The New Orleans Project

Our 2012 Journey Begins!

2012-01-30T16:16:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday marked the second meeting of the 2012 ARTreach New Orleans Trip. We have a great team going back to NOLA - the 6th year of the project. This year's team includes 6 drama majors, 7 dancers, 6 instrumentsalists, 1 composer, 1 Jazz Major, and 1 playwright. We also have two great advisors in the form of Sabrina Tanbara and Rebecca Bigenell. The student leaders for this years trip are Yvonne Chen, Briana Robinson and Mitchell Lyon.

Meet the 2012 NOLA team!

Therese Barbato

Leiland Charles

Yvonne Chen

Kelsey Connolly

Braxton Cook

Richard Dent

Corey Dorris

Brittany Hill

Eliza Huberth

Molly Joyce

Sarah Koenig-Plonskier

Mitchell Lyon

Gia Mongell

Lief Oleson-Cormack

Nicholas Ranauro

Briana Robinson

Midori Samson

Evan Schwarz

Chelsea Smith

Charlotte Steiner

Philip Stoddard

Matthew Walker

Stay tuned for more updates as we count down the days to the trip!

-mitch lyon

See more photos from our trip!

2011-03-11T20:10:00.001-08:00

Click Shutterfly to view more pictures from our trip!

Reflecting from NYC

2011-03-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

So much to process from this week; I've returned home sorrowed but informed, drained but fulfilled, and more than anything, inspired by my 'students', classmates, and gems in the NOLA community. Thank you to everyone who made this project possible!

Juilliard ARTreach - NOLA Group Dance - Everybody's Boppin!

2011-03-05T21:52:00.000-08:00

A Key to the City of New Orleans

2011-03-05T05:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, at our final performance, our group was presented with a Key to the City of NewOrleans by the office of Mayor Mitch Landrieu, individual proclamations of thanks from the New Orleans City Council and a plaque from the Dryads YMCA!

We are so thankful for out time here in this city, and the amazing connections we have made, thank you New Orleans! Can't wait for 2012!

Juilliard ARTreach - Habitat for Humanity Performance

2011-03-03T18:06:00.000-08:00

Photo Diary - Days 3-5

2011-03-03T18:04:00.000-08:00

Derek is pleased with the progress on site

Demolition this way comes

Beignets and Café au Lait at Café du Monde

Evan consults the blueprints

Catherine ecstatic over the portion sizes at Praline Connection

Josh and Corey get the big hammers.

Alli sees a puppy in the French Quarter.

Our Habitat Family!

2011-03-03T17:47:00.000-08:00

We were lucky enough to meet incredible people at our Habitat site. Our construction advisors Mike and Katie, AND the family that is going to live in the house we are working on!

Alli, Yvonne and Mitch introducing the team to the many Habitat volunteers who came to the performance.

The family that will be living in the house we are building.

Katie and Mike in front of 1839 Allen Street to be finished by future volunteers for the White Family.

Habitat for Humanity

2011-03-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

We have been busy the past three days splitting our time between teaching at the YMCA (see upcoming posts) and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity.

We showed up to our site on Allen Street to find a bare foundation and two friendly faces, one of which was a Habitat employee we worked with last year, Mike. We were saddened by the state of the surrounding neighborhood, which sustained surge of fourteen feet during Katrina and had standing water of over four and a half feet for two months after the storm. Here is a day-by-day account of our work.

Day 1, 6:45 am - nothing but a foundation

Day 1, noon - the beginnings of a floor

Day 2 - getting the walls up

Day 3 - resembling a house!

Juilliard Dance at NOCCA!

2011-03-01T18:13:00.000-08:00

A day at NOCCA

2011-02-28T20:17:00.000-08:00

The team spent the day at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) running workshops and hosting question and answer sessions about Juilliard. It was an energizing and enjoyable day for all!

The team with Brian Hammel from NOCCA.

Playwright Josh Allen speaking with potential writers.

Cellist Mitch Lyon answering questions about life at Juilliard.

Actor Betty Gabriel playing, "Yes, let's!" with NOCCA drama students.

Juilliard staff member Brandon Lee and jazz pianist Samora Pinderhughes listening to NOCCA jazz students.

Vocalists Catherine Hancock and Tim McDevitt coach a young vocalist.

Dancer Derek Ege demonstrating a combination for young NOCCA dancers.

Second Day: Breakfast, First St. United Methodist, French Quarter, The Oscars and Mediterranean Dinner!

2011-02-28T06:35:00.000-08:00

We did not have to leave HONO until 10:45 am, and yet the little house was buzzing at 7:30. Being so unused to having an adequate amount of sleep, it seems us Juilliard students don't know what to do with ourselves once we get it. Coffee is brewed, pancakes are made, clementines are devoured. Breakfast of champions? Ay.

And then it's off to the church we go! Many of us are not Methodist, or even religious, and yet most of us decide to attend for our own reasons. Whether it's the fact that students who will be at the Dryades YMCA later in the week will be there, or because we are intrigued by what the sermon might be that day.

After the service, the congregation was invited into the multi-purpose room adjacent to the nave to watch us perform. About 20 members of the congregation watched as all the divisions were represented in short pieces (many of which were organized the night before). After the first piece, an explosion of sound filled the room. We were all stunned: they really love us! And then most of noticed - if not already - that it was our very own Josh Allen that was making that noise in support of our fellow classmates. Thereafter, the response to each piece went up in volume as more and more people had smiles on their faces and felt comfortable to really give the performers a hand. We finished with the entire NOLA team singing 'Lean on Me,' and were invited to mingle with the audience members and indulge in some food (and some delicious fruit punch).

Feeling energized from the performance, we made our way into the French Quarter for lunch beside the Mississippi River. Although the wind from the river made it challenging to keep our food in containers, it proved to be an scenic lunch spot. When we planned for this trip, most of us didn't realize that we would be in New Orleans in the heat of the Mardi Gras celebration. The French Quarter was filled with excited tourists, pining for beads and "huge ass beers" (direct quotation). As we walked through crowds of people clad in body paint and tutus, we marveled at the work of local artists that filled the streets. Yelling the word "BEADS" usually resulted in someone throwing shiny plastic at us from balconies. Derek even won a dollar...

Slowly but surely, all of us were inundated with insanely dressed dogs. Many of us questioned whether playing dress up with pets was a residency requirement during the fesitivites. We shorlty learened that Barkus - the annual Mardi Gras dog parade - was upon us. From a hot dog (where the dog was wedged between synthetic buns), to a giant Dalmation in a tutu, to a pair of Norfolk Terriers in matching joker outfits.

