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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Lindsey Werking-Yip, Director of Development at American Composers Orchestra
4:29:08
ยท
3 min
Lindsey Werking-Yip, Director of Development at American Composers Orchestra (ACO), testified about ACO's music education programs in NYC public schools and the challenges they face with funding processes. She emphasized the need for more timely award notifications and disbursements to ensure consistent services to students.
- ACO's programs focus on music composition as a gateway to creative thinking and self-expression, with a priority on accessibility.
- The organization faces significant challenges due to delays in funding from the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Education.
- Werking-Yip called for addressing delays in the funding process and easing partnerships between organizations and schools.
Lindsey Werking-Yip
4:29:08
Thank you chairs Rivera and Joseph for the opportunity to testify today.
4:29:13
It's always a pleasure to be here.
4:29:15
My name is Lindsey Working Yip.
4:29:17
I am the director of development for the American Composers Orchestra.
4:29:20
I'm honored to be joined today by my colleague J.
4:29:23
L.
4:29:23
Marler, My colleagues, Che Buford and Arjun Singh, had to scoot out.
4:29:28
Arjun is teaching, so that is a good reason for him to not be able to stay, and Che had to go to class.
4:29:36
For thirty years, ACO's music education programs have positioned music composition as a gateway to creative thinking, problem solving, and self expression in partnership with New York City public schools.
4:29:47
Accessibility is a priority.
4:29:50
ACO teaching artists like JL and Arjun have dual language skills, extensive experience teaching classes with multi language learners, and experience working with students with disabilities.
4:30:02
Che Buford was introduced to our composition classes in high school, and it put him on a path to a musical career.
4:30:11
He wrote his very first works as a junior in high school, and he is now a 24 year old pursuing his doctorate in composition at the Columbia University, In Class As We Speak.
4:30:26
Our biggest challenge in delivering music education to New York City Students is navigating the timing of applications and awards from the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Education.
4:30:37
This is the single largest impediment to providing consistent services to our most needy students.
4:30:44
I call upon this committee and the New York City Council to address the delays in the funding process and make it easier for organizations to partner with schools.
4:30:54
We understand that the council discretionary awards are for a single year only.
4:30:58
These are incredibly important resources for arts organizations and schools.
4:31:02
The very delayed timing of these awards is problematic as discretionary awards should be moved out to awardees ASAP after the council makes designations.
4:31:12
This year, we waited until February for awards that were made last June.
4:31:19
ACO's '20 '20 '3, '20 '4 partnership with M 40 M 427, whose population consists almost entirely of newly arrived immigrants, was funded by an arts partnership grant for multilingual learners and students with disabilities from the Department of Education.
4:31:36
For the current school year, not only was this funding not renewed, the notification came during the final week September.
4:31:44
As a result, M427 told us they could not continue the partnership.
4:31:49
This left us little time to seek alternative funding source to keep the two year partnership moving forward into a third year.
4:31:58
We need awards to be announced at the beginning of the fiscal year in order to provide the sort of consistent year round high quality services that our students deserve.
4:32:07
Furthermore, our teaching artists deserve to know what classes they will be teaching and what income they will be receiving with more than a month's or in extreme cases a week's notice.
4:32:19
Finally, we need to lighten the bureaucratic load on principals and assistant principals so that they have better bandwidth for creating connections between the activities going on within their walls and the larger community.
4:32:32
We are grateful that arts grants from the Department of Education exist.
4:32:37
However, the department requires that a school staff member submit the grant.
4:32:41
Even though our grants writer supports the creation of the grant proposals and materials, they cannot finish the final step.
4:32:48
This requirement places an undue burden on the school.
4:32:52
Thank you for your time and consideration.