Phyllis and Dan Epstein Gift Benefits Future Musicians
November 10, 2016
The Music Education Fellowship program at the School of Music and Dance has benefited 40 Music Education students since 2008. “100% of these former Fellows are now employed in K-12 schools throughout San Diego County, and beyond,” says Dr. Nan McDonald, SDSU Coordinator of Music Education. “Throughout the academic year, selected MEF Fellows work in K-12 school music classrooms with volunteer mentor teachers in San Diego Unified School District. They receive invaluable hands-on experience as they complete their undergraduate degree and go on to credential studies.” None of this would have been possible without the California Music Project, headed by Phyllis Epstein and Barbara George (both former members of the California Arts Council).
According to Epstein, she and George saw the difficulties of receiving adequate arts funding from the state while serving on the California Arts Council. This spurred them to start their own 501c3—The California Music Project—whose goal was to have music in all schools in the State of California. The goal seemed huge (even insurmountable), so they altered their strategy. “What we needed to do was go to the teacher’s colleges and help the teachers to facilitate more music in more schools,” Epstein explains. The program launched at San Jose State, and eventually came to San Diego State University in 2008, which became the CMP Fellowship Project.
“Eventually the money dried up and we were no longer successful as CMP, but I was enthralled and impressed with what San Diego State University was doing. So I and another board member, Jim Gunderson, started donating as individuals to continue the fellowship program,” says Epstein. “Every year, I meet the fellows and visit the schools where they work, and I’m extremely impressed with everything about the program,” she raves. “My favorite part is that all of the fellows get jobs in teaching music. It is so fulfilling to know that our goal was achieved, and it’s a wonderful program to be a part of.”
Phyllis Epstein has been an arts advocate for many years, serving on various boards including the Center for Jewish Culture, of which she was the Founding President, and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, of which she is the Education and Community Outreach Chair. Although she never seriously studied music herself, she has a deep personal connection with music. “My uncle Jack Gard was a fabulous pianist. Everyone in my family had a piano for him to play, and we’d all sing around the piano at every holiday and family gathering. That’s my fondest memory of family through music,” she shares. Phyllis and Dan Epstein’s gift to the Music Education Fellowship is now named the Jack Gard Music Education Fund. According to Nan McDonald, “The positive impact of the Epstein and others’ gifts is massive in scope. Each of these music teachers teach more than 15,000 young students throughout the span of their career. A gift to our SDSU Music Education Fellowship is a solid investment in the future of music education and to the future of music in our society.”
The content within this article has been edited by Lizbeth Persons.
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