We Are Nashville Festival

The We Are Nashville Festival is a music program of the Community Arts Collective in partnership with Music Makes Us and the Nashville Symphony. The festival is a choral & instrumental focused festival designed for middle TN school-based music ensembles. The purpose of the event is to provide a rich musical experience for local students fostering opportunities for access, development and building community with Nashville-based artists and arts organizations. The beauty of this event is its ability to unite a city, our diverse communities, politicians, educators, and artists alike through the value of music education.

Providing access, music development and community were are objective for this initiative. The Festival engaged 14 schools from Elementary, Middle and High Schools, 20+ local artists, along with 20+ music educators who work with the Festival Director Bryson Finney, in preparation for the event. During the day of the festival, students, teachers, and artists convene at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, home of the Nashville Symphony, for artist-led workshops, masterclasses, activities and concert rehearsals for both choral and orchestral student groups. The day culminated in a sold-out performance which was free and open to the Nashville Community.

1. Providing Artistry Access
2. Providing opportunities for music development through a diverse representation of musical expression
3. Provide the space for community to be seen, felt and experienced for all through music.

Our primary audience target was the students however each of the selected areas were a focus throughout the planning process of this initiative.

Students – Providing access and music development opportunities and building community with artist and fellow student artists around Nashville TN, providing students with the tools needed to dream!

Parents – Providing access to music resources that exist in our city, supporting the development of their child/children.

Teachers – Providing access to music resources throughout our city, providing music development opportunities as well as building community with other neighboring music programs within Nashville.

Administration – Supporting their value of arts education in the schools, providing access to music education resources throughout the city.

Community Members/Artist – Supporting a value of music education city-wide, creating a space to build community among other artist in the city, and allowing the beauty of music creation heal hearts and continue to unite our communities of Nashville.

July – We began to seek out potential partners and sponsors to support our initiative. We were able to partner with Metro Nashville Public Schools Visual and Performing Arts Department, also the Nashville Symphony and the Country Music Hall of Fame as our hosting sites.

August – Developed a planning team from interested music educators throughout the Nashville area. This team designed what the Festival schedule would entail for our three music tracks, Elementary participants, Middle/High School Choral participants and our Orchestra participants.

September – We developed a marketing plan, selection of repertoire and also a selection process (an application + rubric) to capture the interest from local music educators in public and charter school music programs.

October – Continued the market the Festival opportunity

November – End of the application period, we selected 9 Elementary choirs, 3 middle school choirs, 2 high school choirs, and 95 High School orchestra students. A total of 397 student participants from communities all over the Nashville area, representing all four geographical quadrants of Metro Nashville Schools.

December – Communication around the repertoire and the preparation process was communicated to each participating music educator. The Festival Director personally visited all 14 schools that were selected to congratulate them and also meet them in person.

January – All participating music educators were invited to a mandatory training day sponsored by the Nashville Symphony. The day consisted of festival preparation, and musical rehearsals with partnering artist to support preparation at the school level.

February – Production needs with our hosting venues and marketing steps and implementation with our major partner the Nashville Symphony.

March – This is also the month of the Festival! Where 397 students, 20+ music educators, 20+ local artists and 1500+ audience participants were able to experience building community together through music.

Bryson Finney – Organization Director (Community Arts Collective) Festival Director/Music Arranger + Composer (Time Commitment – Planning meetings, Music Arranging, Artist Consultations, Music Composing, Development of Schedule, meeting each educator at their schools, acquiring sponsors and partners 500+ hours)

Alice Walle – Planning Team/Metro Nashville Public Schools Elementary Music Coach (Time Commitment – Planning meetings, Overseeing Elementary experience, Festival day approx. 100 – 105 hours)

Ann Marie Morris – Planning Team/Music Educator (Time Commitment – Planning meetings, Festival day, approx. 60 – 65 hours)

Kate Affainie – Planning Team/Music Educator (Time Commitment – Planning meetings, Festival day, approx. 60 – 65 hours)

Franklin Willis – Metro Nashville Public Schools Visual and Performing Arts Director (Time Commitment – Planning meetings, overseeing implementation with MNPS Arts Team approx. 95 – 100 hours)

Kimberly McLemore – Nashville Symphony Vice President of Education and Community Engagement (Time Commitment – Planning meetings, overseeing implementation at the Symphony approx. 95 – 100 hours)

