doing good fall 2022: SERVICE-LEARNING projects

The Fall 2022 Doing Good cohort at the December 19 Graduation. Photo credit: Kayla John/RJCPictures

Last month, we celebrated the accomplishments of our Doing Good students at the Fall Semester Graduation. Doing Good is a 25-session intensive after-school creative youth development program for high school musicians who want to positively impact their communities. Students learn transferable 21st-century skills. The curriculum challenges them to view their curiosity about the world as a window through which they can see the needs, gaps, and opportunities they are best equipped to address. Students work in groups to formulate their idea. Each group receives $500 in seed funding to plan and implement a musically minded community-based service project under the guidance of Project 440 staff and teaching artists.

This was the first cohort since the start of the pandemic that was able to actualize their projects in person. It has been thrilling to see the students learn through this important aspect of this course and feel the satisfaction of seeing the impact of their semester-long planning. This cohort consisted of six groups, and projects addressed social issues around homelessness, violence, music education, community building, and career readiness. The groups presented their projects in the first two weeks of December at schools and community venues throughout the city. We are proud of the hard work put in by each member of this graduating class!

The Cozy Toes Project

Brielle, Daisia, Eriana, Samuel

Mission: To provide refuge and raise awareness about homelessness by creating a sense of community. The Cozy Toes Project offers a safe, community, and musical space for anybody. The Cozy Toes Project asked all participants at their event to donate a new pair of socks. The group distributed care packages that included a pair of socks and toiletries and performed live music.

Cook-in for Harmony

Charles, Cianni, De’Ayrah, Guyane, Haley, Hazel

Mission: Cook-in for Harmony strives to make a change by bringing youth together and raising awareness for violence prevention. We can change the narrative and prove that kids like us can come together, not fight or argue, and just have fun with each other. To come together with games, music, and amazing food it can start a new beginning for many.

Sharing our Sound

Ezra , Grace, Maya, Shaorui (Eric), Winni

Mission: Sharing our Sound brings joy, passion, and engagement to all youth by enhancing their musical experiences. Sharing our Sound strives to deliver music education to all students in the School District of Philadelphia by providing aid in any way possible: from writing simple fingerings to providing supplemental lessons for students that want extra help. We want to work with teachers as well to spread more music and more joy in as many schools as possible.

Strategic College Initiative

Joseph (Tom), Sandy, Sherry

Mission: Through professional assessments, the Strategic College Initiative aims to demonstrate how music can affect progress in STEAM (Science Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) fields while guiding high school students toward developing a professional portfolio.

Financial Association for People experiencing Homelessness (FAPH)

Kani, Khalidah, Laniyah, Madison, McKayla , Saniya, Serenity, Tahaja

Mission: The mission of FAPH is to create care packages for people experiencing homelessness and provide pamphlets with information about housing and much more.

INspire

Angelina, Jaylen , Khadijah, Taylor, Pia

Mission: INspire’s mission is to give teens different opportunities to explore possible outlets through the arts and music. We want to do this because we want to see kids our age become more comfortable with each other and be able to form a community. 

Project 440 is excited to welcome a new cohort of Philadelphia high school students for the Spring Semester beginning February 6. Register today for Doing Good.

Social Media's Influence on Musicians with Kate Warren

By: Patricia Harden & Tino Karkousis

On November 14, the Youth Advocacy Council (YAC) held our first Music in Color event of the 2022-23 school year! The topic was social media’s influence on musicians. The guest speaker was Kate Warren, a French hornist known for her Instagram music account, @katewarrenmusic, and studies on gender and brass.

Kate is relatively new to using social media, only starting an Instagram account in 2019 after making a New Year’s resolution to create a music account to listen back to her playing. The year afterward, while locked down in New York, she found her account as an incubator to listen to her practice. With one video per post, she saw improvement in herself and discovered a fulfilling outlet for her teaching practice. 

Kate sees social media as a “double-edged sword.” On one hand, it is a timely environment for mindful creativity, creating networks both professionally and personally. Teachers can find their students, communities can bond efficiently and rapidly; in fact, Kate says that her career wouldn’t be so without social media. On the contrary, social media is designed to take as much attention and time as possible. To deal with this, Kate sets several guidelines for herself to prevent the excessive expense of time on her social media: no scrolling before 9 am, no evening computer work, setting a time limit for scrolling, etc. Most importantly, she tries not to be an ‘influencer’ and believes that published content should be valuable in some form. She also recommends being honest, truthful, and kind; after all, the world can be a pretty brutal place, especially online!

