The Phoenix Symphony To Receive Getty Education and Community Investment Grant From the League of American Orchestras To Expand Its The B-Sharp Music Wellness, a W.O.N.D.E.R. Project: Alzheimer’s Expansion Initiative
PHOENIX – The Phoenix Symphony is one of only twenty-two orchestras from across the United States selected by the League of American Orchestras to receive a Getty Education and Community Investment Grant. The grant was awarded to expand the orchestra’s B-Sharp Alzheimer’s program to a second partner site, and is a recognition of The Phoenix Symphony’s innovation and dedication to increasing its relevance to the community.
“Support from the Getty Education and Community Involvement Grant has allowed The Phoenix Symphony to expand our community impact into exciting new areas,” Jim Ward, president and CEO of The Phoenix Symphony said. “We could not be more pleased to receive this grant again, as it allows us to increase the quality of life for people in and around Phoenix, which is an essential component of The Phoenix Symphony’s mission.”
“We are grateful to the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation for continuing to support this critical program,” said League President and CEO Jesse Rosen. “Orchestras continue to expand their vital role in civic and community life, with musicians acting as ambassadors, advocates, and educators. The League is a catalyst in this work, as we share success stories and ideas with the entire orchestral field, helping orchestras deepen their relationship with their communities and develop diverse audiences.”
The B-Sharp Music Wellness, a W.O.N.D.E.R. Project: Alzheimer’s Initiative pilot project, executed in
2014/15, focused on 48 Alzheimer’s patients, plus approximately 117 staff, caregivers and family
members. The second iteration of the program in 2015/16 will likely triple the number of participants in the Symphony’s musical interventions and therapy not only at Huger Mercy Center, but one to two new partner facilities throughout the Valley. In order to strengthen the data from the pilot phase, the Symphony looks to replicate the program in more mainstream and less enriched environments. Not only will a second round of Getty funding allow The Phoenix Symphony to impact three times as many people within the target population, but it will enable them to amass data and build a strong case for these humane, enriching innovations in the field of Alzheimer’s treatment. The Arizona Department of Health Services estimates there will be more than 170,000 Arizona seniors over the age of 65 afflicted with Alzheimer’s by 2020. This represents 11% of all seniors in the state and a 67% increase from current numbers. The need in the community is both profound and ever escalating: this critical health concern must be addressed. For The Phoenix Symphony, this means the healing power of music.
“The Phoenix Symphony and ASU are expanding their efforts to provide research related to the impact of music therapy and people with dementia in the community. This is an important program that will respond to the growing need to have a better understanding of the disease process and quality of life issues for the person with dementia as well as family support. We consider this a great opportunity to continue to collaborate with other outstanding, forwarding thinking organizations within the community that serve this population,” says Lisa O’Toole, community partner and manager of Huger Mercy Living Center.
Getty Education and Community Investment Grants recipients for 2015-16 are:
– Allentown Symphony Orchestra, for El Sistema Lehigh Valley
– Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, for OrchKids
– El Paso Symphony Orchestra, for Tocando
– Empire State Youth Orchestras for CHIME: Creating Harmony Invigorating Music Education
– Grand Rapids Symphony, for Music for Health
– Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, for Metropolitan Youth Orchestra
– Juneau Symphony for Juneau, Alaska Music Matters (JAMM)
– Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, for Kalamazoo Kids in Tune
– Kidznotes
– Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, for KSO Music & Wellness
– Los Angeles Philharmonic, for Youth Orchestra LA (YOLA)
– Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, for Soul Strings
– New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, for NJSO CHAMPS (Character, Achievement and Music Project)
– New West Symphony for Harmony Project of Ventura County
– Orchestra of St. Luke’s, for Youth Orchestra of St. Luke’s (YOSL)
– Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra for RSO/SPHERE Partnership
– San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory, for Community Opus Project
– Seattle Symphony, for Lullaby Project
– Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras, for SYSO in the Schools
– The Phoenix Symphony, for The B-Sharp Music Wellness, a W.O.N.D.E.R. Project: Alzheimer’s Expansion Initiative
– Waterbury Symphony Orchestra for Bravo Waterbury!
– Yakima Symphony Orchestra for Yakima Music en Acción (YAMA)
A total of $425,000 was awarded for this year’s grants, the fourth year of the $ 2 million re-granting program made possible by the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation. The orchestras, encompassing a full range of budget sizes, will receive individual grants ranging from $15,000 to $27,500 for a variety of community-based programs taking place during the 2015-16 season. A prerequisite for qualifying orchestras was the existence of partnerships with local community or social service organizations.
The initial 115 applicants were narrowed by an independent advisory panel of experts to 32 semi- finalists; all programs were then judged on a number of criteria, including innovation and relevance to community needs, strength of partnerships, extent and quality of professional development, and strength of evaluation activities, among other assessment categories.
The Phoenix Symphony has been proudly serving the citizens of the Phoenix metropolitan area and Arizona since 1947. The Phoenix Symphony presents an annual season from September through the beginning of June, featuring full-length classical and pops concerts at Symphony Hall in downtown Phoenix, as well as concerts in Scottsdale, Mesa, Prescott and throughout central Arizona. The Symphony performs for more than 125,000 students and children, helping to introduce music to new generations through a variety of education and youth-engagement programs.
The League of American Orchestras leads, supports, and champions America’s orchestras and the vitality of the music they perform. Its diverse membership of approximately 800 orchestras across North America runs the gamut from world-renowned symphonies to community orchestras, from summer festivals to student and youth ensembles. The only national organization dedicated solely to the orchestral experience, the League is a nexus of knowledge and innovation, advocacy, and leadership advancement for managers, musicians, volunteers, and boards. Its conferences and events, award-winning Symphony magazine, website, and other publications inform music lovers around the world about orchestral activity and developments. Founded in 1942 and chartered by Congress in 1962, the League links a national network of thousands of instrumentalists, conductors, managers and administrators, board members, volunteers, and business partners. Visit americanorchestras.org to learn more.’
