Next in the series is Stanford Thompson, Executive Director of Equity Arc and Founder of Play On Philly.
Background, Career, & Music Involvement: With parents as music educators and with siblings involved in music, Thompson has been around music since he can remember. He picked up the trumpet at age 8, and after playing for several years, knew he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his older brothers and make music his career.
After graduating from high school in Atlanta, he was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music for college. He had visited Curtis in high school to hear the Curtis Symphony Orchestra perform Mahler’s 5th Symphony, and was inspired to try to earn a position in the trumpet studio.
When he started in 2005, he participated in the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, the opera orchestra, and the lab orchestra for conductors, and performed a great deal of chamber music in the brass quintet. From watching his colleagues join major orchestras and win top prizes in prestigious competitions, Thompson was encouraged to work hard in the supportive environment that Curtis provides. He most enjoyed “the incredible music making that took place with many prominent conductors, soloists, and pedagogues, in addition to my dear colleagues who care so much about performing at a high level and bringing so much integrity to great repertoire of classical music traditions.”
In his final semester at Curtis, one of El Sistema’s most famous graduates, Gustavo Dudamel, was named the Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the founder of Venezuela’s music education and social development program, called El Sistema, Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu, was awarded the TED Prize in 2009. Watching Dr. Abreu’s TED Prize Speech made a similar impression on him as hearing the Curtis Symphony Orchestra in high school: El Sistema is a compelling example of the power of music education and classical music traditions on the lives of the people who participate in music making and those indirectly impacted throughout the communities they serve.
Knowing he wanted to be a part of that work, he applied for and was accepted into New England Conservatory’s (NEC) Sistema Fellows Program the following fall. The program had been created in partnership between El Sistema and NEC.
Thompson (standing on steps, second from left) with Play on Philly co-founder Carole Haas Gravagno (on steps, far left) and Play On Philly students
As part of that fellowship, Thompson spent two months traveling throughout Venezuela, visiting more than a dozen of their music centers, and learning from their administrative and artistic teams, faculty, students, and families. When he completed the Sistema Fellows program in the summer of 2010, he immediately teamed up with Carole Haas Gravagno to launch Play On Philly, a music education program that “provides underserved children in Philadelphia a transformative music education experience that develops and inspires the behaviors and personal skills needed for a successful life.” The program opened its doors to approximately 85 children in grades 1-8 with 12 faculty and an assistant director. Play On Philly evolved as the largest independent El Sistema-inspired program in the United States with five sites in Philadelphia engaging over 400 students.
And why establish it in Philadelphia?
“I knew early on after moving to Philadelphia for Curtis that I would be happy staying here to build a life and career. However, after my time in Venezuela, I was convinced that if I drove down Market Street long enough from City Hall in Philadelphia, I’d see opportunities for young people just like I experienced growing up and have seen in my travels around the world. We have so many educational, cultural, and financial resources in Philadelphia to make something like POP happen.”
Power of Music: “Music education is a powerful tool for positive personal and community change.”
How did he learn about The Presser Foundation: He originally learned about the Presser Company through the sheet music that was published. He learned more about the Foundation while at Curtis, as he worked with composers who had heard about it.
When he created Play On Philly, his understanding about the Foundation as a funder grew.
Trustee Since: 2020
Role at the Foundation: DEI Committee, Nominating & Governance Committee, Special Projects Committee
Favorite Part of Serving on the Board: He enjoys contributing to the cause (music) that Foundation founder Theodore Presser loved, while also learning about grantmaking from fellow Board members and from reading proposals.
However, his very favorite part of serving on the Board has been building relationships and rapport with other Board members.
Impact of the Foundation: He believes that the Foundation has a great deal of potential to further support organizations that are deeply embedded within and serving their community.
What does he do in his free time?: He serves on other boards, including BalletX, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, and Astral Artists.
In addition to classical music, his interest in jazz has encouraged him to find local jazz houses wherever he travels. Just this past New Years, he found a great jazz club in Almaty, Kazakhstan, that is now in “my top five jazz houses I’ve been to in the world.”
“I absolutely love how much people have embraced Black American music across the globe and am literally blown away by the talent I have heard around the world. Once, I’ll never forget being at one of the top jazz clubs in Berlin when I was a student at Curtis, building the nerve to get up and join the jam session. Once I had scoped out the room and was sure I’d do well, this trumpet player wearing a brown corduroy suit just walked in, hopped on stage, and started to play the final chorus. “The club manager quickly got on stage to let everyone know that (the late legendary jazz musician and composer) Roy Hargrove was in the house… I sat back down pretty quick and had one of the most amazing masterclasses sitting on the front row in a club of no more than 50 people. What an experience!”
When he’s not working, volunteering, or finding jazz houses, he loves skiing and traveling to resorts around the world.