When remarking on her gender and brass studies, Kate noted the role models and experiences in her life. There are currently few musical fields that are led principally by women, this unfortunate phenomenon also expanding to race and ethnicity. First studying with Michele Stebelton at Florida State (having a female brass teacher was extremely uncommon), Kate strives towards equal representation in concert programs and believes that we must all see ourselves as role models for the future generation. Other examples of her role models included members of the Philly Orchestra Jennifer Montone (who gave a concert 9 months pregnant) and Carol Jantsch (who coached and taught Kate while having a child). 

YAC members lead a discussion about social media with guest, Kate Warren.

Overall, the discussions with Kate were an enlightening way to start the Music in Color season. Her comments on repurposing musical content into formats people commonly read nowadays generate ideas on how to adapt music education to the current student generation. To bring the conversation closer to home, they demonstrate what it means to ask the hard questions that we at YAC get guest speakers and our own mentors to ask: the importance of equal representation and voice across the musical diaspora and the existence of platforms such as YAC that aim to cultivate this notion. 

This event was an inspiring discussion on all fronts. Seeing how social media affects musicians from the perspective of one in the field was appealing, interesting, and enjoyable, given how some of us may have our own music accounts on social media. Most importantly, understanding the connection and correlation between these two realms is eye-opening. And this is only one of many other enlightening discussions YAC will have this year in Music in Color!

Student Spotlight: Patricia Harden

Meet Patricia Harden, the Youth Advocacy Council (YAC)’s 2022-2023 Youth Representative to the Project 440 Board of Directors! Patty has participated in all of Project 440’s programs and is currently in her second year of serving on YAC. She recently shared some of the exciting in-person events YAC has in store for this school year and how she has overcome many challenges to be the youth leader she is today. 

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? What do you like to do outside of Project 440? 

I’m a violinist and senior at Commonwealth Charter Academy, a cyber public charter school. I like to write stories and articles (especially for my school’s newspaper), do digital art on MS Paint, and dabble in photography.

Q: How did you get involved with Project 440? What drew you to this organization? 

I first got involved with Project 440 when I attended the 2019 College Fair back when I was a PMAY (Philadelphia Music Alliance for Youth) Artist, and participated in their workshops. After that, I attended Instruments for Success to start my college search since pursuing music and performing seriously was something I knew that I wanted to make a career out of. Since then, I have learned about college readiness, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills with Doing Good and the Youth Advocacy Council (YAC).

Patty with her mother Beverly and her newly donated violin in front of Settlement Music School. Also pictured, the family of Doris Loder, Dr. Najib Wong (PMAY), next to Patti, and Kate Lombard (Musicopia) far right.

Q: This is your second year participating in YAC. What are some learning points from last year? What do you hope to do differently? 

One learning point from last year at YAC was how to think about past ideas in a newer mindset. Knowing how to properly brief others on topics and combine new compromises are some things I hope to improve in my second year at YAC.

Q: What do you look forward to the most this year with YAC?

I’m looking forward to having an in-person presence with YAC in the Philadelphia area, especially when collaborating on Night at the Orchestra, an event where YAC members invite other Philadelphia youth to a Philadelphia Orchestra concert. There’s a pre-concert meet and greet with guest artists and Philadelphia Orchestra musicians who sometimes participate in a discussion with YAC members. I feel that YAC is at its best when it brings older or “forgotten” ideas and develops them into newer creations, such as reinvigorating the Nights at the Orchestra with Music in Color themes of discussion.

Q: Where do you find your motivation and drive to do all that you do? Do you have any words of wisdom to share with other youth who may be looking for direction or purpose in their life?

Patty performing at the Primavera Fund concert at Rag & Bone on Walnut Street in Center City Philadelphia

Mostly from motivation, commitment, and determination in my life: I was diagnosed with autism at around one or two years old and was tested to reveal speech, walking, and learning disabilities. In fact, I couldn’t talk until I was 4 and had to be in a stroller until I was 5. I was scared of talking to people, and my brain grew slower than others. With the crying at that point, music was the only thing to calm me down. I was the only person in the family to not only be autistic, but also take music to a serious level of my own volition.

