Arts-in-Education Residency
Through partnerships with Fischoff Competition alumni, Fischoff’s Arts-in-Education Residency programs bring exceptional free educational activities to more than 2,500 community children annually. Since 1995, Fischoff’s outreach programs have reached over 105,000 children and youth throughout Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan, placing a particular emphasis on underserved and at-risk communities.
Fischoff’s educational programs enrich the musical and cultural life of the community through personal interaction with musicians of the highest caliber. Artists perform for and interact with children, creating an open educational environment for those who may have limited experience in classical music. Master classes and music workshops are presented by residency ensembles to middle- and high-school-aged students. These programs are taken directly to audiences in familiar environments – in schools, libraries, and community centers. For many, the programs are their first exposure to a live performance of classical music by professional musicians.
S.A.M. I Am (Stories & Music), the flagship program of Fischoff’s Arts-in-Education residencies, reinforces the importance of reading through the power of music. S.A.M. I Am programs allow children ages 5-10 to hear books transformed with flair and imagination by nationally-recognized musicians, all of whom are Fischoff Competition alumni. The program integrates music with literacy, storytelling and drama. Musicians often perform in costume, and instruments and melodies may represent characters, themes, and moods from the story. Programs are offered in school settings, and all classroom teachers receive a free copy of the book in advance of the program to incorporate the story into their curriculum. To date, 40,599 children have been served by this program.
2026 Arts-in-Education Residency
*Photography credit: Stephanie Bedoya
Amo Brass members, Connor Holland, trumpet, Josh Bialkin, trumpet, Olivia Martinez, horn, David Seder, trombone, and Vivian Kung, tuba, came together in 2020 as a group of friends wanting to safely make music outside during a pandemic. This ensemble of Yale School of Music alumni is based in the Tri-State area and is passionate about education, community engagement, and performance. Prior to receiving Fischoff’s American Brass Quintet Prize at Fischoff’s 50th Anniversary Competition in 2023, Amo Brass won the Gold Medal at the Cambridge International Music Competition, first prize in the BTHVN Wien Competition, and honorable mention at the Plowman Chamber Music Competition. They have been featured artists at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and as part of Chamber Music America’s annual conference showcase concerts.
Amo Brass’ vision for their ensemble is to provide a musical experience with artistic excellence blended with a commitment to accessible education, cultural leadership, and public service. All members are alumni of the Yale Music in Schools Initiative, which delivers free music education to underserved public school students of the New Haven community. Educational outreach tours are core to their mission, and they have partnered with organizations such as the Virginia Arts Festival, Arts for Learning CT, Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra, PRIZM International Chamber Music Festival, and Quogue Chamber Music. Amo Brass is committed to supporting new music and living composers. In 2025, fueled by New England Conservatory’s Entrepreneurial Music Grant, they spearheaded a consortium to fund a new work for brass quintet by dynamic artist Aliyah Danielle.
Fischoff is proud to announce that Amo Brass has been selected as the winner of the 2026 Fischoff Ann Divine Educator Award.
The 2026 residency will occur Monday, November 16 – Sunday, November 22, 2026 in St. Joseph and Elkhart counties.
2026 Stories and Music
As part of the Arts-in-Education residency, Amo Brass will present Fischoff’s signature S.A.M. I Am (Stories & Music) program, which reinforces the importance of reading through the power of music in a musical retelling of a children’s picture book. This year, Fischoff’s newest S.A.M. I Am program will feature an interactive musical retelling of Giraffes Can’t Dance. Based upon Giles Andreae’s beloved story, students, teachers and families will be part of the fun as Gerald the giraffe finds his signature dance moves with the help of his new friend Cricket.
Access full program information and companion education materials for teachers and students from previous S.A.M. I Am programs in our Online Resources Repository.
Schedule of Events – more dates coming soon!
Tuesday, November 17, 2025
Workshop at the Boys & Girls Club with ECoSistema orchestra
Saturday, November 21, 2025
Stories and Music: St. Joseph County Public Library Main Branch, South Bend, IN
Free & open to the Public!
