Alumni
AFA alumni include any past enrolled student in any of our programs that have been held since the first summer in 1996, which makes the total number of AFA alumni in the tens of thousands! A great number have gone on to pursue and maintain active careers as musicians, arts administrators, and music educators, while others continued into the next phases of their lives as entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, technology experts, and so much more. We are proud that many AFA alumni even return to AFA as Teaching Artists! We would love to hear from you and about how AFA has impacted your life – call or email us any time. Here are some ways you can stay connected.
AFA Alumni Internship
The AFA Alumni Internship program provides AFA alumni who are 18-22 years old with a paid internship in the field of music education and arts management. Each summer, AFA Alumni Interns work with the executive staff managing the day-to-day operations of the Summer Music Festival, including concert production, music preparation & organization, student management, working as liaisons between faculty artists & executive staff and much, much more. This unique training and learning opportunity provides experience and insight into non-profit arts management and K-12 arts education. AFA Alumni Interns exemplify the spirit of AFA and are dedicated and dependable positive role models for the students of the AFA Summer Music Festival.
Applications will be open January 27th through February 28th for the 2025 Summer Music Festival.
Applicant Criteria
Alumni of AFA programming; 18-22 years old; Post-high school and enrolled in a post-secondary institution; Interested in working in arts administration, non-profit organizations, and/or music education.
Application Process
Step 1: Submit an application through the AFA Staff Dashboard
Step 2: Obtain and submit a recommendation from someone familiar with your relevant experience and personal character; this may be a current or former professor, longtime teacher, current or former employer, mentor, etc.
Step 3 (by invitation): Qualified applicants will be invited to interview with the AFA Staff via Zoom. Interviews will be conducted throughout the application window and into early March if necessary. Applicants will be notified of the outcome no later than March 21, 2025.
Be an Advocate for AFA and Music Education
Support for AFA and music education in the Greater Houston area starts with those who know us best: our Alumni. There are many ways you can give back:
Financial contribution
Gifts of all sizes truly make a difference, and go directly to the AFA Play It Forward Fund, which supports our students through direct tuition assistance. Visit the Supporters page for more information.
Spread the word
There is no better ambassador for AFA than our alumni; you have first-hand knowledge of how we impact students’ lives! A very high percentage of our students hear about us directly from someone they know, so we ask that you help to spread the word about AFA’s mission and opportunities. Feel free to pass along our contact information to students and their families who may benefit from AFA directly, to school teachers and administrators who may benefit from AFA programming, and to possible financial or in-kind supporters to AFA’s special events or other needs. You can do this easily by following and sharing via AFA’s social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Attend a concert
All of AFA’s concerts are free and open to the public, and our students are always thrilled to see a full audience. Check out the Events page and join us!
Be involved
Interested in volunteering with us? The annual AFA Bayou City Duck Race is the first Saturday in November each year and is a major fundraiser for the AFA Play It Forward Fund. Reach out and let us know if you can lend a hand!
Alumni Spotlight
AFA Alumni Spotlight: William Phi
William Phi is no stranger to AFA. He attended AFA as a high school student in Summer 2015 for the HS Symphony Orchestra (flute) and HS Choir sessions, and in Summer 2017 for the HS Choir session. In addition to being only an AFA Alumni Intern in 2021 and a faculty artist for the Winds
AFA Alumni Spotlight: Natalie Barnaby
AFA Alum Natalie Barnaby attended AFA as a middle and high school student, and was one of the first students in the Houston Girls Chorus. Natalie is currently pursuing a Masters in Opera Performance at Boston Conservatory. She recently directed her first production this past summer; Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’amore” with Monterrey Summer Opera Academy. How
AFA Alumni Spotlight: Sixto Montesinos
AFA Alum Sixto F. Montesinos attended the Summer Music Festival from 2000-2002 and played the flute and piccolo in the AFA Symphony Orchestra. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Music and Head of Instrumental Studies at Saint Mary’s College of California, and also a freelance professional conductor in the Bay Area. How were you
AFA Alumni Spotlight: Arisa Furuta
AFA Alum Arisa Furuta attended the Summer Music Festival from 2011 to 2016 as a cellist and returned as an intern in 2017. She is currently a first-year veterinary student at Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. What was your introduction to music? I had a wonderful music teacher in elementary school that incorporated
AFA Alumni Spotlight: Juan Sebastián Cruz
AFA Summer Music Festival Alumnus and Alumni Intern Juan Sebastián Cruz is steadily making his way in the theatre community. A multifaceted artist, Cruz is the first graduate from the Rice University Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts (VADA) to perform on the mainstage at the Alley Theatre. When did you attend AFA? I was
AFA Alumni Spotlight: Paul Cornish
AFA Composer Institute and Summer Music Festival Alumni Paul Cornish is making his mark on the music industry. From Herbie Hancock, to Kanye West, and even Glee, Paul has shown he has the fluidity to navigate multiple genres. Paul is the winner of the 2018 American Jazz Piano Competition. Also an accomplished composer and educator,