Now, as a senior, I’m in the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, as well as being a part of many other chamber ensembles. I am studying under many teachers and have many great professional mentors. On top of that, I’m a youth board representative for Project 440.

All in all, my words of wisdom to other youth looking for direction or life purpose: Define your own definition of “normal”. As you can see, my life story is anything but, but those who know me now see me as another fellow student musician. Just being yourself more than makes the difference.

All City Orchestra Summer Academy student interview featuring Patty.

A Memorable Meeting with Hilary Hahn

By: Mandy Jiang, Patricia Harden, and Anna Zhang

Left to Right: Teaching Artist (TA), Melissa Wright, Anna Zhang, Hilary Hahn, Mandy Jiang, Patricia Harden, and TA, Kei Fukuda

Meeting violinist Hilary Hahn was truly a dream come true. Before one of her performances of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with The Philadelphia Orchestra, Patricia, Anna, and I were gifted with the opportunity of a lifetime - to meet with and interview the Hilary Hahn. We were led to the green room, where we expectantly waited for her arrival, our hearts near bursting with anticipation. Then there she was - the classical icon herself - walking in from a hidden hallway behind us. We all erupted into collective screaming, gasping, and personally, maybe even a little crying. 

After recovering from our initial shock and taking a few deep breaths, we each had a chance to ask her a few questions. Below are her answers to a few of the questions we asked that most resonated with us. 

Q: What was the impact of the pandemic on your career? -  Anna

A: The pandemic reduced the amount of physical interaction between musicians but allowed music on digital platforms to prosper. Ms. Hahn took a year off of playing live concerts but learned new ways of approaching playing violin and general violin repertoire after returning. 

Q: Which pieces have you played by underrepresented composers? - Patricia

A: Ms. Hahn has listened to, premiered, and even commissioned many works by underrepresented composers. One notable piece would be Jessie Montgomery’s “Banner.” Ms. Hahn has explored and always been intrigued by the works of lesser known artists and strives to make a name for them.

Q: What advice would you give someone who started playing violin later on in life? - Mandy

A: The most important thing is to focus on the advantages of playing an instrument later on in life rather than the disadvantages. It means that choosing to play music was a personal choice, rather than a predetermined destiny or decision made by your parents. It also means that you can recall learning fundamental skills. Ms. Hahn also said that regardless of when you started, the most important thing is to use your passion for music to make a difference.

Afterwards, as members of the Youth Advocacy Council (YAC), we proudly gifted Ms. Hahn her very own P440 hooded sweatshirt. She immediately put it on, excitedly mentioning how “all of [her] other hoodies [were] worn out” and that she was in need of another. We then took pictures and were graciously given signatures on practice journals, in notebooks, and on laptop cases. However, my favorite memory from this experience would have to be when our meet and greet had just concluded - Ms. Hahn had unexpectedly walked up to Patricia’s mother, thanked her, then gave her a hug! It was incredibly sweet and led to us all taking selfies with the kind soloist before giving her a warm send off and wishing her luck at her performance. 

Getting to meet Hilary Hahn was definitely a memory the three of us will always cherish. We hope to spread the work we are doing at YAC so that we can even reach those as influential to the classical music world as Ms. Hahn. As musicians and leaders in our community, we take her empowering words to heart and aspire to continue making change in our communities and in the classical music world. 

Meet Project 440 Bloomberg arts Intern: Naja Johnson

We introduced you to Ricando Davis, a rising senior at Cheltenham High School and one of two Bloomberg Arts Interns working at Project 440 this summer, in our last blog post. Ricando interviewed Naja Johnson, a rising senior at Science Leadership Academy Center City and Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI) participant, to learn what moves her and motivated her to work at Project 440. Keep reading to get to know Naja!

Naja Johnson

Ricando (R): What are you looking forward to the most in the internship? Naja (N): Meeting people or seeing new people. I like the thought of seeing new people and doing new things, I also look forward to meeting with creative directors to see if this is a job, I see myself possibly doing in the future.

R: What motivates you? N: My cats; My dad; My will to live; the fact that I have gotten everything I wanted with honest work;I know that anything that I want or have wanted in this world I got it. Motivation comes easy when there’s something new to accomplish and learn everyday.

R: What's your favorite trait about yourself, and how has it helped you to overcome difficulties in the past and or present? N: My resilience. I have been thrown under tons and tons of times in the past. I’ve had my fair share of bad days, but there's just something in me that can’t stop my drive more or less to say.