The actors even had the good fortune of going to Tennessee Williams house. Little did these actors know that this historic landmark was now occupied by actual residents, who did not take the screaming of "Stella!!" too well.

It wouldn't be right to leave the French Quarter without visiting Southern Candymakers. Their sign says it all: "Best Pralines." We left the Mardi Gras celebration with sufficient sugar highs and tired feet.

We came down from this high as we traveled to the Lower 9th Ward, a portion of New Orleans still seeing the effects of Katrina. We drove through at night, and the juxtaposition of the houses which haven't been touched in close to 6 years with the other houses built by the Make it Right Foundation - Brad Pitt's eco-friendly and futuristic venture - was jarring. Remnants of spray painted X's on the walls of damaged houses with water lines are reminders of the fatal nature of Katrina. As we rode in silence, our purpose for coming to Louisiana became a reminder for returners on the trip and an undeniable reality for the new members of the team. The culmination of this experience occurred when we passed by the completed home we help built last year. A woman sat on the front porch reading - most likely vexed by the two large white vans that slowly drove past.

Grateful to experience both the cultural exuberance of Mardi Gras and the stark reality of the Lower 9th Ward, we came back to HONO ready to eat, sleep... and admittedly watch the Oscars.

Sunday in New Orleans

2011-02-27T20:56:00.000-08:00

What a lovely day. From homemade pancakes made in the Hands On New Orleans Bunkhouse kitchen to a cool breeze, the morning had the spirit of sharing and excitement. A free performance at the First St. United Methodist Church after church services set the tone for a wonderful week of performances. The strings were on fire, the trumpet and pianos cool, the voices crisp, the dancing soaring and the acting moving. All appreciated by a small but grateful audience.

After a windy lunch by the Mississippi River and some festive sightseeing in the French Quarter, we visited the house the team built in 2010. We were excited the completed house on Painters Street in enrobed in bright purple paint. Although the sun had set and it was dark by the time we got there, it was a lovely sight to see. We also made a evening visit to the Lower 9th Ward to see the progress accomplished by the Make It Right Foundation.

Sultry Beginnings

2011-02-26T20:01:00.000-08:00

A warm breeze wafts in from the veranda. A playwright bedecked in plastic beads whispers ideas across a long and colorful table. The strains of a cello playing a samba float gently in from the adjoining room. A dancer practices her tap routine on the hardwood kitchen floor, her feet still in socks. The air is heavy with humidity and exhaustion, excitement and creative energy. Students from all three of Juilliard’s divisions are at work simultaneously in a small but congenial home on Bank Street, eagerly preparing for a week of teaching and performing. Art school as it should be.

We have hardly rested in 36 hours. A provisional excursion to Wal-Mart was notable primarily for the surreal array of Pop Tarts swirling about our sleep-deprived heads. Reality was perceived dubiously as we witnessed our first Mardi Gras parade wind down Napoleon Street. Still, we somehow cooked dinner, rehearsed for tomorrow’s performance, and managed to all get in a shower in spite of the one fully-functioning bathroom.

I am looking forward to climbing into a bunk-bed for the first time since freshman year and beginning the adventure.

-Evan Fein
Composer

DAY #1: We arrived in New Orleans!

2011-02-26T19:01:00.001-08:00

Group Meeting on the HONO Veranda

The Girls Get Settled

The Boys and Betty Waiting for Sabrina

First Day: Plane Ride, Morning Call, HONO, Magazine Street, Communal Cooking, and Rehearsal!

2011-02-26T16:38:00.000-08:00

Our day begins at 2:45... am. Whisked to the airport by the almost certain speeding of Super Shuttle, we arrive at JFK with no headaches, but a large desire to sleep. Needless to say, we continue our sleeping on the plane - wide mouthed and leaning on one another. Once we land however, we quickly grab our bags, and head into the blissful warm air with new found energy. Mitch and Patrick begin an impromptu cello performance and various lines of Maya Angelou are spoken between actors while the group waits for the next leg of travel.

Up roll two large vans in which we manage to pack all of our luggage (the efficient use of limited trunk space would make Dads everywhere proud) and ourselves. Immediately after, we race to Morning Call, the local hotspot for beignets and frozen cafe au lait. Sufficiently overloaded with sugar, we head to Hands On New Orleans (HONO), our humble abode for the week.

The house is beautiful. We quickly realize that we have the good fortune of being the only group occupying this house which is four blocks away from the trolley (the easiest way to get to the French Quarter), and a coffee shop - both of which are ideal living circumstances for artists.

After a quick meeting to re-group and plan the rest of the day, we agree on a voyage to Magazine Street. Two hours of walking at a humane pace, not bumping into busy New Yorkers pining for their next fix of caffeine, does wonders.

Out of this serenity comes a run to Walmart and Whole Foods to get our supplies for the next three days of cooking. The culinary maestros of the evening prepared a very satisfying pasta with meat sauce, mixed salad, and a healthy portion of Texas Toast (which Natasha found to be the highlight of the meal). The dessert? A slice of King Cake, a tradition for the locals of New Orleans around carnival time - or Mardi Gras.

Then, off to what we do best: rehearsals. With a performance tomorrow morning, all the divisions split up and then came together one on one to develop a program for the First St. United Methodist Church. With Macy tapping in her socks (so as not to disturb our neighbors below), Samora jamming out on his melodica, Kerry (an actress) learning choreography from Evan (the dancer Evan), it is clear that artistic expression is brewing at HONO.

Meet the 2011 Advisors!!

2011-01-28T17:16:00.001-08:00

Sabrina Tanbara

Director of Student Affairs

Brandon Lee

Office of Educational Outreach

Faculty, Juilliard Jazz Orchestra

Rebecca Bignell

Office of Educational Outreach

Meet the 2011 Team!!

