Who does this work?

Recently, I have been thinking with Andrea Landin (Sistema Fellow '13) about how to help her find the best possible successor when she steps down in June from her role as founding director of the New West Symphony Harmony Project of Ventura (CA). Whoever takes over from Andrea needs to be able to lead the musical development of the Project's many young students, but when considering the program's youth development mission in the context of the community it serves, it is evident that the program's next leader cannot be measured by his or her music education credentials alone.

Someone recently used the word "unicorns" to describe the challenge of finding musicians and music educators who are both predisposed and prepared to do creative youth development work that is responsive to community needs and assets. I love the way that Andrea has chosen to describe the unicorn that she is now actively seeking. I'm crossing my fingers that her search is successful.