Early Music America Social Impact Fellowship

Fellowship Description

Mission, Vision & Values

EMA’s mission is to develop, strengthen, and celebrate early music in North America by supporting the people and organizations that perform, study, and find joy in it, and by championing the contributions they make to the health and vibrancy of their communities.

EMA believes that early music provides a valuable way to understand history and human culture; that historically-informed performances provide important musical insights and experiences; and that all people and communities should have access to learning, performing and enjoying early music.

Inclusive and Diverse

To ensure a lasting relevance of the music that fulfills our members, EMA celebrates and embraces an inclusive and respectful dialogue, enriching and affirming all our members through our shared and diverse journeys in early music.

A Thriving Future

So that our organization continues to thrive for future generations, EMA models responsible stewardship, best practices, fairness, integrity, and meaningful attention to sustainability in our operations and governance.

GradFUTURES Social Impact Fellows at Early Music America will coordinate with the team to connect with HBCUs to expand the curriculum choices in the study of music and music history. 

Spirit of Community

In the spirit of discovery and collaboration, EMA commits to supporting early music communities, cultivating the joys and passions that inspire and connect our members.


 

Your Host

 

Early Music America logo

Early Music America is a North American community of people who find joy, meaning, and purpose in studying and experiencing historically informed performance. Since 1985, EMA has enriched the field of early music in North America by developing and supporting interest in the music of the past, so that it informs and shapes our lives today. The breadth of EMA’s membership – including professional performers, students, educators, ensembles, presenters, instrument makers, amateur musicians, philanthropists, and many more – has made it an important advocate for early music throughout North America. Through its membership publications and activities, EMA supports the performance and study of early music and promotes public understanding of its potential impact on people and communities coast-to-coast.

SIF Mentor

Patricia Ann Neely
Chair, Early Music America Taskforce on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Patricia Ann Neely is an early-bowed string player and teacher who specializes in the viola da gamba, violone, vielle, and baroque bass. She holds a BA in music from Vassar College and an MFA in Historical Performance from Sarah Lawrence College. Ms. Neely has played with many early music ensembles here and abroad, including Sequentia, Smithsonian chamber orchestra and viol consort, Tempesta di Mare, Washington Bach Consort, Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra, Rheinische Kantorei Köln, among others. and currently directs Abendmusik – New York’s early music string band. She is a member of the Board of Early Music America (EMA) and from 2019 to 2021 was Chair of the IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access )Taskforce. She is currently on the Board of the Viola da Gamba Society of America and chair of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee.

Current & Former EMA Fellows

Joyce Chen, GS, MUS
Community College Teaching Fellow
Social Impact Fellow

"There is no cookie-cutter like experience being an academic in this day and age. We need to be proactive and think imaginatively as well as to reach out to valuable professional development resources, such as GradFutures."