Now I Can…
Eric Thompson,
Bassist, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra with Ralph Jones, Principal Bassist, The Atlanta Symphony OrchestraThe Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's Talent Development Program (TDP) prepares students for conservatory, college or university-level study through instruction, mentoring, and performance opportunities.
Eric Thompson, a bassist and graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, is the first Talent Development Program alumnus to work in a symphony orchestra.
Ralph Jones taught Eric when he was a student in the TDP program.
Photo location: Ovens Auditorium/Charlotte, NCTHE ART OF CHANGE
“It's impossible to imagine a world without art and culture. To be without music and film, theater, dance, literature, paintings, sculpture, and the many other forms of artistic and cultural expression would make life very bleak indeed. The arts add to the vibrancy of our daily lives and our communities. Recently, I heard an arts leader say, 'The arts fill the spaces between our words, enabling us to express so much more than words alone can say.' I think that's a perfect way to describe the unique role of the arts and culture in our lives.”
About Our Focus
“I believe that without access to arts and culture, we deny ourselves and our fellow citizens an important part of what it means to be human. The Foundation works to improve that access in exciting and meaningful ways.
“Right now, our primary focus is on the campaign for a new symphony center in Atlanta. This center will be such a tremendous asset, not only for Atlanta, but for the state and region, too.
“The Foundation has assets in addition to dollars, and we use those assets to help cultivate a vibrant arts and culture eco-system in the city. One way is by sharing the knowledge we gain as we work with experts in the arts and culture community. Another is by convening groups around common aspirations and issues, making connections between organizations and people who can help one another. In addition, the Foundation's trustees and associates play leadership roles in the community. Penny McPhee, our president, chairs the Mayor's Arts and Culture Funding Task Force and several of our trustees serve on various arts boards around the state.”
Arts Education Initiatives
“We are very pleased about two particular examples of how education and the arts can work together: the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Talent Development Program and the Urban Youth Harp Ensemble.
“One of our long-range goals is to bring more diversity to American orchestras. The Talent Development Program is creating a pipeline for talented young musicians of color, preparing them to take advantage of career opportunities as they become available. Students have one-on-one lessons with members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The students are also invited to attend prestigious and intensive summer music camps, which are a critical part of their musical training. Getting into a program like this is an extraordinary opportunity for any young person. For these young people to have chosen to compete in this incredibly competitive field is tremendous. It says a lot about their discipline, their love of music and their commitment to being the very best musicians they can be.
“One of the students who successfully auditioned for the Talent Development Program in 2007 is a member of the Urban Youth Harp Ensemble. This is great, and it exemplifies connectivity among programs the Foundation supports. Created by an Atlanta Public School teacher and an Atlanta Symphony Orchestra harpist, the harp ensemble began in 2000 with two middle-school students and one harp. Now, there are more than four dozen students involved in an initiative that truly can be a pathway to success in life.”
The Art of Collaboration
“We are excited to be a part of collaborative efforts taking place in Atlanta. The Mayor's Arts and Culture Funding Task Force is working to find ways to establish a dedicated funding stream for the creative community. I believe that teamwork among arts and culture organizations and supporters bodes well for the future of the arts in Atlanta.”
The Big Picture
Stephanie Hughley
Executive Producer, National Black Arts FestivalThere are nearly 16,000 arts-related businesses in Georgia.
In Atlanta, the arts and culture industry generated $274.8 million in local economic activity in 2005.
More than five million people attend arts and culture activities in Atlanta.
Atlanta's arts and culture community supports more than 8,000 full-time equivalent jobs, generating 167 million in household income to local residents.
In the City of Atlanta, 47 percent of all 5.2 million nonprofit arts attendees were local; 53 percent were non-local.
Data from The College Board shows that students who take four years of arts and music classes while in high school score 103 points better on their SATs than students who took only one-half year or less (scores of 1,083 vs. 980, respectively).
Nationally, only 1.4 percent of students with a high level of involvement in the arts drop out of high school.
The Art of Change
The arts inspire and engage young people in ways that spark academic and social success. The Blank Foundation is committed to the development of a new, world-class home for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO).
The Foundation also supports programs such as the ASO's Talent Development Program, which provides musically talented African-American and Latino students weekly lessons and mentoring relationships with ASO musicians, as well as the opportunity to participate in master classes, community outreach programs and music camps.
