Student Spotlight: Nadia Kyne

Meet Nadia Kyne, Class of 2018 Nadia Kyne New

Prior to joining the ARAD program, Nadia Kyne held the position of Assistant Principal Flute and Piccolo with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for six years. During her tenure with the orchestra, she served on a number of management-musician committees and was elected Chair of the Orchestra Committee, the musicians’ representative on the board of directors. Committed to bringing music education to underserved communities, she taught at an after-school outreach program in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and worked as a teacher-participant in a collaborative study with the UBC Faculty of Education on the effects of music education on self-regulated learning outcomes. Nadia holds degrees in Flute Performance from The Juilliard School and The Curtis Institute of Music, and aims to pursue a career in orchestral management upon graduation from Columbia.

What attracted you to the Arts Administration Program at Teachers College, Columbia University?

With the goal of transitioning from performing to a career in orchestral leadership in mind, I wanted to find a program that would complement the work experience that I’d already had, by providing me with the best practical skills to make me an effective administrator. For me, the ARAD program’s core curriculum offers the perfect mix of business, arts, and law classes, and I was very excited to have the opportunity to tailor my education with elective options throughout Columbia’s schools. The fact that the program is offered through Teachers College, a school with a strong social justice tradition, made it even more appealing for me.

What are the three things you need to have on you at all times?

Coffee, Spotify, and an unlimited metrocard.

Describe student life as a member of the ARAD community.

I love being a part of this cohort. I’m surrounded by inspiring peers who bring an incredible diversity of experience in the visual and performing arts, and I get to learn from them every day. Our professors constantly challenge and motivate us to think more deeply and comprehensively about the issues facing the field, and students from the 2nd-year class have been a huge support, providing advice and mentorship along the way. And being in New York is a huge added bonus! There are always amazing things to see and do, and countless opportunities to learn from administrators who are working at the very top of the field.