Global Leaders Cohort 2021! So, what was it all about?

This past year, I have been a part of the Global Leaders Cohort, and I’ve often gotten the question - so what is it? Are you running for office? 

To be honest, the precise purpose and tangible outcomes of this program also often eluded me. Did I really need this “executive graduate certificate”? It sounds “fancy”, impressive on paper - Ivy League, TED speakers, international cohort for social change, many buzz words - but, what is really all about? I was curious to find out. And it’s been a curious journey. Intense, challenging, enlightening, and ultimately, rewarding in a few unexpected yet personally life changing ways. 

First off, the design and implementation of the program was on point. Impressive not just on paper but in action. Modules loaded with information. But not only that, skills and knowledge were delivered, practiced, and reinforced to be transferable and inspiring. The admin team was impeccable, and always had the most brilliant smile and supportive attention. That makes a huge difference. For everything else in a massive educational machine like this to function productively. For the content itself, there was a massive amount of diverse tools that I have come to use and pass on to others regularly.

I was personally inspired by the Modules on Aesthetics (philosophically speaking, what is our purpose and function as artists?) and the emerging field of Teaching Artistry (values, practices, techniques). I loved reading the literature on these subjects. But much more importantly, I was surprised by the deep and passionate conversations ignited within my first semester’s assigned group. Even before our assignment, we were so eager to discuss our response to Jose Falconi’s first lecture on “the duty of beauty” that we immediately scheduled an extra meeting - and that’s where it all began.

The Harmonious-Discordant Trio. My “mastermind” group. These people became the most special part of my experience in this program. We immediately recognized how well we clicked in so many different ways. Not only as a working team, but in our personalities, artistic pursuits, doubts, questions, personalities. Challenged each other, catalyzed each other’s strengths, held each other accountable. 

In particular, my weekly meetings with my peer support partner, you-know-who, made an unimaginable impact on my life. I really couldn’t have imagined. The conversations that started casually just about our interests, life, goals, became driving forces that allowed me to pursue renewed dreams as a writer, to feel so understood and connected to another human being during this isolated strange quarantine epoch, to find such a consistent, reliable, inspiring, hilarious, enjoyable, sincere relationship … it was some of the simplest yet most powerful, memorable, treasured parts of my whole 2021 year thus far. So thanks, you who’s reading this now and probably trying to brush it off. I’ve truly appreciated and looked forward to every moment of every week sharing and discovering life together. 

Alright, another reflection derailed. 

Back to the program. The business, administrative, and entrepreneurial toolkits were helpful for many cohort members to create, launch, or expand their own initiatives. Everyone had their own interests, goals, experiences, and so different topics were more useful or currently applicable to different people. At the same time, learning and using different skills gave us all a new perspective about what we can do as musician and leaders. In the second semester, the group capstone project was an extensive journey building a massive initiative from scratch. My again wonderful team navigated the many challenges and stages of the process to create and polish a convincing social change project proposal for what became “Music Therapists Next”. 

For my individual fieldwork project, I was originally planning to travel to Chile to partner with Universidad Austral and Toki Rapa Nui on Easter Island to present an entrepreneurial musicianship workshop. Due to travel restrictions, I was matched with another organization that much better fit my initiative’s vision and goals. I was introduced to Stefan Hersh at Guarneri Hall in Chicago and received the generous mentorship of his guidance to design and pilot the Project UnConservatory. More specifics about these exciting upcoming initiatives soon! 

Again, it’s been a packed year participating in this Global Leaders Program. There were moments where I felt passionate, motivated, inspired, others when I was challenged, distant, even detached. But nonetheless, in so many ways, perhaps some still not clear to me quite yet, it’s been deeply rewarding to invest this time and energy - a journey full of new inspirations, knowledge, people, ideas, and potential. Tangible outcomes! Proof and evidence in the assignments, the connections, the ongoing projects resulting from these initial sparks. The support and mentorship. 

And most of all, again, somehow, so unexpected surprisingly blessedly, I realized that beautiful human connections are still made possible through the computer screen. There are so many passionate driven arts leaders out there who share these dreams and hopes to keep reaching out into the community, to keep challenging ourselves and each other to bring something worthwhile for the world we live in together. 

A very big shoutout to all the admin, the module directors, speakers, coaches, mentors, teammates. The massive amount of work and dedication and mutual inspiration everyone has given each other. My capstone team. And of course my trio. Looking forward to our next adventures~!

Congrats to the entire cohort and the warmest wishes to everyone! 📜🤓