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Durham, NC – July 6, 2018

El Sistema USA Invests $1 Million in Music Education Programming

El Sistema USA, a national membership association dedicated to supporting programs to effect social change through music, launched a 3-year, $1 million-dollar investment into 13 organizations in 11 states across the country to bring free music education to underserved youth.

The Program for Rising El Sistema Organizations (PRESTO) is a significant financial investment to support organizational growth and capacity development, and also provides professional development and mentorship resources investing in organizational leadership.

“Our goal is to support innovation and growth in the El Sistema movement across the United States. The PRESTO program is our way of providing that support through resources and training for young organizations exhibiting great potential,” said El Sistema USA’s Executive Director, Katie Wyatt. “It is thanks to the vision of the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation and their belief in our work that El Sistema USA is able to make this $1 million-dollar investment into El Sistema-inspired organizations that have shown early initiative and displayed exemplary work.”

The one-million-dollar grant will support the development and sustainability of the El Sistema movement in the United States. In partnership with Duke University’s Center for Nonprofit Management, PRESTO grantees will receive a Certificate in high-level professional development training in management and leadership. They will also each be assigned a mentor from within the field of El Sistema USA, supporting their El Sistema-inspired learning.

“The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation is pleased to support El Sistema USA’s PRESTO, with the confidence that it will help serve many students and communities through music education and exciting ensemble performances. We offer our congratulations and best wishes to the awardee organizations,” said Charles T. Angell, President of the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation.

All applicants were a part of a national competitive application and review process. The following 13 organizations have been accepted into the PRESTO program and awarded funding:

Accent Pontiac- Bloomfield Hills, MI

Buffalo String Works- Buffalo, NY

Trenton Music Makers- Trenton, NJ

Charlotte Symphony Orchestra- Charlotte, NC

ComMUSICation- St. Paul, MN

Empire State Youth Orchestra- Schenectady, NY

Harmony Project KC- Kansas City, MO

Harmony Project Tulsa- Tulsa, OK

Make Music NOLA- New Orleans, LA

Project Music- Stamford, CT

Riverside Arts Academy- Riverside, CA

Salty Cricket Composers Collective- Salt Lake City, UT

WHIN Music Community Charter School- New York, NY

Concurrent with the launch of PRESTO, at the July 2018 meeting of the Board of Directors of El Sistema USA, Christine Taylor Conda, Director of the Reach*Teach*Play education programs at Ravinia, North America’s oldest and most musically diverse music festival, has been named Chair of the El Sistema USA board of directors for a one-year term. She has been a member of El Sistema USA’s board for two years.

“Christine Taylor Conda brings the experience in education and social justice leadership crucial to advancing the work of El Sistema USA. I am excited to begin our partnership in supporting the national movement of El Sistema, passionately building communities and opportunity for all through music education,” said Katie Wyatt, Executive Director of El Sistema USA.

The mission of El Sistema USA is to support and grow a nationwide movement of programs inspired by El Sistema—the immersive music education process originally developed in Venezuela that puts instruments into the hands of children to begin playing in orchestras immediately—to effect social change through music for children with the fewest resources and the greatest need. El Sistema USA’s diverse membership across the United States represents programs that serve some of the most vulnerable communities and children in the country. The organization provides connections to knowledge and innovation, advocacy, and leadership development for program directors, teaching artists, students, and volunteers. Members collaborate to share resources, values, aspirations, and advocacy efforts. El Sistema USA serves three major purposes: strengthening existing “nucléos” (sites guided by El Sistema principles) through capacity development and research; encouraging the formation of new nucléos by providing resources, connections, and training; and building awareness of the El Sistema movement at large throughout the United States. Information is available at ElsistemaUSA.org.

“The children in all of our programs nationwide deserve the highest levels of artistic and social support. I’m honored to serve on the board with colleagues who share this view and are passionate about supporting the 20,000 kids now benefitting from El Sistema initiatives,” Taylor Conda said. “As board members, we are stewards of El Sistema USA and have a tremendous responsibility to the El Sistema–inspired community. At Ravinia, I have witnessed how truly great boards operate to advance the mission of the organization. In fact, I am forever grateful to Ravinia’s Women’s Board for initiating our education programs. I hope to bring those experiences to bear during my tenure as El Sistema USA board chair.”

The seeds of Ravinia’s education initiatives, now known as Reach*Teach*Play, were sown by Ravinia’s all-volunteer Women’s Board in the 1960s. Taylor Conda, who has been the director of Reach*Teach*Play for 16 years, has grown this portfolio of programs to serve more than 85,000 people annually throughout Chicagoland. Nearly 10 years ago, that board’s long-range plan identified El Sistema as an important opportunity. With counsel and major funding from the Women’s Board, Taylor Conda developed Sistema Ravinia, starting student orchestras in budget-strapped schools without music programs of their own by providing all the instruments, instructors, and El Sistema philosophy.

“Through Christine’s work, we have all seen worlds open for the children who have picked up instruments for the first time. We see their joy turn to passion and then pride,” said Ravinia President and CEO Welz Kauffman. “We at Ravinia couldn’t be prouder that Christine is sharing her own passion and profound experience with orchestra leaders around the country.”

Taylor Conda previously served as Program Director of the Forum Network at Boston’s Public Broadcasting Service, WGBH, and as Executive Director of the Boston Music Education Collaborative. She earned a BA in Sociology with a focus on urban education from Harvard University and an MM in Vocal Performance as well as a Music-in-Education Certificate from the New England Conservatory of Music.

