News
The Global Leaders Program of YOA Orchestra of the Americas is honored that four graduates have been named winners of the Hildegard Behrens Foundation 2016 “Global Humanitarian Entrepreneur Award.” This prize recognizes the merit and distinction of socially focused music initiatives and training programs recent Global Leaders Program graduates are working to launch. This year's awardees are Kate Clarke (Canada), Peggy Houng (United States), Jessica Ling (United States), and Gabriel Polycarpo (Brazil).
The Global Humanitarian Entrepreneur Award is made possible by the generous contribution of the Hildegard Behrens Foundation, which recognizes the impact that music plays in the transformation of lives and communities across the Americas. The Hildegard Behrens Foundation was founded in honor of the great German dramatic soprano and was launched in August 2010 by Dr. Gaston Ormazábal, a long-time friend of the legendary opera singer and Metropolitan Opera superstar. The Foundation makes financial contributions to institutions that promote music, the arts, and humanitarian causes in commemoration of Ms. Behrens’ artistic legacy of "perfect architecture of the musical phrase, complete classical training in the historical context of Western civilization, and deep humanity."
The YOA Global Leaders Program is grateful to Dr. Ormazábal and the Hildegard Behrens Foundation for generously helping to underwrite the program since its inception. The Global Humanitarian Entrepreneur Award is part of an ongoing collaboration between YOA Orchestra of the Americas and the Hildegard Behrens Foundation.
The jury to select the winners was led by Mary Ann Mumm of the Metropolitan Opera, Dr. Lisa Lorenzino - Chair of Music Education at McGill University, Dr. Nigel Clarke - Founder of the National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica, Katie Wyatt - Founder of KidzNotes, and other members of the Global Leaders Faculty and Administrative Team. The prize is of a symbolic nature.
ABOUT PRIZE WINNER--Kate Clarke
Kate Clarke, Canadian trumpet player and 2016 Global Leader, has created an initiative called Music Plus Me! in which children ages 2 - 4 and their parents have the opportunity to intimately connect with each other through singing, playing musical games, and performing simple musical exercises. Music Plus Me aims to increase the engagement that parents from vulnerable communities have in their children’s development. This project focuses on Saint John, New Brunswick, and is designed to be free of cost for all participants. Kate is a teaching artist with Sistema NB Saint John.
ABOUT THE YOA GLOBAL LEADERS PROGRAM
The Global Leaders Program is a nine-month professional training course in Community Leadership, Teaching Artistry, and Social Entrepreneurship offered annually to a group of 30 exceptional musicians and aspiring changemakers.
The Global Leaders Program gives participants the opportunity to grow through immersive missions to the world’s most dynamic communities, while receiving hands-on guidance from a Faculty of industry leaders, and pursuing a tailored academic curriculum overseen by YOA Orchestra of the Americas, Oxford University, and McGill University.
The program combines teacher training, leadership development, innovative thinking, and social enterprise with the largest grassroots network in music education, guided by an award-winning faculty from top academic institutions. The result is a real-world, cutting-edge curriculum that empowers aspiring changemakers to become teaching artists and social entrepreneurs.
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