2011-01-04T16:32:00.001-08:00

J. Clint Allen

3rd Year - Drama

Josh Allen

2nd Year - Playwright

Yvonne Chen

3rd Year - Piano

Corey Dorris

1st Year - Drama

Derek Ege

3rd Year - Dance

Evan Fein

2nd Year DMA - Composition

Melissa Fernandez

3rd Year - Dance

Betty Gabriel

1st Year - Drama

Catherine Hancock

2nd Year Masters - Voice

Julia Headley

2nd Year - Dance

Alli Job

2nd Year Masters - Double Bass

Eve Jacobs

1st Year - Dance

Sarah Koenig-Plonskier

1st Year Masters - Violin

Mitch Lyon

3rd Year - Cello

Tim McDevitt

2nd Year Masters - Voice

Patrick McGuire

3rd Year - Cello

Samora Pinderhughes

2nd Year - Jazz Piano

Nicholas Ranauro

1st Year - Dance

Briana Robinson

2nd Year - Dance

Macy Sullivan

3rd Year - Dance

Evan Schwarz

1st Year - Dance

Casia Vengoechea

3rd Year - Dance

Natasha Warner

2nd Year - Drama

Noah Witke

2nd Year - Drama

Kerry Warren

2nd Year - Drama

I Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans:

2010-03-11T12:15:00.000-08:00

An Ode to Team 2010

Melissa, you're the truth with your words and design,

But no folk song is finer than those of the fiiiiine Evan Fein.

Pippa Soo, Pippa Soo, a real queen in her own right,

And Robyn, whose violin makes us all take flight.

Yvonne, as classy as the music she plays,

How we all could hear Bro-hoss Rosas sing for days.

Oh, the slip-sliding wonder that is Haylee Nichelle,

And the wit and the charm from our girl Rachelle.

Samora and Kris, the big pianists of our team,

Tickled them ivories like you never seen,

With a little help from the horns (Jeremy, Mel, Mike Cottone)

And your jazz certainly shook us all to the bone:

I thought ya'll blew my mind doin', "St. James Infirmary",

but then came that back-flip from that god David Norsworthy!

Sweet Julia, who learned from her peers how to dance on the fly,

Frankie and Jeremy, took that Rocket-ship to the sky!

Awww! Everyone adores our own Spieth the clown

And smiles abound, when sweet Gillian's around.

Clinty, our star, the teacher who didn't know he had it in him,

And the infectious laughter from our trickster, Kahyun Kim.

Noah Witke, your warm spirit, you always say "yes!",

As reliably cool as LeBaron's a hot mess!

Bree, the Amazon who's a whiz with a buzz-saw,

And Mitch the Mayor, who plays cello like it's the Law.

Danny, your openness in our group was a real light for the kids,

So was that rainbow of a voice on our heavenly Meredith!

Hey Tim? How u doin'? Good day? How's your faith?

Probably as strong as the heart on that lil' Macy-mace!

A shout out to Team Lightning, who always strike twice,

And our injured ol' friend, the lovely Jeff Sykes!

Oh Ginny, we missed thee, you would've been proud,

we missed you as much as Ryan was loud!

Andrew and Candace, always there to help us out,

and Sabrina, year 4, still cryin' her heart out!

Chelsea and Alli, we couldn't have been here without you,

our pillars who challenged us to think, feel, and do.

NOLA 2010, this team really can't be beat,

to share this with y'all was a delicious treat.

So "On To The Next One", 'cuz this trip was heaven!

I can't wait to hear about NOLA 2011!

Boom!

Love to all!

1630 Painters Street

2010-03-02T20:43:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, March 3 - Despite the cold, cold wind and lower than expected temperature, we worked on a house for Habitat for Humanity. We were blessed to be building with the future homeowner, Miss Ivette. She was a sweet woman who is going to paint her house pink and purple (which I love!) The team sheeted the exterior of the house and I got to use a reciprocating saw. Imagine me with a power tool! The team had fun and got a lot of work done.

After building, the team worked with the Dryades YMCA again. Today went really well and the children are excited and happy to be learning about the arts and even about being tutored for their upcoming state exams.

It was another great day and another day that I am proud of this beautiful group of students.

Day #3 - YMCA

2010-03-02T20:42:00.003-08:00

Day #1 at the Dryads YMCA: We are working with over 100 4th-12th graders.

Day #3 - NOCCA

2010-03-02T20:42:00.001-08:00

Day #3 - HABITAT

2010-03-02T20:28:00.001-08:00

Yvette, the future owner of the house we are helping to build, was on site to meet us all and supervise our work.

Spring Break!!! Wait, why are we wearing parkas? Fortunately, nothing warms you up like hammering nails.

Bree looks concerned, as she should be. Power tools = Not on Juilliard entrance exams.

When we arrived on site, only the house frame was up. When we left, it looked like this on all sides, with one wall covered completely in Tyvex. Go team!

Dance Magic Dance

2010-03-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

The extremely early morning start of today was surprisingly easy with the energy of such a wonderful mass of people. Although the weather did its' best to discourage such spirit, I think it is safe to say it was quite unsuccessful. With bone chilling cold and dampness accompanied by wind that literally enjoyed tearing Tyvek off the side of the house, we managed to shock the supervisors with our hard-work and patience! The day of construction proved enjoyable as we worked together to show nails and wood who we thought was boss. Remarkably, we had the opportunity to work alongside the future home-owner! Getting to hear about her hard work, plans for the future and appreciation only motivated us further in accomplishing our many varied tasks.

But the day did not end there... mais non non non... we were just getting started!

The next stop was Dryades YMCA. As students filled our gathering room we engaged them in games galore! The willingness and excitement was amazing as it fueled our engines to teach. Students of every age were dancing, playing their instruments, and exploring clowning! The immediate collaboration that happened between teachers and students as well as divisions was remarkable and yet done with total ease.

This proved to be an ideal intro. before breaking off into our smaller teaching groups. After roughly 1.5 hours many of us left our classrooms with stories of success and amazement. We found a unique beauty in each student and were able to speak with them about their artistic interests and tastes from only an hour and a half session! I was quite frankly giddy with excitement after experiencing such openness, curiosity and respect in both the students and the teachers.

At the end of the day, I am proud to say I cried. Not out of exhaustion or trauma, but because of the sheer joy and comfort I felt with the students and the indescribable support from every member of our team.

You are all rock-stars! (David Bowie style)

Day #3 - NOCCA

2010-03-02T20:21:00.000-08:00

*The team on a tour of NOCCA with Mr. Hammel the director of the school*

We spent the entire day teaching at The New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, the only arts magnet school in all of Louisiana. The faculty, staff, and especially students welcomed us with open arms and incredibly open hearts, and allowed for an incredible exchange in dialogue.

Day #2 - Sunday

2010-03-02T20:00:00.000-08:00

Our day started in the morning with breakfast at Camp Hope the volunteer housing organization we are staying with....

....and continued with a performance at the First Street United Methodist Church - The facility that housed Juilliard Volunteers four years ago....

....after we ate our lunch on the Mississippi River and spent a few hours exploring the French Quarter....

......finally we visited the Lower Ninth Ward to pay respect to the community and everything it represents.....

