Tag: leadership

While on tour, we have visited some really inspiring music programs in schools across the country. For our taping with the Colorado Symphony this January, we had the opportunity to connect with El Sistema Colorado – a program dedicated to “transform[ing] the lives of children through music.” They are in residence at the Garden Place Academy […]

Nicholas King is a Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award recipient who appeared on Show 177 in New Albany, Ohio, and the experience was life-changing. He says, “From the Top and the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation showed me the importance of supporting young musicians. Without the scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation I wouldn’t […]

From the Top loves reaching out to the communities we visit on our tour! While we were in Dallas in January, we brought three young musicians to visit a group of teens at the Pleasant Grove Branch Library. Our soloists were Russell Houston (age 18, cello), Aakash Patel (age 19, violin), and Chase Dobson (age […]

…many times, people in nursing homes might not have opportunities to listen and experience the passion of music…I [was able] to share the wonders of music with others and bring happiness in to someone’s life. Even at the age of 10, pianist and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Avery Gagliano (Show 251) can see the positive influence […]

The day after From the Top’s taping at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts in Davis, CA, we traveled to Davis High School to meet with students involved in the school’s orchestra program. Performers Annie Wu (flute), Kristina Zlatareva (violin), JiSun Jung (cello), and JiaYing Dong (piano) joined us for the event. In addition […]

After an appearance on From the Top in 2008 (Show 192), violinist Ren Martin-Doike (now studying viola at the Curtis Institute) has been all about making connections with others through music. We’ve shared a number of these connections on our blog over the years, including a demonstration on the similarities between a string quartet and a rock band  for an […]

Being an arts leader to me means inspiring that “spark” in others so they can realize what they are capable of. It’s about empowering people to go after something they normally wouldn’t, or showing them a piece of their full potential and how easy it is to accomplish their goals. – Carson Marshall When 17 […]

I learned that it is extremely effective to have kids teach other kids. I think they were able to really connect with me in a way that you can’t connect with an adult teacher. Pianist Arianna Korting (Show 145, Boston, Massachusetts; Show 241, Washington, DC) is passionate about showing younger kids how enjoyable and fun […]

When From the Top is out on the road taping our radio broadcasts, we make it a community experience. In addition to filling concert halls, we bring our performers to visit schools and community centers to share the power of music. Our performers are wonderful role models for the value of hard work, focus, and […]

15-year-old cellist and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Matthew Liversedge has always believed that music can be enjoyed by anyone, and wanted to share that view with other high school students in his community. So on the morning of September 30th, Matt and his friend Stephen Wright (violin) visited the Oakdale Christian Academy, a boarding […]

13-year-old guitarist Thomas Pfefer believes that music is a gift meant to be shared with others. So when representatives from the Volunteers of America Children’s Center in Allentown, PA asked him to present to a group their students, Thomas said he’d love to. He performed a variety of guitar piece, then share more about how […]

18-year-old pianist and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Yifan Wu wanted to find a way to reach out to the elderly in his hometown of Flushing, New York. He was introduced to the Korean American Senior Center, and reached out to their event coordinator in hopes of taking part in one of their weekly programs […]

17-year-old flutist and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Ryan Norville wanted the youth from his hometown of Fort Myers, Florida to see and experience the power of music. He chose to visit with students from his old elementary school, Tanglewood Elementary School, where he gave two back-to-back presentations for 4th and 5th grade students. He […]

It’s been ten whole years since we’ve heard from alum Andrew Roitstein, a bassist who played on Show 051 in Lenox, Massachusetts alongside his twin brother, flutist Matthew Roitstein. These days Andrew lives in New York and plays with another From the Top alum, violinist Pala Garcia (Show 068 in Portland, Oregon), in the Toomai […]

Three-time radio/TV show alum Mike Thurber reached out to us earlier this year with an exciting idea – he wanted to create a recording to celebrate From the Top’s efforts to support young artists and keep classical music alive and well. Mike teamed up with other From the Top alums Charles Yang, Ibanda Ruhumbika and […]

This past Sunday in Brooklyn, NY, cellist and From the Top alum Patrick McGuire ran a 5k race with 22 fellow Juilliard musicians to help support the organization Music That Heals (MTH). Founded in 1997, MTH brings musicians into hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and treatment centers to perform for seriously ill children and adults all […]

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 […]

18-year-old harpist and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Angelica Hairston wanted to share her music with visually impaired children from her community. She had become acquainted with the Georgia Organization of Parents of Blind Children (GOPBC) as a member of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, and wanted an opportunity to meet and work with these […]

This is a great example of Arts Leadership! We love how teens took the initiative and then won support from a major symphony. The West High Symphony Club has teamed up with Utah Symphony | Utah Opera (US | UO) to create a “template” for classical music and opera clubs as a way to get teens […]

Calling all Baltimore residents! We just learned about From the Top alum and clarinetist Matthew Dykeman‘s upcoming benefit concert supporting “United for Uganda” – a project that provides the TORUWU (Training of Rural Women in Uganda) Community Brass Band with instruments and financial aid. He’ll be joined by musicians from the Peabody Conservatory and the […]