Mission
AFA enriches the
lives of young people through music.
AFA achieves its mission by: 1) Creating music education programs for young people in safe and nurturing environments; 2) Encouraging talent and creativity in opportunities that make music a vehicle for social, personal, intellectual and emotional growth; 3) Committing to excellence in teaching, faculty, and state-of-the-art educational initiatives; and 4) Leading collaborations that meet the needs of Houston's arts education community.
Background
AFA (American Festival for the Arts) was founded in 1993 by Houston composer J. Todd Frazier as a series of touring music education residencies at colleges and museums in San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Stephenville, Texas. After two years of tours, AFA launched its flagship program, the SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL, in 1996. Acclaimed for safeguarding quality arts education experiences in times of economic decline, the Festival has grown to enroll over 500 second through twelfth-grade vocalists, instrumentalists, pianists and composers at two campuses every summer. The students participate in over 35,000 classroom hours of challenging, multi-week experiences in an atmosphere of supportive learning and camaraderie.
In 2010, AFA launched its year – round curriculum, which includes the HOUSTON GIRLS CHORUS, the AFA CHAMBER MUSIC ACADEMY and COMPOSER INSTITUTE, to provide unique and well-rounded experiences for grades 4-12. These programs offer weekend – based opportunities that challenge intermediate to advanced level musicians to their next level of musical accomplishment.
In 2011, AFA started its AFA IN SCHOOLS community outreach division that presents a broad range of school-based clinics, master classes and residencies that are designed to extend AFA’s mission to under-served populations throughout the region. AFA In Schools gives young people the opportunity to access enriching musical learning experiences customized for each population and/or school site.
In 2018, AFA started its newest curriculum, AFA FIRST, designed to give beginner musicians their first instrumental or choral experience. Provided in a supportive group setting, AFA First encourages shared learning, individual growth, and ensemble experience for grades 2-7.
As AFA continues in its third decade of service to our community, new initiatives are being implemented to broaden AFA’s impact throughout Southeast Texas.
Needs
AFA believes that every child should have access to quality arts instruction, regardless of that child’s socio-economic status or of fluctuations in support for arts programs in Texas schools. Ensuring that students have access to AFA programs regardless of their socio-economic status, AFA’s Scholarship Enrichment Fund underwrites AFA In Schools initiatives, the majority of which are provided subsidized, at low cost, or free of charge to participating students, and offers over two-thirds of students enrolled in AFA programs need-based financial aid, transportation assistance, and instrument support.