I'm Always Around!!!

2010-03-01T19:59:00.000-08:00

At 9AM Sunday morning, we stepped into the phone booth and put on our green, high-powered superman NOLA 2010 T-shirts. Despite the kryptonite mother nature planted in our travel arrangements, we used our super powers and morphed into speeding bullets and made it to our destination.

First stop: Church!

We heard that church services are enhanced by the presence of high-powered supermen and women from The Juilliard School, so we knew that's where we needed to be. Although we were tired, the lingering effects of kryptonite couldn't stop us from sharing our gifts with the church community. We came together, in the way that only superheroes can, and came up with an inspired performance of shakespeare, improvisational and choreographed dance, and of course, stellar singing and musicianship. It seems like the super hero spirits of the past were with us and pumped our veins with looney love and funky fun! As all great superheroes come to expect, things did not go according to plan; they went better then planned!!!!!!!!!! But we're super heroes........ soooo...........duhhhh!!!!

So far we're having a great time soaring through the NOLA sky's and we're actually about to take off now, so we'll get back to you soon. With the blessings of all the superheroes of the past:

To Infinity and Beyond!!!!!

Superman or Woman C

and

Superman or Woman H

NOLA Blog – Day 1 (?) 27 February 2010

2010-02-27T16:56:00.000-08:00

After an uneventful travel experience, the full NOLA team has made it safely to The Big Easy, checked into Camp Hope, and coordinated tomorrow’s performance. Those of us who are of age are sitting outside a bar on Bourbon Street enjoying the warm Gulf Stream air and quaffing the city’s signature drink, the Hurricane.

Wait! That’s not what’s happened at all! That’s what was supposed to happen, but as the Scottish poet Bobbie Burns said, “The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley.” I’m not 100% sure what that means; it’s hard to tell with Mr. Burns on account of the Scotch infused haggis he insisted on consuming before setting pen to paper. Maybe the idea is that we shouldn’t let rodents make plans, or maybe it’s a reminder that sometimes we have to let go and put ourselves in the hands of fate. Perhaps my confusion is due to the fact that of the last 34 hours, I have been awake 31, and those three hours of unconsciousness were not contiguous.

You see, we left Juilliard as planned at 3:30 AM last night. Due to several unfortunate circumstances, we are already two team members down from the 33 who have been training these last several months. Before we even left Manhattan, we’d received word that our 7 AM flight had been cancelled. Still, we thought it best to press on.

Most of us arrived at JFK by 4:15 AM. We noticed quickly that our fearless leaders were nowhere in sight. Turns out their cab driver got JFK confused with LaGuardia. Oops. Once they arrived, they hit the ground running and as quickly as possible negotiated all the flight re-bookings. The good news: we can all fly today. The bad news: the flight is at 8:30 PM. Yes, that’s almost 16 hours hence.

With that news, the sleeping bags come out. We set up camp in the foyer above the check-in desks at Terminal Five. You know that scene in Gone With the Wind, right after the battle of Gettysburg? This looked like a scaled down version of that. Faceless bodies, piled on top of one another, wrapped in blankets and covered by hats, all lined up in front of the elevators.

We took turns sleeping. Those who could keep their eyes open played cards and watched the luggage. Some brave souls ventured out in search of food in distant terminals. By late afternoon, we were all fed, rested to varying degrees, and more than ready to get on a plane. It was still not time for check-in, though. Together, and eager, we had an impromptu rehearsal right there in the foyer of our group number, “Lean on Me.” Orchestrated and harmonized on the spot, suddenly this group of scruffy, smelly wayfarers was transformed into a soulful choir, ready to take on anything.

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that New York travelers did not bat a proverbial lash at this brash display.

Finally, around 4 PM, we were allowed to check in. Past the security checkpoint, we charged towards our gate with bravado, ecstatic that our flight was in sight! Oops. Wrong again.

Four hours till boarding time. Well, there’s always the consolation prize of Jamba Juice. Looks like we’ll hit the ground tired and running.

But there’s always a silver lining, and this somewhat irritating delay may be a blessing in disguise. The one thing that we never managed to do in our months of preparing, training, baking, and envelope stuffing was to form a cohesive sense of team. This experience has brought us together in the way that no bake sale possibly could. Bonded by this absurd day, we are now NOLA Team 2010.

-Evan Fein

Composer

Mother Nature...

2010-02-27T14:38:00.000-08:00

The New Orleans Team met at 3:30 am in the 11th floor lounge of the residence hall for our 7 am flight to New Orleans only to find that our flight had been cancelled to the snow accumulation from the last day and a half. We were advised by JetBlue to go to the airport anyway so we could re-book onto another flight quickly. After 2 1/2 hours on the re-purchase line, we managed to get booked on an 8:30 pm flight. Four team members got on a 2:30 pm flight. The team has to thank the JetBlue agents who worked with us. Taheesa, Liana and Tenisha were our saviours, first bumping us to the front of the line and getting us seats on flights. They were friendly and so helpful and did everything they could to get us re-booked today. They were able to get Mitch and his cello seated together. Thank you to those three ladies especially Liana. They made a disappointing and trying situation not so bad. Candace and I even laughed some. If Liana's supervisor happens t be reading this, give her a raise!

I am impressed by the patience and good spirits of this team. We spent the day camped out on the floor of the terminal sleeping, playing UNO and rehearsing. They were determined to make some of this day productive even though we had to truck over to another terminal to get food. One cannot live on Dunkin Donuts alone! Day One started out with some challenges but it demonstrated the good nature and motivation of these students. We're finally checked in now and waiting at the gate for our flight to New Orleans and the work that we are ready to do! Let's hope the flight departs on time...

Meet the 2010 Team Advisors!!

2010-01-14T16:25:00.000-08:00

Sabrina Tanbara

Director of Student Affairs

Candace Feldman

Concert Office

Andrew Warner

Career Services

Meet the 2010 Team!!

