and Edgewood Independent School District Fine Arts Academy Introduction: Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA) recognizes the need for effective communication and cooperation between the Edgewood Independent School District Fine Arts Academy and Youth Orchestras of San Antonio Music After School (YOSA MÁS) for both to succeed in creating the space for transformative learning in the lives of children and families on the west side of San Antonio, Texas. It is necessary to create this document to define the boundaries each organization agrees to follow. By creating this memorandum of understanding both organizations allow this avenue for learning through music to become a reality. Purpose: The purpose of this document is to set out the boundaries and guidelines by which each organization will conduct programs in cooperation with one other. This document will be implemented beginning July 1, This document will be used to mediate between each organization and to help set up delineate guidelines for duties of each organization. At the end of the academic year both organizations may revisit this document for any changes or revisions that may be requested. 88

100 Scope: The scope of the document will include the Edgewood Independent School District Edgewood Fine Arts Academy and Youth Orchestras of San Antonio Music After School (YOSA MÁS). Each organization has its own guidelines for operation outside of this document. Definitions: Maintenance includes the care and function of each room, instrument, or teaching supplies. Instrument/s includes all instruments owned by YOSA and provided for use by YOSA MÁS students. Teaching supplies included tools, books, or any other items that may be required for the successful teaching of applied music to students. YOSA will provide its own supplies unless otherwise agreed upon in this document. Students include school age children who are enrolled in the Edgewood Independent School District Fine Arts Academy and YOSA MÁS, or who have been involved in YOSA MÁS prior to July 1, Teaching Artists/Staff/Volunteers include the Teaching Artists, staff, and volunteers who are part of YOSA MÁS and are not part of Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy staff or programs. Teaching Artists and YOSA Staff All training of YOSA MÁS Teaching Artists will be done within YOSA. No training of Teaching Artists will be needed by Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy. All YOSA MÁS Teaching Artists will be employees of YOSA, however all YOSA MÁS Teaching Artists 89

101 will submit to a background check through the Edgewood ISD in addition to the background check required by YOSA. Emergency Procedures and Student Safety YOSA directors will be given information about emergency procedures and requirements within Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy, including emergency exits in case of fire or other natural disasters, and any procedures associated with the safety of students and Teaching Artists in YOSA MÁS. This information will be passed to all Teaching Artists in YOSA MÁS. Instruments and Other Supplies Needed for Teaching All teaching equipment includes musical instruments and the supplies needed to teach those instruments will be provided by YOSA. Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy will provide some items such as chairs and stands. Items provided by Edgewood will remain on Edgewood property. Transportation of Students YOSA MÁS Teaching Artists and director/staff/volunteers will work with Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy teaching staff to bring students to YOSA MÁS after school before the program starts each afternoon that school is in session. All students who are participating in the program will be brought to the Edgewood Fine Arts Academy via a bus provided by Edgewood ISD. YOSA MÁS Teaching Artists, directors, and staff will assist Edgewood teaching staff in getting students to their proper classroom once they have arrived on campus. At the end of each program day, YOSA MÁS Teaching Artists, director, and staff will assist Edgewood teaching staff with students who are waiting to be 90

102 picked up by their parents or guardians. YOSA MÁS director will wait with students until all students are picked up. YOSA MÁS students will participate in two concerts off the Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy campus. For both concerts Edgewood ISD will provide bus transportation for students in YOSA MÁS to and from the concert venues. The concerts are part of the Junior Strings Series of YOSA concerts and allow YOSA MÁS students to meet students outside their home district who also play orchestral string music. The dates, locations, and times for these concerts are: December 17, 2013 at the Magik Theater from 6:30 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. April 29, 2014 at the Carver Community Cultural Center from 6:30 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Classrooms and Performance Space The space used to teach students in YOSA MÁS will be provided by Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy for the duration of each program session during the times set up for program operation. Currently, this time period coincides with the Edgewood ISD academic calendar, which begins August 2013 through June Anytime that Edgewood ISD will not have regularly scheduled classes YOSA MÁS will not meet. Changes to the dates and times in which YOSA MÁS will be in session will be discussed prior to the new Edgewood ISD academic year. Times that YOSA MÁS will need access to the rooms are just prior to program start and shortly after program end (3:30PM- 7:00PM, Tuesday through Thursday). Students will be picked up by their parents/guardians after program each day at the Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy building. YOSA MÁS Teaching Artists and/or staff/volunteers along with Edgewood 91

