Sandra Bailey Inspires Students to Pursue their Dreams

“(This event) made me realize what kids can accomplish when given the necessary support from role models in their community. I feel honored to have had the opportunity to enrich the lives of…youth in my own community.”

Bassoonist Sandra Bailey understands the value of outlining goals to help achieve one’s dreams. Wanting to share this message with younger students in her hometown, she visited a 6^th and 7^th grade music class at the Atlanta Preparatory Academy, where her younger sister is a student.

After challenging the students to write down their goals, Sandra talked about the steps she took to make her own dreams become a reality, from getting her first bassoon, to appearing on From the Top and being selected as a Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist (she was on Show #232 and will be part of our upcoming gala!).

Sandra dazzled the students with a range of musical selections, from Bolero to the SpongeBob theme, and encouraged them to explore their own musical potential. She created a special pamphlet with musical opportunities in Atlanta for the students to take home and share with their parents.

We asked Sandra to share more about her experience:

FTT: Was there a memorable moment? 

Sandra: After explaining the orchestral music that sometimes plays behind cartoons, I played a bassoon excerpt that occasionally plays on SpongeBob – it was enlightening to see how captured they were after I played it.

FTT: What do you think the students took away from your presentation?

Sandra: I believe they left inspired knowing that their goals are possible, and that they have many opportunities right in their hometown.

FTT: What did you take away from this experience?

Sandra: I learned about how children can be unaware of the many things they can accomplish. It made me remember the many things I had been unaware of at their age, like future careers and goal setting. I also became aware of the parental encouragement that is needed (another reason for sending home the pamphlets). There were moments where I had to change the order of my program, just to captivate the audience a little more.

FTT: What does being an arts leader mean to you?

Sandra: Being an arts leader is a very unique title. You have to be aware of the many different music opportunities and have the passion to express it to someone who is unaware of the subject. Above all you have to be willing to express your passion to anyone in any situation because we can all be helped and inspired by the art of music.

Feedback from Justin Bartley, Music Director at the Atlanta Preparatory Academy:

“Good News! Several of the kids did take away from your presentation…A few young ladies are now interested in not only becoming singers, but actually studying voice as a major!!! Thank you for being such an inspiration to the kids!”