Katie Palmer – Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Senior Director of Education and Community Engagement (Time Commitment – Planning meetings, overseeing implementation at the museum approx. 50 – 60 hours)

Margaret Campbelle-Holman – Executive Director of Choral Arts Link, administrative support (Time Commitment – administrative planning meetings, festival day approx. 50 – 60 hours)

Communication: Zoom for vitural meetings, Schoology as a Learning Management System to house all preparation materials and music resources for educators and students. Our festival website, wearenashvillefestival.com

Partnerships as Resources: Nashville Symphony, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, CMA Foundation, Fisk University, Vanderbilt University, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Choral Arts Link

Through partnering with the Nashville Symphony, the Festival heavily supported their efforts around community engagement. With this partnership we were fortunate to work with their marketing team and education/community engagement teams. All marketing of the initiative (Festival) was provided through the efforts of the Nashville Symphony’s marketing and education/community engagement teams.

$15,000-$25,000

The only obstacle encountered was the need for more volunteers and staff to support the Festival experience. This was a large initiative, very ambitious but extremely rewarding. Thanks to the abundance of chaperones who desired to be a part of the day and support the initiative, all needs were met. A challenge with this initiative was advocacy and as the Director, communicating my heart and vision for this initiative and it’s longevity. Trying to communicate what I could see and what I dreamed to see with this initiative was a challenge to share. I have been fortunate to continue to gain support and build valuable relationships, however this has been a challenge.

Attendance (Access) – This is one of the measures used to meet our access objective. According to ticket reservations and participant registrations we recorded the following:

 2024 Festival
Audience: 1500+
Student Performers: 397
Music Educators: 20+
Local Artist for all music tracks (Elem./Secondary/Orchestra): 26
Volunteers/Chaperones: 40
Total: 2000+

The Schedule – Workshops/Joint Rehearsals/Masterclasses (Music Development) – Each music track (Elementary, Secondary Choral – Middle + High School, Orchestra) participated in rehearsals, workshops/masterclasses led by our participating artist specific for their music track.

Elementary – The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum General Music Experience. This involved a song session with Ms. Rachel Rodriguez, a song writing session with the Words and Music Staff, and a tour of the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum.

Secondary Choral – A workshop led by Dr. Preston Wilson Director of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Nashville TN. Students also participated in a masterclass with the Fisk Jubilee Singers, and performed a piece alongside them.

Orchestra – All orchestra participants were under the direction of Craig Madole Director of Youth Orchestras at Vanderbilt University. Student began their Festival Day at Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt, provided the collegiate experience. The then enjoyed a masterclass led by musicians from the Nashville Symphony.

Culminating Performance (Community) – The audience consisted of communities from all over the Nashville area, our Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell Metro Nashville Public School Officials, supporter from local universities and more! It was truly a picture of our Nashville Community valuing the impact of Music Education in our schools!

Music Programs + Schools – The initiative was an experience where both students and educators were able to see and connect with other music programs in the city. This supported the work they are already doing but also providing validity for their program efforts, and empowered students with a love for the artform. It also exposed programs, School Administration Officials and even the parent communities to a high-quality musical experience.

District – The initiative is truly a value to the district, providing tier representation of music education for the educators, students and also for the community. Students are able to see what opportunities exist not only at the Elementary level but also at the middle, high school and professional level. Additionally the experience provided access to participants at each level support a child’s future endeavors in music. Ultimately this initiative carried the potential to strengthen music education participation and support district-wide.

Local Community – I truly believe this initiative speaks to the music education interests at the student level but also at the professional level. Through this experience it was evident that there are stakeholders who want to give back supporting the work our music educators are doing every day in the classroom. Additionally, the initiative provided an access point for local artists around the city to connect, work together and support local student artistry.

1. Do not do this alone, gain support
2. Planning and preparation at least 6-8 months in advance is critical.
3. Be willing to look for and accept in-kind sponsorship
4. “If there is a will, there is a way” – “no” is not a death sentence to your dream it’s only a call for a course adjustment.

Be very intentional about the day (2-3 months in advance) where educators come together to learn what the Festival is, be provided supports, meet partnering artist and learn the music, Inservice Day. This took place for this initiative however; I want to be very strategic and intentional when planning this day. This was the only face-to-face time I was able to have with the educators participating, making sure the process for preparation is clear, the festival schedule is understood by all and there is a clear understanding of how to teach the music with students. This time was very valuable.

During the planning phase advertise the opportunity in the community more to garner more local artist interest!