11:00 AM – Performance in Leighton Auditorium
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM – Activities and Meet the Artists in the Community Center Library Ballroom A & B
Collaboration with ECoSistema Music
See first-hand WNIT’s “Education Counts” feature video highlighting some of the fun Lineage Percussion had with the amazing ECoSistema teachers and students at Roosevelt STEAM Academy as part of the 2024 residency. This day-long visit celebrated Fischoff’s fifth year of collaborations with ECoSistema. ECoSistema’s mission of providing community-building, access, and excellence through music to Elkhart County perfectly aligns with Fischoff’s commitment to provide high quality music experiences to all kids and families in our community.
Ann Divine Educator Award
Named in honor of longtime Fischoff Executive Director Ann Divine, who retired in 2018, this award recognizes her visionary leadership in cultivating community engagement through chamber music. The Fischoff Educator Award recognizes the educational outreach work of Fischoff Competition alumni who have demonstrated outstanding and imaginative programming for children and youth in the United States.
As the winner of the Ann Divine Educator Award, the ensemble receives a coveted endorsement from Fischoff, a cash award, and a weeklong community engagement residency including the creation and performances of Fischoff’s flagship S.A.M. I Am (Stories & Music) Arts-in-Education Residency program along with performance workshops and community concerts.
These programs provide arts experiences of the highest quality to students who would otherwise not have access to these opportunities, paying particular attention to underserved schools and communities. Through generous underwriting from foundation, corporate and individual donors, the Fischoff Arts-in-Education Residency programs are free to the more than 1,500 community members who annually participate.
Award Eligibility & Past Winners
The Ann Divine Educator Award serves as a complementary benchmark to the Fischoff Competition, which provides a forum for America’s finest emerging chamber ensembles. The Educator Award honors past Competition musicians who have established professional careers in chamber music, and have proven their ability to successfully build a career in both music performance and outreach education.
The Fischoff organization will select the winner from its national pool of alumni. While no application is necessary, Fischoff is always eager to hear from its alumni and learn of current activities.
All Fischoff Competition alumni who are engaged in music performance/education careers are eligible. Fifty percent or more of ensemble members must have participated in the Fischoff Competition, but not necessarily in the same ensemble. Ensembles must be comprised of three to six musicians. Individual musicians and educators are ineligible.
Education Award Winners
2026 Amo Brass
2025 Verona Quartet
2024 Lineage Percussion
2023 Kenari Quartet
2022 WindSync
2021 Thalea String Quartet
2016 Jasper String Quartet
2015 Akropolis Reed Quintet
2013 Aeolus Quartet
2011 Axiom Brass
2025 Residency Sponsors
Residency Accolades
Stories and Music Feedback
“It motivated our goals of fluent reading for sure. It served as a model of the very things we talk about. It also encouraged visualization and deep comprehension along with responding to reading.”
– Dean of Students, Darden
“It was a multisensory experience which was more engaging than just reading the book.”
– 2nd Grade Teacher, Monroe
“Provides an additional “tool” to use in building reading strategies.”
– 2nd Grade Teacher, Darden
“One student’s parent reached out to me and said they have read the story every night before bedtime.”
– 2nd Grade Teacher, Swanson
“My students could not stop talking about the show!” and asked “Are they coming back tomorrow?!”
– Program Director, Charles Black Center
“They loved making connections to the real characters and their instruments that they played.”
– Teacher, Marquette Montessori
“I am so happy that Fischoff’s program has become an annual staple in our community center. I look forward to seeing them every year, just as much as the kids do.”
– Program Director, Charles Black Center
“The selection of a fairy tale integrated well with their current curriculum: It actually was perfect because earlier in the year we had done a Cinderella comparison with Rough Faced Girl and this tied into that perfectly. My students quickly made connections.”
– 2nd Grade Teacher, Beardsley
“I have students who speak Spanish, but most are not literate in Spanish. However, they were excited to see Spanish represented, and a number of them borrowed the book to take home for their parents to read it to them. So we were grateful to have it.”
– 2nd Grade Teacher, Beardsley
Activities were “Spot-on for our grade level and interest level.”
– 2nd Grade Teacher, Parkside
Workshop & Masterclass Feedback
“This visit overwhelmingly supports what I do—the students get to see where they can be going with their instruments, they feel important and are given an opportunity to be proud of the work and learning they’ve already done. They are more excited for learning their instruments … and felt valued as professional musicians played with them.”
– Band Director, Roosevelt STEAM
“WindSync showed us the potential we could grow to if we keep practicing our instruments…This can be more than a hobby if we practice enough”
– 5th Grade Wind Student, Roosevelt STEAM