Reaching Out will help Academy graduates to work actively in their communities
The Verbier Festival Academy, part of the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, will launch a new outreach teaching programme this summer aimed at equipping Academy graduates with the tools to take their music into their communities.
The initiative, called Reaching Out, will form an integral part of the Academy, which this year runs from 15 July–3 August. It has been set up to benefit both Academy alumni and institutions, such as schools, care homes, prisons, hospitals and homeless shelters, where people may have little or no opportunity to experience live music.
'The Reaching Out project aims to teach different and fun skills to help our alumni work actively in their communities,' said Christian Thompson, director of the Verbier Festival Academy. 'We want to give them tools not only for a summer, but for a whole life in music. The initiative is geared towards performing artists who are prepared to try new things, to fail, sometimes to look a little stupid, to push themselves out of their comfort zone and, above all, to have fun.'
An international team of practitioners in the fields of outreach, community development, music education and theatre has been selected to run the course, which is to be tailored according to the needs of participants based on their prior experience and requirements. Tuition is free and participants will be housed with Academy host families.
Anyone wishing to participate should contact Christian Thompson via email: christian.thompson@verbierfestival.com by 28 January.
Photo: Aline Paley & Nicolas Brodard
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