When you make a gift to Elemental Music, you are supporting the next generation of musicians and music educators!
As we Make Our Garden Grow with new programs, one of our most exciting seeds is the **brand new** Elemental Music Teaching Fellowship for college students. It has been a joy to get to know this inaugural class of fellows while also watching our youngest musicians look up to new mentors!
Inspiring the next generation of music educators is a responsibility we don't take lightly, and we can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds for this brand new program.
There are only a few days left to make a tax-deductible donation for this year. We are 57% of the way to our holiday fundraising goal and we need YOUR help to close the gap! Make a gift TODAY and support the next generation of music educators through our Teaching Fellowship!
Don't take it from us! Hear from 2022/23 fellows Emma, Mads, Carolyn, and Daniel about their experiences this fall:
"I am incredibly grateful to Elemental Music for creating this fellowship program for college students like me. As I study to become a music teacher, this fellowship has provided me with the wonderful opportunity to apply what I learn in school and make a real impact in young musicians' lives. I have learned so much from the ensemble directors, coaches, and of course from the students, and I am so excited to see what the rest of the year holds!"
- Emma Marie Surdilla, Elemental Band Teaching Fellow
"It’s truly been a privilege to sit in on orchestra and sectional rehearsals, allocating most of my attention towards learning how to teach instead of learning how to play. I grew up going to SMMUSD schools and, though I didn’t participate in Elemental Music programs as a student until my senior year of high school as a violist in the Chamber Music Institute, I was always aware of the positive influence the program had on the musicians around me.
To have gone from mentoring students in Prelude one-on-one over Zoom to being given opportunities to teach an entire section for parts of a sectional rehearsal has been an incredibly enriching experience. It’s brought me such joy to see the bright minds of these exceptionally talented young musicians, and I very much look forward to seeing how they continue to grow as the season continues!"
- Mads Knight-Weber, Elemental Strings Teaching Fellow
"During my time as a Teaching Fellow with Elemental Music, I've been able to see firsthand the leadership it requires to teach kids. I've also seen the impact that this program has on its students. I loved seeing their excitement to perform and the ease with which they performed. I've also felt encouraged as the kids have, in a way, supported my input as a Teaching Fellow. I look forward to making more contributions to the program and growing in leadership!"
- Carolyn Lozano Archbold, Elemental Choir Teaching Fellow
"My first semester at Elemental Strings has been an amazing opportunity and experience. I didn’t quite know what to expect going in, but I quickly learned that I was surrounded by a supportive, caring, and wise community of faculty as well as creative, curious, and ambitious students. I love how the program promotes a safe, inclusive, and productive learning environment that allows the students to learn as much as possible, but also allows them to have fun and be engaged.
From just one semester at Elemental Strings, I have learned so much about teaching younger students. The faculty have given the fellows plenty of opportunities to practice methods of teaching and are incredibly dedicated to helping us improve. They helped me become more confident and more interpersonally conscious. I have had so much fun working with the students and learning from the teachers this semester, and I can not wait to continue to learn and grow at this amazing program."
- Daniel Young, Elemental Strings Teaching Fellow