Collective Impact in Action: Teaching Artists Build and Sustain the Future
UniSound’s Beckom-Freeman Teaching Artist-in-Residence (BTAR) alumni and BTAR Fellows don’t just create musical opportunities as performers. As teachers and mentors, they build community and maximize impact across music education, community engagement, and organizational synergies.
Former BTAR Yusef Shelton “YS1” (’23-24) continues to mentor students across schools and youth-delinquent systems by teaching emotional intelligence, purpose discovery, and identity through culturally relevant music and SEL programming. His program Back 2 Purpose helps young people break negative cycles, build confidence, and learn the practical skills needed to thrive academically, socially, and personally.
Recent BTAR Alum Gloria Wide (’24-25) helps students achieve excellence in music that transfers to other areas in life with The People’s Music School back home in Chicago.
Since moving back to Chicago in August, I started teaching at The People’s Music School. At TPMS our mission is to deliver access to the benefits of high-quality, tuition-free music education. Through intensive instruction and performance, our students achieve excellence in music that transfers to other areas in life. I teach Viola and violin group classes and private lessons and I am an ensemble assistant as well at 3 of the 4 program sites. In addition, I am the high strings coach for the Buffalo Grove High School orchestra and I have a studio of private students in and around the northwest suburbs of Chicago. – Gloria Wide
With over a decade of performance and teaching experience, Omari I. Abdul-Alim (Current BTAR Fellow) inspires young musicians by captivating audiences nationwide. As the resident Beckom-Freeman Teaching Artist-in-Residence Fellow, Omari teaches private lessons, group classes, and chamber music around Pittsburgh through partnerships with Hope Academy, Guardians of Sound Hip Hop Orchestra, and Youth Chamber Connection.
Read more: The evolution of the Beckom-Freeman Teaching Artist-in-Residence (BTAR) program