About El Sistema USA (ESUSA)

The mission of El Sistema USA is to support and grow a nationwide movement of programs inspired by El Sistema to effect social change through music for children with the fewest resources and the greatest need. El Sistema USA’s diverse membership across the United States represents programs that serve some of the most vulnerable communities and children in the country. We aim to provide connections to knowledge and innovation, advocacy, and leadership development for program directors, teaching artists, students, and volunteers. Members collaborate to share resources, values, aspirations, and advocacy efforts. El Sistema USA serves three major purposes: strengthening existing nucléos through capacity development and research, encouraging the formation of new nucléos through providing resources, connections and training, and building awareness of the El Sistema movement at large throughout the United States.  Learn more at http://ElSistemaUSA.org.

About the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation

The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation makes grants in three priority areas: Conservation, Performing Arts and Social Causes. Learn more at http://pmangellfamfound.org/about-us/

About Christine Taylor Conda

Christine Taylor Conda is the 2018-19 Chairwoman of the Board of Director of El Sistema USA, and Director of REACH*TEACH*PLAY Education Programs for the Ravinia Festival (2002 – Present). Under her leadership, Ravinia provides a myriad of music education programs throughout Chicago and Lake County, serving over twenty thousand students per year. Prior to working at Ravinia, Ms. Taylor was the executive director of the Boston Music Education Collaborative(1993-2001), a partnership of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, New England Conservatory, WGBH and the Boston Public Schools. In both posts she has been responsible for developing and expanding exemplary music programs, implementing those programs in public school systems and providing professional development to educators and artists. Her oversight of these programs includes strategic and curriculum planning, managing a roster of teaching artists, board management and fundraising.

An accomplished lyric soprano, Ms. Taylor received her M.M. in Vocal Performance with a Music in Education certification from the New England Conservatory. She received a B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Urban Education from Harvard University.

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5 Keys To Protecting Your Investment

In Your Child’s Braces

Braces are a major investment for families. According to a survey by the Journal of Clinical Orthodontics, the average price ranges between $5,000 and $6,000.

At costs like those, it’s definitely an investment worth protecting. The road to straight teeth and a nice smile can be a jagged journey – and even more expensive – when a child doesn’t take proper care of his or her braces. So it behooves parents to know the do’s and don’ts of braces maintenance and ensure that their kids are doing the right things for the duration of wearing them, which can be two years or more.

“The idea is to straighten their teeth, give them a confident smile and allow them to feel better about their appearance, but there are obstacles if proper care and attention aren’t given,” says Kerry White Brown, (www.whitebrownsmiles.com) an orthodontist and author of A Lifetime of Sensational Smiles: Transforming Lives through Orthodontics.

“Why spend all that money on braces if they’re going to let their teeth go? Parents need to be vigilant from the outset.”

To ensure braces do the job for which they’re intended, White Brown recommends five ways parents can help their kids take optimal care of them:

• Brushing power tools. White Brown suggests an oscillating electric toothbrush, which does a thorough job of brushing around the braces and wires to remove food buildup and prevent decay. “Brushing will take a little more time and effort than they’re used to, since they now have more surface area to brush around,” White Brown says. “When parents ask me for recommendations, I tell them whatever will get their child more excited about good oral hygiene and keep them brushing is a good investment. Ideally, brush after every meal.”
• Flossing with purpose. Kids can be prone to cutting corners, but White Brown stresses that parents need to stress the importance of taking the extra time to floss. “Food builds up under the gum tissue, and you must clean under the gums,” she says. “Flossing aids help to thread the floss under the wire. Although it’s daunting at first, after a few days it will become routine.” Using a Waterpik, White Brown says, can help, like using an “electric flosser.” It shoots pulsing jets of water out of its tip to dislodge food particles, especially in hard-to-reach areas. “These are excellent aids, but nothing actually replaces flossing,” White Brown says. “Flossing helps to clean between teeth and helps to prevent decay in those areas.”
• Inspect their work. “Kids don’t like this, but you need to nag them and correct them until they get it right,” White Brown says. “It’s vital that you oversee their brushing and flossing until the habits are embedded.”
• Avoid certain foods. Eating the wrong things may cause wires to break or come out prematurely. “Stay away from hard candies and nuts,” White Brown says. “But usually the challenge with foods is changing the way the patient eats them, specifically hard foods like carrot sticks or apples. Biting hard foods in braces can snap a wire or break the bond, so cut them into bite-size pieces.”
• Regular checkups. Seeing your orthodontist for checkups and adjustments is essential, usually every six to eight weeks during the first year. “The orthodontist will check the condition of your braces and other appliances to make sure that they are putting steady pressure on the teeth in order to achieve the effect that you want,” White Brown says. “Regular visits are also important to identify potential problems.”

“There’s going to be a slight adjustment period for kids, and it’s important that parents help them make that,” White Brown says. “Otherwise it can turn out to be a wasted investment.”

About Dr. Kerry White Brown

Dr. Kerry White Brown (www.whitebrownsmiles.com) is a 5-star rated orthodontist and the author of A Lifetime of Sensational Smiles: Transforming Lives through Orthodontics. A graduate of the Howard University College of Dentistry, she operates an orthodontics practice, White Brown Smiles, in South Carolina with six locations. Dr. White Brown is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Association of Orthodontists, and the South Carolina Association of Orthodontists.

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