103 ISD Fine Arts Academy teaching staff will supervise students waiting to be picked up by parents/guardians. YOSA MÁS requests a minimum of three rooms used solely for the purpose of YOSA MÁS during the times that the program is in session and that one additional room with limited access is used for instrument and equipment storage. Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy will ensure that the classrooms, instrument storage, and performance space needed are accessible by YOSA MÁS Teaching Artists, director, and staff on program and Informance days. If after-hours access is required, Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy will provide a way to allow YOSA MÁS Teaching Artists, director, and staff access to the room/s needed. YOSA MÁS understands that space is at a premium. However, only YOSA MÁS should use the rooms while the program is in session. Rooms should not be changed during program operation. If changes need to be made to rooms for teaching, performance, and instrument storage, then this should be discussed and agreed upon prior to the start of a new program session. (Reminder: all program sessions are for one academic year.) If the needs arises that Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy requires a room during the days in which program is in session, then Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy should notify the director whom will then provide guidelines for use of the room. YOSA MÁS asks that the Recital Hall at Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy be reserved for YOSA MÁS concerts and Informances. Each Informance will occur at 6:00 P.M. to 92

104 6:30 P.M. on the first Thursday of each month beginning October A light reception will follow each Informance. All Informance activities should be completed by 7:00 P.M. Maintenance YOSA MÁS will maintain its instruments and teaching tools. Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy will maintain the rooms used for teaching and instrument storage. This includes the climate control/temperature/air conditioning and heating of each room used by YOSA MÁS. YOSA MÁS asks that the instrument room remains at a consistent temperature (74 F) to maintain the instruments that are housed there. YOSA MÁS will contact the Fine Arts Coordinator, Dr. Emma Dromgoole, with maintenance issues that may arise. Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy will provide the procedures and guidelines through which YOSA MÁS will attend to maintenance issues having to do with the building and broken or damaged Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy furniture or building fixtures. Liability Edgewood ISD will be responsible for all liability to its students and teaching staff. Any students or teaching staff that are not enrolled or employed by Edgewood ISD will be covered by YOSA. Funding YOSA will work with Edgewood ISD staff to develop additional funding sources for YOSA MÁS and other music/arts programs at Edgewood as opportunities arise. YOSA will work with staff assigned by Edgewood ISD to ensure any proposals developed for joint funding meet the needs of both organizations. Edgewood ISD approval procedures for funding requests will be provided to YOSA no later than July 15,

105 Oversight YOSA MÁS Director, Aurelia G. Rocha, maintains oversight of YOSA MÁS. All questions about policy changes that affect how, where, and when YOSA MÁS operates should be directed to Ms. Rocha. Updates to the MOU: Changes to policy which affect how, where, and when YOSA MÁS operates will be made prior to the new session or Edgewood ISD academic year. If changes are needed during the time in which program is in session, both the director of YOSA MÁS and the Fine Arts Coordinator of Edgewood ISD Fine Arts Academy must agree to those changes. Any changes that are made will result in an addendum to the current MOU. At the start of the new program session, beginning August 2014, a new MOU will be created. 94

106 Appendix C Phases of the Sistema Fellows Program Phase I: Sept-Oct: Orientation, Understanding of El Sistema A six-week introduction to the field of El Sistema in action Included program visits, American music education history, and the philosophical framework of El Sistema teachings with additional studies on the thoughts and ideas of Maxine Greene and Paulo Freire, among others. Through consultations with noted leaders in the field of non-profit work fellows began to craft personal mission statement and identify goals while at NEC Developed a potential group project that would contribute to the advancement of El Sistema in the field Phase II: Oct-Nov: Fieldwork A four-week period where fellows spent time exploring Sistema based programs on their own, as well as related programming Each fellow conducted research with the goal to bring back gathered knowledge from the field to the class. This information was presented publicly once each Fellow had returned to Boston. Phase III: Nov-Dec: Research, Evaluation, and Assessment The last month of the semester was spent in discovery of what additional knowledge was needed for the field. The overall challenge of the last month of the first semester was to design ways that El Sistema inspired programs can measure and document results of assessment and evaluation in their respective programs. The results of this challenge was shared across programs and with colleagues in the field. At the same time, fellows were charged with preparations for the spring semester and a spring time meeting of ES-i programs as well as a seminario in Philadelphia. Phase IV: Jan-March: Building and Practicing Skills The start of the year began with an examination and a practicing of skills gained over the course of the previous semester. Fellows attended a series of seminars and lectures on grassroots development, non-profit finance, and other aspects of financial understanding for program development. Theoretical ideas were practiced in real situations and real projects. 95

107 Past fellows visited the current class to share experiences and expand on what the fellows were doing. Plans were set up and executed, along with past fellows, to design, promote, and produce a seminario at NEC. Fellows began preparations for their trip to Venezuela in April, including learning to teach music in Spanish. Phase V: April: Venezuelan Residency Fellows were the special guests of FundaMusical Simón Bolívar. Each Fellow was sent out to observe and teach in the large urban nucléos of Caracas and Barquismeto, and even some of the smaller nucléos around the country. Phase VI: May: Reflection and Graduation The last weeks of the fellowship were spent in reflection and preparation for work in the field with the possibility of setting up their own programs. (Marlow & Sandoval, 2014, pp. 9-14) 96

