Mentorship has always been a critical part of the CMPI program. Mentors serve a very important purpose, showing fellows how an individual player, usually on the same instrument, successfully works in the music field. These mentors can answer questions, teach about the classical music industry, and help fellows find their way as they grow as a musician. Mentors meet with their mentees monthly during the school year. While many meet virtually, some also get together in person and even go on outings together, such as attending a concert or going to a masterclass.
From Right to Left: CMPI Mentor Brent Taghap with mentee CMPI Violin Fellow Noah Briones and Noah’s parents during a December 2019 CSO concert in Symphony Center.
Previously, mentorship was uniformly designed. This year, mentorship has been transformed to better suit the needs of students of all ages and levels. Older students in grades 11 and 12 will have a mentor who is more of a “college coach,” helping to prepare for and go through the college application process. For those in grades 6-10, the coach is more of a “practice coach,” helping fellows to learn effective practice tools and generally improve as a musician.
College Coach Mentoring
While most students still have a local mentor who lives in the Chicago area, a few this year were paired with outside mentors with specific expertise. For example, older viola fellows Olivia Doolin and Neena Agrawal were paired with Dillon Scott, currently a fourth-year student at the Curtis Institute of Music, who himself came through a Pathways program in the Philadelphia area.
With knowledge of the current college and conservatory faculty, as well as recent personal experience traversing the college application process, Dillon has helped both students tremendously as they navigate this process. His help was especially critical this year, due to turnover with viola faculty from retirements and changes in programs. In addition, Dillon helped both fellows to navigate summer programs and gave them practical advice on practicing and becoming stronger musicians. Olivia also found Dillon really helped encourage her, building her confidence as she grew as a musician.
Practice Coach Mentoring
Younger fellows have also benefitted from the transition to focus on practicing and musical growth. Violin fellow Beatrice Valenzuela was delighted to return to a former mentor who had moved out of the area a few years ago. She is not only a practice coach, but also a true friend and supporter. She helps Beatrice plan her practicing and determine what she needs to do to meet her goals.
For new violin fellow Gabe Martinez, mentorship helped him to address complex issues like stage fright, tension, and intonation. His mentor has also spoken with him about intonation and practice efficiency, and has provided him with lots of technical tips to improve his playing.
Mentorship continues to grow and change as the needs of our CMPI fellows also grow and change. These transformations to the mentorship process have impacted individual students in a positive manner, targeting their most pressing needs and overall development.
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