R: Why did you choose to apply to the Bloomberg Arts Internship program?  N: Aside from that it is a paid internship, just the overall opportunity to work at any theater, music organization or museum in Philadelphia. It’s one thing to visit these places and enjoy it as a visitor but it’s another to see the archives and live and breathe the air of the art. It’s just a…dream and scores me some cool points from time to time.

R: What's one thing you like about Project 440? N: Generation Music (a current Doing Good II project). I do agree that the only reason some people can further progress their skills is because of economic strengths. With Generation Music, it is and pushes the opposite. It gives kids like me the opportunity to be on stages, possibly go to camps. I think the connections and meaning of Generation Music is very inspiring and powerful.

R: What is one thing you would like to learn more about this summer with Project 440? N: I want a wide view of the pyramid of the team and what everyone does to make the wheels turn.

R: How has music/art impacted your life?  N: It gave me a way to express how I feel. Sad? There’s songs for it. Happy? Tons of songs praising the sun. Angry? Music is sort of a coping mechanism and that’s such a positive thing in my opinion.

R: Favorite stress food? N: It really depends. I like to stress eat mangos, Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly or just plain toast with jelly, and sometimes Ruffles. But when I'm really, really stressed, eating doesn't come naturally for me. 

R: Favorite type of art and how does it make you feel? N: I prefer and love any art from the Renaissance era, the houses they built, the music they've made, the clothes they would wear? All beautiful art.

R: Do you think people who work in different art fields are underappreciated and why?  N: Depends. Are they a jack of all trades but master of none? Are they confident in themselves enough to present their art? I believe that they shouldn’t be underappreciated if they are versatile enough to switch from style to style with or without effort; that in itself makes me appreciate them. 

Meet Project 440's Bloomberg Arts Intern: Ricando Davis

This summer, Project 440 is one of 17 Philadelphia cultural organizations participating in the Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI) program supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The program helps young people develop the skills they need by providing students in Baltimore, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. with work experience at select cultural institutions, as well as work-readiness and college-preparation training. We are thrilled to have Naja Johnson and Ricando Davis join us as summer interns. Naja and Ricando had the opportunity to interview each other earlier this month. Continue reading to learn more about Ricando, and be sure to check out our next blog post to get to know Naja!

Ricando Davis

Naja (N): What’s your regular halal order? Ricando (R): I don’t really eat halal food, but the first time I had it I had lamb and rice and it was good. 

N: What made you want to join BAI? R: I love music, especially the arts, and when looking for something to do this summer I wanted to work at a place that shared the same interest as me. Another reason why I wanted to join BAI is because of their mission to allow young people in the Philadelphia School District to create and formulate different ways to spread art in Philadelphia.

N: What piece of music do you consider a timeless piece? R: The Chariot Jubilee by Nathaniel Dett

N: Do you think we should always associate the art with the artist?

R: When I think of art, I think of it as an activity that people use to express their deepest feelings, emotions, and or desires, so I do think we should always associate the art with the artist. Art is honest and pure, and if you create a piece that is not you, is it really “Art” in a sense?

N: How would you describe the feeling of your first musical performance? How could you compare then from now? R: For my first musical performance, I felt free and felt like whatever I was going through and/or whatever I have been through was non-existent. My first performance allowed me to realize that music could be a way to heal and escape from my problems and adversities. And even to this day I feel the same way, and that feeling never gets old. 

N: In your ideal perfect day, do you see yourself practicing or thinking of your art? What comes to mind? R: Yes, I do. I see myself playing the keyboard and singing whatever comes to my mind, or sometimes I see myself performing on the Grammy stage. 

N: If you were stranded on an island today what ways would you try to stay sane? R: Definitely sing a song and/or find different objects to make musical items.

N: Describe a time when you felt as though you were the elephant in the room. R: My first time taking an AP class at my high school. Walking into that room and being surrounded by people who did not look like me and did not share the same experiences made me feel out of place. 

N: What are 3 items you would put in a time capsule? R: My certificates, pictures of my younger self, and a piece of my favorite cake (lol).

N: What is one of the biggest challenges you still face today? Do you find ways to cope? R: My biggest challenge that I still face today is not being patient with myself. I have this mindset that I am supposed to get everything fast and quick, and when I don’t, I beat myself up. But with time, I have learned and have been trying to internalize that patience is key. My way of coping is taking deep breaths whenever I become flustered and reminding myself that I am not perfect. 

