He will teach two classes at NVCC and collaborate with the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra (WSO) and its sponsorship of Bravo Waterbury, the youth-directed program of music and social growth. The scholar will be a teaching artist with the school children and program staff, particularly in musical improvisation. He also will work with the orchestra and take part in selected concerts.

“We are pleased with our WSO and Bravo Waterbury partnership because it connects our individual missions to bring the arts to the region. The Fulbright grant blends our educational and musical strengths and serves the community. We all can agree that music makes a better world,” De Filippis believes.

The partnership follows years of collaboration between the College and the orchestra. The WSO is the orchestra in residence at NVCC. The partners are exploring other ways to advance their mutual interests in music, education and community engagement.

The Fulbright S-I-R program enables U.S. colleges and universities to host scholars from other countries to help internationalize their campuses, curriculum and communities. The program will advance NVCC plans to enrich its global scope and to celebrate the diversity among its constituencies.

NVCC’s previous grants hosted ceramic artist Mr. Pascal Meccariello from the Dominican Republic (2012-13) and writer Ms. Oonya Kempadoo from Grenada (2013-14). The scholar will join the College’s Arts Team, whose members will blend the offerings of music, art, dance, theater, digital arts and the child development lab school. The multi-disciplinary team will focus on music improvisation. NVCC will further develop its establishment of the College’s International Center for the Arts.