108 Appendix D List of El Sistema Fellows: 97

109 2010 Dan Berkowitz Jonathan Govias Lorrie Heagy Rebecca Levi David Malek Dantes Rameau Alvaro Rodas Stanford Thompson Christine Witkowski Kathryn Wyatt 2011 Graciela Briceño David Gracia Laura Jekel Steven Liu Marie Montilla Andrea Profili Elizabeth Schurgin Patrick Slevin Adrienne Taylor Isabel Trautwein Sara Zanussi 2014 Amelia Combrink Ayriole Frost Beverly Hiong Eriel Huang Tatjana Merzyn Megan Moran Hana Morford Ricki Nelson Aubree Weiley Clara Yang 2012 Aisha Bowden Julie Davis David France Ben Fuller José Luis Hernández-Estrada Stephanie Hsu Jennifer Kessler Alysia Lee Avi Mehta Albert Oppenheimer 2013 Jessie Berne Rachel Hockenberry Andrea Landin Diogo Pereira Carlos Roldan Elaine Sandoval Elise Seymour Xochitl Tafoya Monique Van Willingh

110 Appendix E YOSA MÁS end of year survey

111 100

112 Appendix F Examples of student surveys Student name omitted 101

113 102

114 Appendix G Results from YOSA MÁS student surveys: Do you enjoy school? Neutral 9% Disagree 3% Somewhat Agree 28% Agree 60% Agree Somewhat Agree Neutral Somewhat Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree 0% Do you do well in school Neutral 6% Somewhat Agree 34% Agree 60% Agree Somewhat Agree Neutral Somewhat Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree 0% Disagree 0% 103

115 When have you felt the proudest at school? Performing 2% All the time 10% Well in subject: various 20% Learning to play an instrument 10% Being in YM 5% Good Grades 24% Doing well in math 10% Learning something new in YM 19% Good Grades Doing well in math Learning something new in YM Being in YM Learning to play an instrument All the time Well in subject: various Performing What is the hardest part about school? Learning math 20% Subject: various 32% Nothing about school is difficult 9% Reading/Writing 12% Having self control 9% Getting along with others 6% Testing/STAAR 12% Learning math Having self control Getting along with others Testing/STAAR Reading/Writing Nothing about school is difficult Subject: various 104

116 What is the easiest part of school Everything 12% Music 6% Reading/Writing 14% Learning 3% Math 34% Recess/Lunch 14% Subjects: various 17% Reading/Writing Recess/Lunch Subjects: various Math Learning Everything Music What do you think about YOSA Más? Like it 15% Encouraging 6% Good/Great 6% Enjoyable 6% Awesome 40% Awesome Fun/Cool Enjoyable Good/Great Encouraging Like it Fun/Cool 27% 105

117 What was most fun about YOSA MÁS? Parties/Games 16% Performing 18% Being with friends 3% Playing an instrument 32% Learning new songs 21% Performing Learning new songs Everything Playing an instrument Being with friends Parties/Games Everything 10% What did you not like about YOSA MÁS? Waiting for classes to begin Long days 6% 3% Teachers getting angry 10% Waiting for the bus 6% The end of class day 9% Snacks/No snack machine 16% Everything was fun 31% Learning difficult music 19% Everything was fun Learning difficult music Snacks/No snack machine Waiting for the bus Teachers getting angry Long days Waiting for classes to begin The end of class day 106

118 Do you think you learned to play your instrument well? Disagree 3% Somewhat Agree 16% Agree Somewhat Agree Neutral Somewhat Disagree Disagree Agree 81% Somewhat Disagree 0% Neutral 0% Do you enjoy playing music? Neutral 3% Agree Somewhat Agree Neutral Somewhat Disagree Disagree Agree 97% Somewhat Agree 0% Somewhat Disagree 0% Disagree 0% 107

119 Appendix H 40 Developmental Assets for Adolescents Search Institute has identified the following building blocks of healthy development known as Developmental Assets that help young children grow up healthy, caring, and responsible. This particular list is intended for adolescents (age 12-18). If you'd like to see the lists for other age groups, you can find them on the Developmental Assets Lists page. For more information on the assets and the research behind them, see the Developmental Assets research page. EXTERNAL ASSETS SUPPORT 1. Family Support Family life provides high levels of love and support. 2. Positive Family Communication Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents. 3. Other Adult Relationships Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults. 4. Caring Neighborhood Young person experiences caring neighbors. 5. Caring School Climate School provides a caring, encouraging environment. 6. Parent Involvement in Schooling Parent(s) are actively involved in helping the child succeed in school. EMPOWERMENT 7. Community Values Youth Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth. 108