Congratulations to the Class of 2022!

Please join us in wishing our high school graduating Youth Advocacy Council (YAC) members and Project 440 alumni a huge CONGRATULATIONS! Additionally, we are pleased to announce that Sebastian Gonzales is the 2022 recipient of a full-tuition scholarship from the Manhattan School of Music reserved annually for one Project 440 alumna/us. We are incredibly proud of our students, of all that they have accomplished, and can’t wait to follow what amazing things they will continue to do in their new communities. Continue reading to see what our students’ post-high school plans are!

Sebastian Gonzales is the second Project 440 alumnus to receive a full-tuition scholarship to Manhattan School of Music (MSM) where he will be studying oboe with Sherry Sylar, Associate Principal Oboe with the New York Philharmonic, this coming fall. Sebastian is a graduate of Central High School and has participated in Doing Good. Sebastian says of his experience with Project 440, “Participating in Doing Good taught me how to lead and work with others, which not only helped in school, but also in the realm of music. The skills I learned in Doing Good aided my sense of ensemble and leadership skills within orchestras and chamber groups. I also learned communication skills that helped me to start building a reputation as a reliable musician, which allowed me to start getting gigs this year. I would recommend Project 440 to every eligible student!”

Maria Karakousis is a pianist and harpist and one of three YAC students who graduated this month. Maria also served as YAC’s Youth Board Representative to Project 440’s Board of Directors this past year. A graduate of J.R. Masterman High School, she will be attending Princeton University in the fall where she intends to major in Molecular Biology. “My favorite P440 memories have centered around collaborating with YAC to bring the “Music in Color” program to aspiring musicians in Philadelphia and beyond.”

Ronnell Williams is a cellist and a graduate of the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts who served on YAC. Ronnell will be attending West Chester University where he hopes to major in Psychology. 

Ryan Williams is a violinist who served on YAC and also graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts. Ryan will be attending West Chester University along with his twin brother Ronnell where he hopes to pursue his interest in Early Education.

Chanah Nielsen is a harpist who is a graduate of the Philadelphia High School for Girls. Chanah will be attending the Community College of Philadelphia with a focus on political science and international relations where she hopes to pursue her interest in relief work and foreign relations. “I will keep music involved in my life because it has helped me so much! I also want to continue my studies in Mandarin because I love the language and hope to incorporate it into my career.” 

We also wish Vicki Lin, Doing Good alumna, congratulations on her graduation from Horace Howard Furness High School.

To all of our Project 440’s 2022 graduates, thank you for being a part of the Project 440 family. We are so grateful for all that you have contributed to the Philadelphia community and hope that you will use the tools you have learned in our programs to find success in whatever you choose to pursue!

College Fair for Musicians Returns June 4 to the Kimmel Center

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rebecca Bolden, 215-680-5247

rbolden@project440.org

THE PROJECT 440 COLLEGE FAIR FOR MUSICIANS RETURNS FOR THE FIRST IN-PERSON FAIR SINCE 2019 TO THE KIMMEL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS ON JUNE 4 

Featuring admissions representatives from 40 colleges, universities, and conservatories nationwide and College & Career Readiness workshops led by industry experts including two-time Grammy winner Bernard “TreWay” Lambert & Socrates Villegas clarinetist with The Philadelphia Orchestra

Philadelphia, PA (May 23, 2022) – Today, Project 440 announced the Exhibitors and program for its 5th annual College Fair for Musicians to be held on Saturday, June 4 from 10am to 4pm at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. The College Fair is for students, parents, educators, and anyone who has music as part of their life, wants to learn about opportunities to study and participate in music in college, or know more in general about attending college. 

Attendees will get one-on-one facetime with music school and admissions representatives from over 40 colleges, universities, conservatories, and music education organizations from throughout the country during the Exhibitor session from 1 to 3 pm. Bradley Whittemore, Director of Admissions at Ithaca College says, “I can't wait to be back at this year's Project 440 Fair! I've really missed this event in recent seasons and look forward to returning.” Admissions Counselor Olivia Orlando says, “Rider University is motivated to participate in and support Project 440’s College Fair because we want to make sure to share what Rider has to offer with students in our area and beyond.”

