Educational Opportunities: Research has shown that a student's involvement in musical studies is crucial to a complete education. Musical study develops critical thinking and self discipline skills, improves a child's early cognitive development, basic math and reading abilities, self-esteem, SAT scores, ability to work in teams, spatial reasoning skills, and school attendance. Also, researchers have found that children involved with music education are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college, and are less likely to be involved with gangs and substance abuse. In addition to preventing undesirable behavior patterns and encouraging positive personal growth, music education is the only means by which we are assured that an ever-evolving crop of young artists will be prepared to perpetuate the art form in its many variations.
The Southeastern Festival of Song counts its educational outreach program among its most important and worthy undertakings. We have carefully devised a program that will expose students to world-class song collaborators who are capable of meaningful communication as a direct result of their creative path and musical pursuits. SEFoS will send a team of musicians into schools to present performances, consult and engage in exchange with students regarding their own development as artists, and culminate in a joint performance of the SEFoS artists and selected students from respective schools.
Seminars; Research, Preparation, and Performance: Song Seminars will take place prior to before a SEFoS song recital performance. They will consist of an hour long discussion with an audience probably consisting of people who plan to attend the recital being discussed. The artist or artists of SEFoS conducting the seminar will discuss an historical and biographical context for much of the repertoire in the program, as well as engage the audience in an exchange regarding musical, poetic, aesthetic, and any number of matters that may arise from an exploration of the music programmed for the recital. These seminars will take place in a venue designated for festival use and will be free and open to the public.
Master Classes: These master classes may take place either during the time of preparation for a SEFoS recital, or at another time agreed upon by faculty of a particular college or University and the SEFoS artists. A Master Class may consist of one morning or afternoon of classroom time, or in some cases, designated periods over several days, depending on the mutual goals of the faculty and SEFoS artists. In a one-session master class, two or more SEFoS artists will attentively listen and watch many students' performances of songs. After each performance, the SEFoS artists will engage in an encouraging and constructive dialogue concerning strengths of the students' abilities and concrete and creative suggestions about ways in which a student might perform more successfully. SEFoS artists will be prepared to be constructive in their advice, and will lean towards the topics of research, preparation, language, and performance practice that helps illuminate the qualities represented by those on our roster. Especially gifted young singers may be encouraged to audition for other musical opportunities with SEFoS as the student's talent and experience dictate.
Summer Workshops: Once the festival develops strong enough public interest and financial fortitude, it will audition singers in Atlanta, and the ten Magnet cities for participation in a two week summer workshop. The 22 students selected should range in educational experience roughly between high school juniors through the undergraduate collegiate level. In a workshop environment, the SEFoS artists may work with a particular group of singers over a period of several days in a similar format as they would in a master class, culminating in a public performance by the students. Faculty members for the summer workshop will be drawn from within the ranks of the Artistic Advisory Board, and from recommendations by other members of the artistic staff and artist roster. These professional song collaborators promise to be from among the very best in the industry today, including Grammy winners, Emmy winners, Pulitzer Prize nominees, among others.