What is Accelerando?
Accelerando is an intensive education program designed to prepare gifted young students of ethnically diverse backgrounds to pursue music at the collegiate level and beyond.
Accelerando seeks to create professional opportunities for musicians from ethnic communities underrepresented in today’s orchestras by providing them with instruction, mentorship, performance experience and assistance applying to music schools. With access to the resources of a major American orchestra, these students will be able to realize their full potential and will form the next generation of orchestra musicians.
Why Accelerando?
Data taken from "Breaking Through," by Susan Elliot, Symphony Magazine, July-August 2010
Accelerando will prepare students from ethnically diverse backgrounds to win auditions and gain entrance to music school, and thereby to eventually become professional orchestral musicians. Over the coming generation, this program will help change the musician personnel of American orchestras to a diverse demographic that more accurately reflects the diversity of the American populace.
Nashville is becoming increasingly diverse every year – our population includes not only African Americans and Latinos, but other underrepresented communities as well. Students from these communities will also be considered for Accelerando.
Learn more about diversity and American orchestras:
What is the curriculum of Accelerando?
What will participating students receive?
Accelerando students will:
How many students will Accelerando serve?
The program launched in 2016 with six students, and we will increase the participation each subsequent year by approximately 5 more students to attain a full enrollment of 24 students in 2020.
Is Accelerando a scholarship program?
Yes. Students who are accepted to Accelerando will receive instruction, counseling and other opportunities as described above, plus more, free of charge.
Accelerando is not a needs-based program. Financial/economic status will not be considered during the application process.
How is Accelerando funded?
The Nashville Symphony was awarded a $959,000 grant by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which will provide 75% of the funding for Accelerando over the next six years. We are actively seeking other grants and donations to raise the additional $350,000 needed to operate the program at full capacity for 2018-2021.
Accelerando is funded solely through private sources – no public or government funds are used to support this program.
Who is eligible to audition for Accelerando?
Students from underrepresented ethnic communities from grades 4-10 (rising 5th-11th graders) may audition for Accelerando. It is possible that in future years, auditions will be restricted to students in grades 4-8 (rising 5th-9th graders).
Do you have questions about whether your child qualifies for Accelerando? Contact us at [email protected].
Auditioning students must reside in Middle Tennessee and must audition on a standard orchestral instrument:
What if we are financially underprivileged?
Accelerando is not a needs-based program. Financial/economic status will not be considered during the application process.
Music education opportunities for students from financially underprivileged backgrounds are offered by several excellent institutions in Nashville, including W.O. Smith Music School and the Pre-College Scholarship Program at Blair School of Music.
How do I apply to audition for Accelerando?
Complete information including the online application form may be found on the Nashville Symphony website. To be considered for an audition, a student must meet the guidelines described above, submit a complete application, and at least one letter of recommendation.
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