Participating schools from the Delaware Valley include Curtis Institute of Music, Eastern University, Rider University, Rutgers University, Temple University, University of the Arts, University of Delaware, and West Chester University. Schools from beyond the region include Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Cleveland Institute of Music, Florida State University, The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, University of Michigan, University of Southern California, and University of Toronto, Faculty of Music. A complete list of College Fair Exhibitors is available at https://project440.org/college-fair. 

Prior to and following the Exhibitor session, all attendees will have access to Project 440’s College & Career readiness workshops featuring a range of industry professionals including Dr. Chandra Williams, Vice President, Community Manager, JP Morgan Chase who will give a workshop on credit basics, budgeting and savings, and Project 440’s resident college expert, Cigus Vanni, AKA “The College Fairy” who will review all aspects of Financial Aid. Socrates Villegas, clarinetist with The Philadelphia Orchestra will discuss college auditioning, and North Philadelphia native Bernard “TreWay” Lambert, Drummer & Musical Director for artists including Future, Meek Mill, Bebe Rexha, and Floetry will share his career path. 

The complete schedule of workshops includes:

• Current College Student Panel: “What I Wish I Knew” featuring Project 440 alumni, 10 and 11am

• Recording Yourself with Your Own Equipment with Clark Connor of Weston Sound, 10 and 11am

• Budgeting and Saving for College Students with Dr. Chandra Williams, vice president community manager, JP Morgan Chase, 10 and 11am

• College Auditioning: “What you need to Know” with Socrates Villegas, Second Clarinet of The Philadelphia Orchestra, 12 and 3pm

• Financial Aid for Musicians with Cigus Vanni, “The College Fairy,” 12 and 3pm

• My Career Path with two-time Grammy Award winning drummer and entrepreneur, Bernard "TreWay" Lambert, 12pm and 3 pm

The day concludes with a raffle featuring tickets to The Philadelphia Orchestra, 76ers, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Longwood Gardens, the Philadelphia Ballet, a Wawa gift basket, and more. The Project 440 College Fair for Musicians is co-presented by the Philadelphia Music Alliance for Youth (PMAY) Artists’ Initiative with additional support provided by the Kimmel Cultural Campus. Admission to the College Fair and access to the workshops is free for all attendees, advance registration is strongly encouraged. Learn more and register at project440.org/college-fair. 

ABOUT PROJECT 440:

The mission of Project 440 is to teach young people to use their interest in music to forge new pathways for themselves and ignite change in their communities. Project 440 refers to the 440Hz "tuning A" of an orchestra usually by the oboe, just as the oboe leads an orchestra with the 440 Hz pitch, Project 440 students are learning to be 21st Century leaders. Programmatically, Project 440 has developed a comprehensive curriculum which uses music as a tool to teach young people the life skills they need to thrive regardless of the career path they choose. Project 440’s core programs are: 

Doing Good : An intensive, 25-session afterschool program that teaches young musicians the basics of leadership, entrepreneurship, and service. Students demonstrate these new skills in a cumulative final project during which they organize their own community-based service projects. 

Instruments for Success: A 10-week, afterschool program that covers every aspect of the college admissions process, including how to find the right college, effective essay writing, audition and interview preparation, and more.

Youth Advocacy Council: The Youth Advocacy Council consists of program alumni, students from the School District of Philadelphia, and other young leaders from throughout the region. Participants receive leadership, project management, governance, and advocacy training and utilize these skills to produce student driven programs including Music in Color featuring diverse voices in professional music 

Download press release.

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Ask Me Anything with Cigus "The College Fairy"

Cigus Vanni AKA “The College Fairy” is Project 440’s college specialist and Instruments for Success Lead Teaching Artist. He has more than 40 years of experience in college search and selection including as a college admissions counselor, school counselor, and school psychologist. Cigus is the first member of his family to attend college, earning his BA from Swarthmore College and certification in school psychology from Bryn Mawr College. Cigus is also a five-time winner and undefeated Jeopardy! champion—he knows a lot of stuff! 

This month, Cigus answers three more questions about the college application process. Look for the next edition of “Ask Me Anything” with Cigus in our May e-newsletter, and be sure to visit Cigus at his table at the College Fair for Musicians on Saturday, June 4 at the Kimmel Center to ask him anything you want to know about the college admissions process!

Q: Should I visit each college where I apply? 

