.Originally from Cleveland, Alyssa now calls Paris home. She is a musician and on a post-masters fellowship studying contemporary music and saxophone performance with Jean Michel Goury.
Q + A with Alyssa
WHERE YOU CURRENTLY ARE BASED? WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE? I'm currently living in Paris, France on a post-masters fellowship studying contemporary music and saxophone performance with Jean Michel Goury.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU OVERSEAS? I received the Frank Huntington Beebe Foundation Fellowship (http://www.beebefund.org/recip.htm) to study saxophone in Paris, as well as the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris (CIUP) scholarship to continue my studies here.
DID YOU STUDY ABROAD IN THE PAST (OR PRESENT)? IF SO WHAT PROGRAM AND WHERE? This is my first time studying abroad.
ANY WORDS OF WISDOM FOR FUTURE YOUNG AMERICANS? Studying music while living abroad in Europe has immeasurably impacted my life as a musician, educator, and as a person. Art and music are simultaneously created and influenced through and by their surroundings, and I encourage everyone to observe this personally by traveling and learning about other cultures whenever and wherever possible. Do not be deterred by the relatively intimidating financial and logistical prospects of moving/studying abroad. There are a multitude of grants, fellowships, and other resources available to ease this process. Seek out these opportunities and connect with others whom have pursued similar experiences.
