Students in the Fredonia School of Music will have the opportunity to learn at the world renowned Pescara Conservatory in Italy, thanks to a pioneering agreement that establishes educational exchanges between the two institutions.
Beginning in 2016, up to three students from each institution will be able to spend one semester studying abroad on an alternating basis. The agreement also facilitates the exchange of faculty from both institutions to teach master classes.
The agreement is the School of Music’s first official exchange program with a music conservatory in Italy as well as Pescara Conservatory's first academic agreement with an American university, noted Ralph Blasting, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts.
“For our students to go to a European setting in a highly regarded conservatory, to experience how being a classical artist is different when you’re in Europe – specifically Italy – is very powerful,” said Fredonia Opera Producer Julie Newell. “Also, sharing in an ongoing relationship with an overseas institution, with the possibility of several students traveling together and having similar experiences, adds so much to the musical breadth of our program and sense of community,” Newell said.
“If you’re 20 years old, who doesn’t want to study in Italy for a semester,” she added.
This is a tremendous opportunity for Fredonia students, added Katrina Hamilton-Kraft, interim coordinator of the Office of International Education, which worked with the School of Music to develop the exchange. “This is a world-wide conservatory with an excellent reputation. Our students will be able to take master classes under some of the best composers and music educators available.”
World Languages and Cultures Lecturer Chiara De Santi, who assisted with drafting language in the agreement, indicated Fredonia students will also enhance their Italian language skills and benefit culturally during their semester in Italy.
Pescara and Fredonia have much in common along with excellent complementary differences, said School of Music Director Karl Boelter. “Italy, being the home of opera and so much of our Western musical culture, will be a wonderful place for students to have an international experience.”
Boelter added, “Fredonia's School of Music is committed to the needs of the students from New York State, and we work hard to develop programs and opportunities for them to explore who they are as aspiring musicians. In that view, there is the need for these students to experience the music and cultures of other places and for others to explore ours. Music is indeed international, and exchanges like this help to bring that reality home.”
A key provision of the agreement guarantees full acceptance, by the student’s home institution, of music credits earned in his/her study abroad experience. “If a student from Fredonia goes to the conservatory and takes a full-time course load, per advisement, interest and language ability, those credit hours will automatically come back to their Fredonia transcript,” Newell explained.
Another key stipulation in the agreement specifies that students studying abroad will be charged the identical tuition rate assessed by their home institution. “Having the same tuition, with no difference in cost, is a very big deal,” added Hamilton-Kraft. “In a lot of cases, exchange agreements include tuition differentials – a big gap – but in this case we developed a partnership that has a full financial tuition exchange.”
Admission will be highly selective. Prospective candidates will be evaluated according to musical talent, Italian language fluency, knowledge of Italian culture, seniority in their academic work and high GPA. Even though the first student exchange will take place in the spring of 2016, Newell reports strong interest by students. “They are very excited, and I’ve had many students already inquire about how to get started on their prerequisites.”
Like Fredonia, Pescara functions at a high artistic level while working within the guidelines of a larger university system, Newell explained. “We both have vibrant faculties with energetic professors that teach at a high level and also work in their own special area,” she said.
Exchanging students and faculty will further enhance the internationalization of the Fredonia campus, Hamilton-Kraft noted, in addition to increasing awareness of the Fredonia brand. “We have a renowned School of Music at Fredonia, and its reputation far exceeds our geographic boundaries,” she said. “We have some 200 international students, and when they go home they talk about Fredonia. That continues to develop an increased awareness of our campus.”
Benefits to be derived by conservatory students at Fredonia include gaining operatic and acting experience, singing in organized choral settings and enrolling in stage and acting classes, in addition to improving English language skills and experiencing American culture.
Newell has already been to Pescara. She conducted her first master class there and sang a recital, both based on American Art Song literature, in September 2011. Associate Professor Daniel Ihasz is scheduled to conduct a master class this winter.
It was during several two week trips, between 2005 and 2009, to Italy by students accompanied by Department of Theatre and Dance Professor Paul Mockovak and Newell that Fredonia became connected with Pescara. The students toured the Marche region and gave performances of musical theatre and operatic scenes as guests of Orchestra Camera delle Marche.