2010-01-10T15:34:00.000-08:00

Chelsea Ainsworth, Co-Chair

4th Year - Dance

Allison Job, Co-Chair

1st Year Masters - Double Bass

Gillian Abbott

1st Year - Dance

J. Clint Allen

2nd Year - Drama

Frankie Alvarez

4th Year - Drama

Jeremy Beck

2nd Year Masters - Composition

Kris Bowers

4th Year - Jazz Piano

Yvonne Chen

2nd Year - Piano

Mike Cottone

2nd Year Masters - Jazz Trumpet

Evan Fein

1st Year DMA - Composition

Jeremie Harris

2nd Year - Drama

Julia Headley

1st Year - Dance

Danny Hernandez

1st Year - Drama

Melissa Jean

2nd Year Masters - Jazz Trombone

Kahyun Kim

2nd Year - Drama

Meredith Lustig

1st Year Masters - Voice

Mitch Lyon

2nd Year - Cello

LeBaron McClary

4th Year - Dance

Tim McDevitt

1st Year Masters - Voice

Haylee Nichele

3rd Year - Dance

David Norsworthy

1st Year - Dance

Ryan David O'Byrne

3rd Year - Drama

Breanna O'Mara

3rd Year - Dance

Samora Pinderhughes

1st Year - Jazz Piano

Robyn Quinnett

2nd Year - Violin

Adrian Rosas

3rd Year Masters - Voice

Rachelle Scott

2nd Year - Dance

Pippa Soo

2nd Year - Drama

Brendan Spieth

4th Year - Drama

Macy Sullivan

2nd Year - Dance

Jeff Sykes

3rd Year - Dance

Virginia Veale

2nd Year - Drama

Noah Witke

1st Year - Drama

One last group hug

2009-03-09T14:36:00.001-07:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?"
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in all of us, in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
from "Return to Love" by Marianne Williamson

Day #7 and departure: the last days in retrospect

2009-03-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

Friday was our last full day in New Orleans. The team had such a great experience with Habitat for Humanity that we decided to go back to the site Friday morning and surprise the other volunteers with beignets from Cafe DuMonde. It was also one last chance to say good-bye to those we didn't get to say farewell to.

I remain amazed as to how much we got done in 3 days. The entire first floor of a house was framed out and "hurricane proofed." The students really inspired me on this build. Their bodies are their instruments and tools for their craft and they just went out there and were determined to do as much as they could to get these homes built. They demonstrated the same focus and drive on the work site and they do in the practice room, in the studio or on the stage. Who says art has no place on a construction site?

After leaving the Habitat site, the team headed to the YMCA. One of my two favorite moments was seeing the team perform a song written by one of the kids from the afterschool program. Watching them perform with this child was simply great.

The next performance was at the First St. United Methodist Church where the group performed outdoors on a concrete patio for church members, the volunteers of United Saints First St. and anyone who felt like stopping on the street to watch. The kids from congregation also performed with the team.

The last performance was out in Violet, LA at Camp Hope, the housing site for Habitat for Humanity volunteers. The site supervisor was so happy that the team would travel 35 minutes to perform for them.

This was the team's final perfomance of "Imagine" by John Lennon. What a week it was. As I type this, my right hand and shoulder are still sore from hammering nails but I feel rejuvenated. Once again, I saw the possibilities of change and improvement and witnessed the healing spirit of art and how art can speak out and ignite a spark within an individual.
x/o, Sabrina

New Orleans + 1: After

2009-03-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans,

and miss it each night and day?
I know I'm not wrong, 'cause the feeling's getting stronger
the longer I stay away.

I woke up in New York this morning--okay, okay, at around 2:30 this afternoon--not quite knowing how I felt. On one hand, I had slept on a real mattress in my own bed. When I had to pee, I didn't have to wait on line for the bathroom for twenty minutes and barter with people trying to shower. I ate what I wanted when I wanted to. I watched some of the TV shows I'd missed during the week. I took a shower that lasted longer than four minutes, and took my sweet time shaving. I put on clean clothes.

And then I felt alone, a vague sense of something lost, the hard thud of Life As Usual falling back into place. That's the on-the-other-hand.

I keep trying to hold on to as many moments as I can before my memory blurs them at the edges:

little girls singing their songs for me and asking for mine,

boys who fancied themselves tough, hard-edged men laughing and working together while
learning Steve Reich's Clapping Music,

James tapping the potential of a bunch of young jazzers at NOCCA and igniting their sense of possibility,

a bunch of dancers, actors, and musicians--aren't we supposed to be delicate?--raising FOUR HOUSES AT ONCE and wailing the holy hell out of thousands of nails,

the INCREDIBLE performances we witnessed, from jazz on Bourbon Street to crunk brass on Magazine Street to the First Street Methodist Church Choir to original songs and dances by some of the kids we taught,

the cheers and smiles and tears of joy people gave us when we performed for them--hell, the cheers, smiles, and tears of joy we gave each other when we performed.

And oh, my god, those performances. All free, some outdoors, two in cafeterias, one in a gymnasium, one in our house's living room, all for small groups of people, all thrown together either the night before or in the vans on the way, and every single one more moving and more rewarding than the most prestigious performances in the fanciest venues I've been a part of or seen. I am in awe of every single member of our team.

If those shows are what we can do in twenty minutes, maybe art really can save the world.

Lots of love and hope,
Jeremy Beck

* * *

One of our houses the day we arrived--just a foundation and a floor. We stopped work for a few minutes to raise the first wall, helped by the woman whose house this will be. By the time we left, the entire first floor was complete.

Bree (a dancer), Christina (an actor), and I (a musician) harness the power of all three Juilliard divisions to sheath the second floor of a house-in-progress.

Team leader Chelsea dances for the Habitat crew.

Kris, Mike, James, and Melissa play some jazz.

Jamal and Bree dance a duet.

Returning team member Christina reads Maya Angelou's "I Rise"

Jeff dances as part of our Habitat lunchtime show.

Returning team member Alejandro reads an original slam poem about art and action.

Lekeisha (top) and Shawnell (bottom), the two young composers in my group. I am in awe of their openness, honesty, and kindness.

Day #6 part 2 - Last class day at the YMCA and performance for HONO.

2009-03-06T01:04:00.000-08:00

Today was our last small group/class day with the children from the YMCA after school program. There were many ups and downs with this part of our service trip but the NOLA Team kicked it in gear and ended the week on an "up."

A YMCA student takes a photo of some Juilliard team members and some classmates.

Mike from the "green" team gave some of the youngsters a short lesson.

The "red" team learned a dance from their kids.

Jamal and the "red" team taught the kids, "Dum Dum Da Da."

The "blue" team taught their students Clapping Music.

James from team "orange" gives a trombone lesson to some energetic musicians.

Yvonne from team "orange" worked on some props and scenery for their group.

Today was also the last night for some of the other volunteers that we are sharing a house with, the Loyola Chicago med students. So, the team produced an informal performance for our new pals at the HONO Volunteer Bunk House. Bree, Jeff and LeBaron perform an excerpt from "Uno" by Ohad Naharin.