Ideally, yes, you should visit as the experience of being on campus may provide significant information—both cognitive and emotional—about whether that school is right for you. This may be unfeasible because of time or monetary constraints but one may get a meaningful sense of a given college by accessing virtual tours, info sessions and webinars on the school’s website.

Q: How important is my college essay?

An essay should be genuine, display self-awareness, show insight and provide a meaningful story about what an applicant believes is important enough to serve as a representation of their real self. It can provide a college with important cues about whether an individual fits that school’s vibe and mission. The essay is also a vehicle by which an applicant can share what obstacles they might have overcome to get through high school, although there should be no pressure on a student to relive trauma. Academic rigor and grades are generally more important than one’s essay.

Q: If I am applying to study music, do I have to visit the college to play my audition? 

With the pandemic easing, the answer is probably yes. Many colleges were conducting auditions online but that is likely to change. There are, however, some schools that will conduct auditions on a regional basis which may mean that they will be in or close to your home city.

One more Bonus Question:

Q: I am a senior in college. Is it too late to apply?

No—you can apply to any community college up until the week that fall classes begin and there are some four-year colleges that also accept applications in this timeframe. 

Leadership Spotlight: Meet Executive Director, Rebecca Bolden

Rebecca Bolden started working as Project 440’s first full-time Executive Director in January, and she has been busy learning the ins and outs of the organization. She recently answered a few questions so that we could get to know her. Read about Rebecca’s connection to music, what excites her the most about working for Project 440, and some advice on college and career planning she would give to her high school self in this blog post.

Q: What excites you most about being Project 440’s first full-time executive director?

What excites me about leading Project 440 is the passion that everyone involved, from our students and partners to our donors, have for our mission and the collective commitment to providing young people with opportunities to forge new pathways for themselves and ignite change in their communities. After presenting our programs virtually for the past two years, we are planning a return to in-person classes in the fall. I am excited to collaborate with our Board of Directors, staff and Teaching Artists, and partner with Joseph Conyers, our Founder & Vision Advisor, to engage more students in our work. 

Over the past two years, we have developed partnerships with the Bucks County Youth Orchestra, the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, to name a few. These partnerships have underscored the power of our mission, the reach of our creative youth development programs, and the importance of teaching 21st century life skills to our next generation of leaders. We know that participating in our programs including Instruments for Success and Doing Good can change a young person’s life. Project 440 is committed to welcoming students who have varied interests in music and represent all genres and skill levels. I am most excited to ensure that more students know Project 440 is a place for them and to make our programs accessible to all Philadelphia high school students. 

Q: What is your personal connection to music and/or the creative arts?

Music has always been an important part of my life. My parents introduced me to music, and I was fortunate to be able to attend live performances beginning at a very young age. A few of my earliest and fondest memories of attending live performances include a production of South Pacific at the Myrtle Beach Hilton and The Philadelphia Orchestra’s family concerts at the Academy of Music and summer concerts at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts. I sang in choir throughout my education beginning in elementary school and studied voice in college and after college. As a child, I also studied piano with a neighbor who was a wonderful and very patient teacher! 

I live in South Philadelphia and love that I am within walking distance and can easily attend live music and theater performances. I am happy to be able to attend live performances again, and most recently attended The Philadelphia Orchestra’s performance of The Hours and the All-City Philadelphia High School Music Festival featuring many Project 440 students past and present.

Q: If you could give any advice to your high school self with regards to college applications and/or career choices, what would it be? 

Hmm… that’s a great question. I definitely had anxiety about applying to and being accepted to college. My brother gave me some good advice. He said that while academics and what I study are of course a significant aspect of college, it is not the only important factor in deciding where to go to college. That advice helped me to broaden my thinking about what I wanted out of my college experience. I loved music and hoped to study voice, and although I was not on a path to attend a conservatory, it was important for me to be able to participate in music in college.

I grew up in the Philadelphia area and was fortunate to be able to go away to college and attend Clark University in Worcester Massachusetts. Clark is a small university, and I was able to study voice and also pursue a liberal arts education—two of my favorite non-music classes were comparative politics and a video production course. I was originally hoping to attend college in Boston, but after visiting Clark, I decided it was the right place for me, and Boston was less than an hour away. Good thing I visited in the warmer weather. I may not have gone there if I visited during a typical wintery Worcester day.

I would reiterate Cigus’s advice to do a thorough self-appraisal of what is important to you, and I would invite all of our Project 440 students to attend the College Fair on June 4!