Our Featured Graduate: VanNashlee Ya

VanNashlee presents at the recent Phase II Youth Salon.

Community MusicWorks’ Founder & Artistic Director Sebastian Ruth introduces us to VanNashlee Ya, one of three graduating students we’ll be featuring this spring:

Over the past 21 years, I have seen Community MusicWorks’ mission come most clearly into focus when talking with our graduating seniors and seeing their maturity, broad worldview, and deep commitment to their communities. As you may know, we support students over the long haul, sometimes from age six or seven through high school, and it is the deep and long term connections that we know make the difference in our students’ lives, and that build the sense of cohesive community that we strive for and value.

Today I want to introduce you to VanNashlee Ya, a CMW violin student I have had the joy of teaching over the past two years. VanNashlee is a senior and is finishing her eleventh year learning journey with CMW. As you’ll see in her testimonial, VanNashlee has been involved with every dimension of CMW—from violin study, to Phase II discussions about artistry and social justice, to mentoring our elementary school students in the Daily Orchestra Program, to the important work of developing a voice as a leader among peers and adults in our community.

CMW has graduated dozens of students, most of whom have gone on to college (95% of our graduating students go on to college, compared to neighborhood graduation rates of 45%), and move into the working world with experience using their voice and collaborating with colleagues.

As we look toward the final months of our 21^st season, please consider the value of the experiences young people have with CMW, not to mention our over thirty free concerts each season, and make a gift in support of our mission and musicians. We have just $40,000 more to raise by June 30 to reach our fundraising goal for this year. It is your support that powers programs like our free music lessons, the Phase II program where VanNashlee and her colleagues have been working hard this year to prepare the annual Youth Salon, and so much more. Your gift will allow CMW to continue to offer these inspiring programs for free in our community.

We are grateful for your being part of our mission. As a supporter, your investment and partnership allows us to continue the collaboration between musicians, young people, and our community in a way that is engaging, meaningful, and available to everyone.

With deep appreciation,
Sebastian Ruth
Founder & Artistic Director

VanNashlee Ya, a current Phase II CMW student, lives in the Elmwood neighborhood of Providence, RI and is a high school senior. VanNashlee will attend Williams College in the fall and plans to major in Biology, pursuing the pre-med track.

I have been a student at Community MusicWorks for eleven years and throughout these eleven years, I have made connections with people in the community, explored and expressed my identity through music, and joined together with other youth at CMW to organize and lead events centered around music and social justice.

I currently study violin with CMW Artistic Director, Sebastian Ruth and am always excited to learn new skills, discover different challenges, and improve my musicianship. In addition, I enjoy having conversations about various topics such as our experiences as musicians, the importance of diversity and social justice in the community, our inspirations, our favorite songs, and even funny stories and jokes. He always encourages me to become a better musician and person.

 As a member of Phase II, I have the opportunity to spend time with other teenage students at CMW and engage in thought-provoking discussions about social justice. We have been working towards organizing the Youth Salon, an event we host every year where we invite the community to join us in our discussions and have a taste of what Phase II is like. Working with the other students is always special because we get to share our ideas, our love for music, our hopes for bettering the community, and we always have a great time just hanging out. Along with being in Phase II, I am a student representative on the CMW Board and a mentor at the Daily Orchestra Program.

These experiences have helped me to develop confidence in using my voice and becoming a leader in my community. I have three siblings also participating in CMW and we are happy to call CMW our second family. CMW is an awesome place that has granted me countless opportunities, helped me to express my identity, and make strong connections with the community. Even after I graduate, CMW will always hold a special place in my heart.  

–VanNashlee Ya

 VanNashlee, along with all of our graduating Phase II students, will be a featured soloist at our End-Of-Year Student Gala, Tuesday, May 22 at 6:00pm. Your generosity this spring will recognize the year-long work of all of our musicians and celebrate our performances—along with helping CMW continue our next decade of music making and our next generation of inspired students and musicians.