Clint and Virginia perform a scene.

The Juilliard team with the Loyola Chicago med students.

Day #6 part 1 - Saying Farewell to Habitat for Humanity (for now)...

2009-03-05T23:57:00.000-08:00

Today was our last day with Habitat for Humanity. Even though the hammering made our arms sore and the sun gave us all red noses and cheeks, we were sad to end our time with this group of Habitat volunteers on Ferry Place.

Kris using a table saw.

Andrew is nailing in Tyvek covering.

Ryan hammering in sheeting.

To show appreciation to the Habitat volunteers, the NOLA Team gave a short performance for the other volunteers during the lunch break. After the performance, I was bombarded with compliments and praise for the team from the other volunteers. I realized what a door their performance opened up with the other volunteers and how much "art builds." It immediately added another layer of energy and positive energy to the site. One volunteer from Rochester, NY summer it up about the students, "They have a light within that shines so brightly."

The jazz musicians started of the performance.

The performance continued with the actors reciting a poem written by Jeremie Harris.

Chelsea performed an original dance.

Miran & Yvonne performed a duet.

The Juilliard team with the Habitat staff and additional volunteers in front of house we helped build which will become 1316 Ferry Place. By the time we ended our time with Habitat for Humanity, the team had framed out the entire first floor of a two story home. It was hard physical work but we had a great time and it was so exciting to build a home for a deserving family. It was really great to connect with other volunteers from around the country and to work with the Habitat staff, Kayleigh, Nate, Adam and the others. I just loved doing this service work and can't wait to volunteer again. x/o, Sabrina

Day #5 - It's all about the new houses...

2009-03-04T22:02:00.001-08:00

Today was the 2nd day with Habitat for Humanity. Between the 24 of us, we worked on 4 different houses on Ferry Place. Yesterday, the team built the entire first floor frame of one house. Today, we built the interior walls and started seeing the beginnings of a HOME. Nate, our Habitat team leader, described to us what we were building...a wall that separated the master bedroom from the living room, the doorways, the kitchen. While some of us were building walls, some team members were high up on ladders and roofs nailing in exterior sheeting to the frames of the houses. By day's end, we had almost completely sheeted an entire house. Here is one of our team leaders, Alli, working on the 2nd story of one of houses.

Alejandro and Mike doing some 2nd story sheeting.

Christina balances on the framing for a roof to get the job done.

Chelsea, Yvonne, Melissa and Ryan worked on the back of the house.

James, Kris, Pippa, LeBaron and I help Nate (Habitat for Humanity) install the wall for the master bedroom.

Jeff, Chelsea, Breeana, Jeremie and James finish one side of a house.

The team worked hard despite sunburns and sore arms from the work they did the day before. The day concluded with a successful day at the Dryades YMCA and a group dinner of good ole Cajun cuisine in the French Quarter. Off to bed.

x/o, Sabrina

Day #4

2009-03-03T21:15:00.001-08:00

We started our day out at 7:45am, with our orientation at the New Orleans area Habitat for Humanity, then spent the next seven hours building three homes on Ferry Place in Orleans Parish!!

We then went straight to the Dryades YMCA for our second day of teaching....

Hammer and Nails

2009-03-03T20:40:00.000-08:00

A note about Sunday night:

Brainstorming a first draft of our group performance for the YMCA kids. discussion of Imagine by John Lennon and a Nelson Mandela quote suddenly become a small bunk room lined with 24 people, two stories of together, suddenly creating, trumpets and trombones appear out of thin air on top bunks, a violin in a corner, clapping, words spinning out of mouths, artists in pajamas burning the small room suddenly into bright light surging. I am in awe of the individual skills, craft flowing out of fingers and lungs to move us forward suddenly.

Today, Tuesday:

We raised the all the walls of one of our Habitat for Humanity houses! At the "wall raising" ceremony, we heard a woman speaking of owning her own home for the first time.

The YMCA teaching was hopeful and extremely challenging. Tomorrow is a new day.

I had a lot I wanted to write, but now my brain isn't working.

Leah

Day #3 ... our work starts (posted a day late...sorry)

2009-03-03T20:15:00.000-08:00

Our real work started today. The team went to the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (NOCCA) to conduct master classes in dance, drama and music. NOCCA is a beautiful facility and it was wonderful to see a public school dedicated to the performing arts with a state of the art facility filled with aspiring artists!

Here is the NOLA team with NOCCA's Director of Campus Life, Brian Hammel.

Kris works with a jazz bass player. This student rocked!

Stephanie & LeBaron lead the NOCCA dance students in a Paul Taylor combination.

NOCCA drama students are led in an acting exercise by Christina.

The team continued the day with the start of our arts immersion program at the Dryades YMCA. We had a lively and energetic group of children who actively participated in the games and activities. We ended the day with "Rocketship!", an inspirational group call and response blastoff, led by "Dro." What an exhilarating day!

This team really worked hard and I know that the rest of the week will be a rejuvenation of the spirit for all of us. Can't say it enough... I'm so proud of this team. x/o, Sabrina

2009-03-02T21:40:00.000-08:00

I'm bowst ta blog my spot all oveah your face. Life is wonderful and the people that I am with right now are thee most inspirational people I have ever been with in my life. My heart speaks wonders that my mouth cannot say and my soul wishes to hold the love that I have seen. I thought, and I prayed, and I was afraid, but here with these folks my conceptions are frayed. The energetic woman that keeps us in line, the beautiful man that reminds me all the time that your voice is your voice and needs to be heard, and the beautiful girl that seems calm in my thoughts, this smooth headed man that has leapt from the depths, and this chick magnet man that is sooooooooooooo much more than that. This omni present richard pryor that constantly makes my father smile, and the man with the amazing teeth that cooks us a meal, the girl with the voice that has fooled us as subtle, the man with the spirit to go anywhere and do anything, the man with a soul that makes me wonder, is he really that old, yes, his wisdom is fresh, and the girl that I thought couldn't have THAT much to give. Then there's the girl sparking love and a smile to boot, even when her shit got erased and couldn't re-boot. And the girl with the camera reminding us all of our smiles, and the man with the legs that could crush a crocodile. Then there's the girl who's beauty will always be trying to get out behind her own clothes, and let the world see what she REALLY has to offer, and the boy who wants nothing but to be a boy no more. The girl with the locks as firery as the smiles on the others she makes laugh, and the man who has inspired, reminded, and satiated souls. The girl who can sing and make my laugh become tears, and the man who can dance and disciple my fears. This girl can strike sentences and let a gentile preach "shalom", and this woman has every strength in the world to allow her locks to be home, home to the starving the lost, and misused, yet welcomes outsiders, none will be refused. Then there's the woman who allows others to be right, and the man who captures moments and fills in the blanks.

