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Ole music grad to join performance and education program

By Tom Vogel
June 11, 2007

Paul Murphy '03, who earned his Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet performance at St. Olaf, has been selected for The Academy -- A Program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and The Weill Music Institute, a performance and education fellowship. Murphy is one of 18 new musician fellows who have been chosen for The Academy, which will begin in September.

"I was thrilled when I found out about it," says Murphy, who was living in Kansas City at the time. "I was out of school and trying to get my music career started, which can be a daunting task."

Murphy says he found out about the program, which he describes as "a launching pad for musicians," when a friend forwarded an article about it that had appeared in The New York Times.

"I could tell they were very serious about performance and education. Their goal is to teach performers that education is vital for future of music." Murphy says. "Ever since I went to St. Olaf I've realized the importance of combining the two worlds. St. Olaf was good at inspiring musicians in both fields."

Established in January 2007, the two-year fellowship serves post-graduate musicians embarking on their careers by helping to bridge the gap between their academic and professional lives. The fellowship is designed to develop the skills and values critical to building careers that combine musical excellence with education and community outreach. The newly selected fellows -- nominated by music school deans and leading musicians, and then chosen by live audition -- join 15 returning fellows who participated in the first phase of the pilot.

Murphy, who earned his master's in music from the Yale School of Music in 2006, will join graduates of such schools as the Curtis Institute of Music, the Juilliard School, Mannes College The New School for Music, New England Conservatory and Stony Brook University.

The Academy provides performance opportunities at both Carnegie Hall and The Juilliard School, advanced musical training through master classes and coaching, and intensive teaching instruction leading to hands-on experience working with students in the New York City public school system, in collaboration with the New York City Department of Education. Fellows work with a variety of grade levels in general music classrooms and, based on the needs of the schools, provide individual instrumental instruction.

"The goal of the program is expanding the role of the artist in residence," Murphy says. "In The Academy program, fellows are paired with the same kids for two years, not just one week or one month. The key to having an impact on students' lives is in forming long-term relationships."

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.