Welcome Back, CDAL-style!

From the Top’s Center for the Development of Arts Leaders (CDAL) Boston is back after the summer break! We’re shifting into high gear as we launch the second half of this yearlong pilot with renewed energy, passion and MUSIC!

Working in teams with four mentors, 20 arts leaders (high school and early college musicians) have been challenged to take their music beyond the concert hall and promote positive change within five community partner sites in Greater Boston. Read more about the program and project sites here.

We hosted a welcome back dinner earlier in the month to reconnect all of the arts leaders, mentors, partners and staff. It was an incredible evening filled with laughter, food and a fantastically fun and diverse range of musical performances – how often do you get to hear “Take the ‘A’ Train”, a Brahms string quartet AND Brazilian percussion instruments in one night?!?

Check out this video to get a taste of the evening and meet this inspiring group!

Featured on the video (in order of appearance) are: Brian Kaufman (mentor) on tuba with friend Diana Lawrence on piano & vocals, Clifton Williams (arts leader and From the Top alum) on piano,  Ryan Shannon and Keith Williams (arts leaders) playing a violin and cello duet, John Carney (arts leader) on guitar and vocals, the Boston Public Quartet (community partners) with Betsy Hinkle and Marjorie Gere on violin, Jason Amos on viola and Mike Dahlberg on cello (also a mentor), and finally Karolina Nunes and Graziella Oliveira (arts leaders) playing traditional percussion instruments from Brazil.