I am in LOVE with my team and hope we can continue this work beyond these conditions for MANY years to come. I cant wait to write again, more eloquently about this distinguished group.

Team Member 13.

These People!

2009-03-02T19:36:00.000-08:00

As I reflect upon our first day of teaching and "ARTreaching", I cannot help but to think of all of the people I'm working with and have experienced thus far. First off, I must say (as I'm sure all are aware) that this team is remarkable! Not only is it a group of strong, dedicated artists, but a group of caring, giving humans who are an inspiration throughout the day. It has become clear that as a group, we are a powerful and loving force. Today after successful master classes at NOCCA, we led a liberating and exhausting evening at the YMCA. With a large number of energetic kids, we played, performed and shared. As our time ended, we participated in a group chant/mantra/inspiration. As a group we declared "I am beautiful, I am smart, I am powerful", the children bright eyed and alive shouted with us as we built to "Yes We Can, We Will Change the World!" An appropriate and moving beginning to our time with these great children. All I could think was "I Love These People!!!"

Bree

"WE are all together"

2009-03-02T19:04:00.000-08:00

More than just a few simple words, this phrase has become a way of life for our team. Today in particular these words resonated in my heart, and I am baffled by the passion, inspiration, and hopefulness that the 23 other team members continuously demonstrate. Teaching collaborative classes at NOCCA and performing at the YMCA was a roller coaster, and I am thankful. Today was a project within a project, where each team member worked together, and became a vital piece of the foundation. We've been in New Orleans for three days, and the only word that comes close to describing how I feel right now is, FAMILY. I love my New Orleans Family!

Day #2 (or at least part of it!)

2009-03-01T21:03:00.000-08:00

Lunch on the Mississippi River...

A tour of the lower 9th ward....

our wonderful advisors.....

the music team (Miran, Kris, Yvonne, Mike, Alli, James, Melissa and Jeremy)

the dance team (Jamal, Jeff, Lebaron, Steph, Bree and Chelsea)...

the drama team (Ryan, Leah, Pippa, Alejandro, Christina, Jeremie, Virginia and Clint)...

and finally.... our nightly team meeting, that is currently still going on!!

thoughts...

2009-03-01T17:57:00.000-08:00

It's sometimes said in the world of sports that a coach can give an athlete the necessary tools to succeed, but you can't teach him/her how to have the heart of a champion. In the world of the performing arts, an instructor can teach a young artist how to execute the seemingly impossible, but never be able to teach them how to play with TRUE passion. Let's raise a glass and drink to New Orleans, all heart, all passion, all the time. And let's toast to the human spirit, the one thing that will never erode.

James Burton III

The Lower 9th Ward

2009-03-01T17:22:00.000-08:00

blocks of cement foundations left bare like a cemetery of forgotten souls

overgrown clovers, the wind as the only sound left in this abandoned place

empty lots everywhere

an abandoned home with a failed inspection fine notice sits next to

scattered modern new solar homes flashing bright colors

a photo of brad pitt holding a shovel wearing a crisp white designer shirt

hope and pride is mixed with disparity and loss, with the same levee design that failed them looming in the background, a cold cement wall blocking them from the rest of the world

this is the lower 9th ward.

Melissa Jean

1 day down, 6 days to go...too short

2009-03-01T07:37:00.000-08:00

So, we've been here one full day. Surprisingly, we were all pretty cheerful at 4:30 am and were happy to be on the plane at 6:45 am. We made some friends with another college group from Marywood College. They are hoping to try and catch one of our community performances.

As a reward for being up so early, the group headed to (our now annual New Orleans Team tradition) to Morning Call for beignets and cafe au lait for breakfast. If you're ever down this way, make sure to visit this cozy and friendly place. A helpful hint, don't wear dark clothing. If your luck is like mine, you'll sneeze just as you are ready to take a bite of the powdered sugared coated beignet and poof! Sugar all over you!

The day was not all play. After settling in at the Hands on New Orleans volunteer bunk house and a little sighseeing, the group spent a few hours on Saturday night finalizing lesson plans for the Dryades YMCA after school arts immersion program. The team also worked on the agendas for the master classes at New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, NOCCA.

After a very long day of travel, settling in and getting to work, today we are on way to visit the First Street United Methodist Church to meet some of the children we are going to work with during this upcoming week and visit the Lower 9th Ward this afternoon and then more meetings, rehearsals, and lesson planning. I am really proud of this team and am grateful I get to see them work in this way. They are all anxious to get to work with the children and work on building a home. One day down, six more to go... it just doesn't feel like it's enough time.

x/o, Sabrina

New Orleans Day #1

2009-02-28T21:37:00.000-08:00

We got up at 3am this morning, after a long week of performances and midterms, to start our New Orleans Experience. We arrive in Louisiana safe and sound around 9am, and started our week off right by stopping to get beignets at Morning Call the world famous bakery.

Around 12pm we arrived at Hands On New Orleans, the volunteer housing facility we are staying at! We got settled into our bunk rooms, and started to unpack.

We ended our night with an Orientation here at HONO, as well as three hours of team meetings in preparation for our master-classes at NOCCA on Monday, and our after school program at the YMCA.

Gate C87

2009-02-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

...As we went through the door, the air filled our souls and released the stress of the unknown. New Orleans welcomed us with open arms. The sun shined and the rain started to come down. It was a sign that a cleansing was happening, that we were all here as a group doing something that means more than anything to us at this present time. I am at a time in my life where I should be auditioning for companies, I should be working on my self, I should, I should, I should... I am so tired of always thinking of my self. The world is so vast and the sole purpose of the arts is to share to the community. We need to remember that! I am so happy to be surrounded by people who are so talented, passionate, and artistic in the way that they only see pure happiness when they see someone smile. Our goal here is not to impose, its to share, to give all that we can, and to empower the creative minds of the community and ourselves. Life is great as a young adult, an artist, one who is full of joy and compassion. I am looking forward to this week. The unknown is always great, you may think it is an edge of a cliff, but we never think it could be a soft bed, a place of comfort.

p.s.

I wanted to point out how 24 individuals have come together to seek a common goal. Its Amazing!

