Education

Apprentice Program

Congratulations to 2023/2024 ADC Apprentice Christina Pauolina with Mrs. Patsy Brooks

The ADC Apprentice Program, begun in 2014, provides a range of vocal experiences to selected students. In the Apprentice Program students are coached to develop aural skills and an understanding of basic music principles. They learn solo selections and practice vocalizes and physical exercises to develop vocal range, quality, and general vocal health. During their apprenticeship each student meets one-on-one with the conductor of ADC, receives private vocal instruction, and attends Arts District concerts with an assigned mentor. Culminating the program each apprentice participates in a mock-audition to prepare them for real-world music audition experiences. The desired outcome of the program is to develop a life-long love and appreciation of vocal music in each apprentice and to prepare him/her to audition successfully for entrance to the Dallas Arts Magnet School or to return to his/her neighborhood school’s music program more fully equipped for musical success.

Benefits to the community are:

1. deserving students are prepared to audition for one of the premiere arts magnet programs in the country
2. apprentices returning to their neighborhood school programs are better prepared to make them successful
3. apprentices’ lives are enriched in a way previously not possible
4. apprentices acquire the strong sense of discipline required by a strong music program.

Success will be defined by apprentices successfully passing the mock audition taken at the end of the apprenticeship. It will also be defined by the number of eligible apprentices who audition for entrance and are accepted into Booker T. Washington School for the Performing and Visual Arts or other school of their choosing.

Past Apprentices

All past apprentices auditioned and were admitted to Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. We would like to thank Patsy Brooks, the Arts District Chorale member who has been the primary vocal teacher for these young people.
 

ArtsVision

ArtsVision Performing and Visual Arts is a not-for-profit child centered fine arts program, offering high quality performing and visual arts experiences to school aged youth and their families. The Mission of ArtsVision Performing and Visual Arts is to provide Dallas area youth an intensive, innovative and well-rounded program that focuses on the arts for youth, while helping youth build self-esteem, confidence, and inspire youth to find their creative voice.

Arts District Chorale has partnered with ArtsVision for more than ten years to support their summer program. ADC members get involved by providing musical instruction, supervision, and mentorship to students participating in the program. 
 

Patsy Brooks Recognized for Service

Arts District Chorale alumna Patsy Brooks was recognized by ArtsVision on July 22, 2023, for ten years of outstanding service through ADC’s Apprentice Program. Begun in 2014, the Apprentice Program provides a range of vocal experiences to students selected from non-profit ArtsVision’s summer program. ArtsVision is jointly sponsored by St. Paul United Methodist Church and the Booker T. Washington School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Their annual two-week summer camp program culminates with a musical theater production. This year, the production was The Wiz (Jr.), an adaptation of the classic Wizard of Oz. Forty children and youth in grades three through eight comprised cast and crew who handled every aspect of the show. The sold-out production took place in the rotunda theater at First United Methodist Church of Dallas.

Patsy, a gifted singer, has for ten years coached the students with their vocal parts and techniques, prepping them for the summer musical and a musical life that extends far beyond its curtain call. Each student receives one-on-one instruction, which includes an emphasis on vocal range, quality and overall vocal health. The experience also offers a mock audition process, which helps many students who go on to audition in the real world at Booker T. Washington or other schools.

The Apprentice Program also annually awards one student with a year of private voice lessons donated by Patsy. Eighth-grader Christina Pauolina is the recipient of the 2023-2024 Apprentice Award, and she is excited to hone her vocal skills with Patsy throughout the coming school year. “I look forward to helping Christina develop technique with her lovely natural voice,” says Patsy. “We’ll be using age-appropriate art songs, along with some fun Broadway music. Who knows – she may be an ADC singer one of these days!”

Other ADC singers have participated with ArtsVision throughout the years, with Patsy in the leadership role. ADC looks forward to expanding its relationship with ArtsVision and to its continuation with the Apprentice Program.