Some bittersweet news on our end: Leanne DeVane, who’s served as the Festival’s Director of Education and Outreach since 2019, has decided to pursue new interests and opportunities that will allow her to focus on two other areas that are dear to her heart: her farm and her animals.
Leanne has made an indelible mark on the Festival and on the quality of music education throughout Santa Fe and northern New Mexico. Before joining the Festival, she worked for 12 years as the music education coordinator for Santa Fe Public Schools, and she taught at the Navajo Reservation in Fort Defiance, Arizona, and the Ramirez Thomas and Sweeney elementary schools in Santa Fe. During her time at the Festival, she launched the Dream Big Private Lesson Program (which she created, founded, and oversaw while working for Santa Fe Public Schools) and the summertime Festival Family Day, all while expanding the number of students and schools throughout the region that are enrolled in and engaged with our Music in Our Schools, Strings in Our Schools, and Guitar in Our Schools programs.
Under Leanne’s leadership, the Festival’s music education programs also saw a record number of students successfully audition for the New Mexico Music Educators Association’s All-State ensembles and Honor Clinics, Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association ensembles, and more. Leanne’s talent and dedication have been recognized with the 2017 New Mexico Music Educators Association Administrator of the Year Award, 2016 City of Santa Fe Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, and 2012 New Mexico School Boards Association Leadership in Student Achievement Award, among other honors.
In addition to working to make quality music education fully accessible and engaging for all local children and youth, Leanne has worked tirelessly to draw attention to the positive and far-ranging effects of music education on students and communities—a subject (among others) that you can hear her discuss with Festival Artistic Director Marc Neikrug on the next episode of our SFCMF Unfiltered podcast, which will be available on our website beginning Friday, December 20.
Leanne’s vision and heartfelt devotion to her work have been a source of pride and inspiration for all of us at the Festival. We’ll miss her greatly, but we’re excited for everything she has in store. Please join us in thanking Leanne for her excellent and important work and in wishing her all the best with her new endeavors.