Jamal Rashann Callender

2009 Team!!

2009-02-25T15:34:00.000-08:00

Alli Job (left), Co-Chair

4th Year - Double Bass

Chelsea Ainsworth (right), Co-Chair

3rd Year - Dance

Leah Walsh

4th Year - Drama

Alejandro Rodriguez

4th Year - Drama

Christina Moore

4th Year - Drama

Kris Bowers

3rd Year - Jazz Piano

Steph Amurao

3rd Year - Dance

James Burton

2nd Year Masters - Jazz Trombone

Mike Cottone

1st Year Masters - Jazz Trumpet

Breanna O'Mara

2nd Year - Dance

Ryan David O'Byrne

2nd Year - Drama

Jeremie Harris

1st Year - Drama

Pippa Soo

1st Year - Drama

Jeff Sykes

2nd Year - Dance

Jeremy H. Beck

1st Year Masters - Composition

J. Clint Allen

1st Year - Drama

Miran Kim

1st Year - Violin

Jamal Rashann Callender

4th Year -Dance

LeBaron McClary

3rd Year - Dance

Melissa Jean

1st Year Masters - Jazz Trombone

Yvonne Chen

1st Year - Piano

Virginia Veale

1st Year - Drama

2009 Mission Statement

2009-02-25T15:15:00.000-08:00

The New Orleans 2009 team will return to New Orleans to engage the community affected by Hurricane Katrina. Sharing everything we know, we will embrace hope and open a dialogue with the intention of transcending daily struggles and empowering the creative spirit.

a personal reflection...

2009-02-25T15:02:00.000-08:00

Hello! My name is Alli, I am forth year Double Bass major, and one of the co-chairs of the New Orleans Project 2009. This will be my third year involved with the trip, and I couldn't be more excited to go back.

This is a brief reflection I wrote shortly after returning from the 2008 trip. I hope you enjoy...

*I have changed names to insure anonymity

____________________________________

APRIL 30, 2008

This past march, when I was more than half way done with my third year here at Juilliard, and felt that I was very much at the cross roads of my musical career with graduate school auditions and graduation looming near in the future. I decided to forgo a spring break full of catching up on practicing and work, to go to New Orleans with ARTreach the student run organization here at school. I went because I felt the personal need to go, get my hands dirty, and try and make a difference, however small. I knew it was a city in the midst of a vast transformation and I hoped to be a part of that journey towards a brighter future, little did I know it was I who would leave the beautiful city of New Orleans transformed and forever on a voyage of rediscovering and redefining my own personal meaning of art.

In the past I often found myself thinking about the role of the arts in our society – and how that role was constantly changing, evolving, and sometimes even disappearing. I would try to predict how that role would change in the future – and how that transformation would affect me. However that all changed when I meet Michelle and Sarah, two of the girls we taught at the YMCA near the lower ninth ward of New Orleans – ironically within sight of where the levees broke.

I believe my colleague on the trip, drama student Finn Wittrock put it best “getting to know the children was exhilarating but keeping order was exhausting.” And our first day proved to be both of those things. Within the first few minutes of our class a fight broke out between the girls, and it was getting very violent very fast. We immediately scraped our lesson plan and decided to start by performing for the students. My teaching collaborator Alex Rodriguez got up and presented a monologue that immediately brought the room to a silence that just moments before I didn’t think would ever exist. It was one of those powerful silences that says more than most conversations could every hope to do. Alex then opened the floor to the students – one by one they started to open up in their own way. After they started to get more comfortable and realized that it was a safe environment to share their ideas, something really amazing happened. They started to bring in their own work, free writing, poetry, lyricss. That is where Michelle and Sarah come in, these were the two girls who tried to start a fight in our first class, and these two girls both brought in poetry, poetry that they had written will they were waiting out hurricane Katrina in the superdome. They were only 10 when the storm hit but their words and the wisdom their language communicated was well beyond their young age. When they got up to share their work with the group, that silence I mentioned before came back. I looked around and there were tears streaming down the faces of almost all of the children in the room, including all of the girls who were just days before trying to harm each other. There was a newfound comradery in the room that was more powerful that anything I had ever experienced. It was at that very moment I realized that art isn’t about missing a note in an audition, or getting front row seats at a popular concert, its about Michelle, Sarah and others just like them. Art to me now is not in a constant state of transformation, it is in fact very constant. It is the perception of art that is constantly transforming – and that should have nothing to do with my own experience and love for my music.

Michelle and Sarah taught me that Art is not an privilege for the wealthy it is a necessity to human kind. When it came down to a situation of true desperation these children turned to art – and I believe that says something very very powerful.

It amazes me that a city that physically shows so little transformation holds so much hope and optimism in the hearts of it’s people and the people it touches.

2008 Documentary

2009-02-25T14:02:00.000-08:00

Please enjoy the documentary from the 2008 trip....

a look back....

2009-02-25T13:37:00.000-08:00

As we get ready to leave for our third trip to New Orleans, it is important to look back at the history of the trip, and remind ourselves why it is imperative to go back....

the lower 9th ward March 2008....

teaching and performing at the Dryades YMCA...

The New Orleans Project 2009

2009-02-25T13:28:00.000-08:00

a view of the destruction from the levees three years later...

The Juilliard New Orleans Project 2009 is a team of Juilliard students who will spend their spring break volunteering to help the hurricane devastated community of New Orleans. The team will empower local youth by running arts immersion projects and providing free and accessible arts education, as well as rebuilding homes. We will simultaneously provide free public performances.

As students at The Juilliard School, we are dedicated to the mission of utilizing artistic expression in community outreach efforts to demonstrate the vitality of the arts as a teaching tool for initiating and establishing a greater sense of social understanding and acceptance. By empowering individuals through the arts, our Juilliard team strives to build strong communities in New Orleans that mirrors the beauty of the city’s spirit. We will combine music, theater and dance to reflect the necessity of community and to exemplify the act of working together for a better world.

This project was originally conceived in fall of 2006 by the Juilliard student group ARTreach. Realizing the need for help in the Gulf Coast region, our team decided to volunteer for a week of community service and outreach in New Orleans in March 2007. The project continued to grow in 2008 with a return trip, this time shedding even more light on the desperate situation within the city and, more importantly, the effects left upon its children.

We are proud to say our team plans to return for a third trip with the hopes of creating an even greater impact. In the wake of one of the worst natural disasters in United States history, there is a great deal of work to be done; both in the physical reconstruction of buildings demolished and in the revival of communities ripped apart by Hurricane Katrina. Your help and support would be greatly appreciated, and help us illustrate the power of the arts as a universal tool for initiating change, and offering hope for a brighter future for the children of New Orleans.