120 8. Youth as Resources Young people are given useful roles in the community. 9. Service to Others Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week. 10. Safety Young person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood. BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS 11. Family Boundaries Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young person s whereabouts. 12. School Boundaries School provides clear rules and consequences. 13. Neighborhood Boundaries Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people s behavior. 14. Adult Role Models Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior. 15. Positive Peer Influence Young person's best friends model responsible behavior. 16. High Expectations Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well. CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF TIME 17. Creative Activities Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts 18. Youth Programs Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in community organizations. 19. Religious Community Young person spends one hour or more per week in activities in a religious institution. 109

121 20. Time at Home Young person is out with friends "with nothing special to do" two or fewer nights per week. INTERNAL ASSETS COMMITMENT TO LEARNING 21. Achievement Motivation Young person is motivated to do well in school. 22. School Engagement Young person is actively engaged in learning. 23. Homework Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day. 24. Bonding to School Young person cares about her or his school. 25. Reading for Pleasure Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week. POSITIVE VALUES 26. Caring Young Person places high value on helping other people. 27. Equality and Social Justice Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty. 28. Integrity Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs. 29. Honesty Young person "tells the truth even when it is not easy." 30. Responsibility Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility. 31. Restraint Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs. SOCIAL COMPETENCIES 32. Planning and Decision Making Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices. 110

122 33. Interpersonal Competence Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills. 34. Cultural Competence Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds. 35. Resistance Skills Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations. 36.Peaceful Conflict Resolution Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently POSITIVE IDENTITY 37. Personal Power Young person feels he or she has control over "things that happen to me." 38. Self-Esteem Young person reports having a high self-esteem. 39. Sense of Purpose Young person reports that "my life has a purpose." 40. Positive View of Personal Future Young person is optimistic about her or his personal future. This list is an educational tool. It is not intended to be nor is it appropriate as a scientific measure of the developmental assets of individuals. Copyright 1997, 2007 by Search Institute. All rights reserved. This chart may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial use only (with this copyright line). No other use is permitted without prior permission from Search Institute, 615 First Avenue N.E., Suite 125, Minneapolis, MN 55413; See Search Institute's Permissions Guidelines and Request Form. The following are registered trademarks 111

123 Appendix I Driving goals of Excel Beyond the Bell 112

124 Appendix J Instrument Take Home Contract for Students and Parents Dear Student and Family: Instrument Take Home Contract for Students and Parents We are so pleased that you are studying with us at YOSA MÁS! As a string player you are allowed to borrow a YOSA owned instrument for each lesson. These instruments are very valuable both as musical instruments and as tools for learning. The replacement cost for each instrument is $1000. Taking home an instrument for practice at home can be fun and helpful to your learning, but you must remember the rules for proper instrument care and ownership. These rules include:! o o o o o Do not leave your instrument in the car. Do not leave your instrument anyplace where it will experience extremes of temperature or in high traffic areas where cracking or damage may occur. Do not allow anyone but you or your parents or guardians to handle your instrument. Contact your teacher if any damage happens to ensure a quick fix for future classes. Always remember to bring your instrument back to YOSA MÁS, even if you are not able to attend lessons that day. By signing a copy of this letter, you are agreeing to abide by the rules of care and understand that you are responsible for the instrument while it is loaned to you. Signed: Teacher Student Parent or Guardian YOSA!MÁS!Instrument!Take!Home!Contract!!Page 1 of 4! Current as of 2/11/

125 YOSA MÁS INSTRUMENT CHECK OUT FORM Name: Phone: Address: The instrument listed below is loaned to the above student for the Fall Semester Instrument: Number/Color: Condition: Accessories: Shoulder Rest Bow Rock Stop Rosin The following conditions apply: 1. You are responsible for the repair of any damage to the instrument during the time that the instrument is in your care. 2. You will return the instrument in the same condition that it was given to you. 3. You are responsible for the proper care of the instrument. 4. The instrument must be returned at any time requested.! Student Signature: Date: Parent Signature: Date: YOSA!MÁS!Instrument!Take!Home!Contract!!Page 2 of 4! Current as of 2/11/

126 Instrument Condition! Cello YOSA!MÁS!Instrument!Take!Home!Contract!!Page 3 of 4! Current as of 2/11/

127 Instrument Condition! Violin YOSA!MÁS!Instrument!Take!Home!Contract!!Page 4 of 4! Current as of 2/11/