Cecilia Pinto joins NEC as Director of Early Childhood Education
Pinto joins the Expanded Education Division as part of a larger institutional initiative to broaden access to the arts and music education for young people across the City of Boston.
Early childhood and violin music educator Cecilia Pinto has joined New England Conservatory as Director of Early Childhood.
With Sarah Caggiano, Executive Director of Expanded Education, Pinto will work to expand the division’s mission, with an immediate focus on broadening access to NEC Prep for Boston youth through scholarship opportunities and new initiatives. She will develop and implement NEC’s pilot early childhood education program set to kick off in the fall with Ellis Early Learning and ABCD Head Start. The initiative, funded by a $14.5 million grant NEC announced in December, will expand access to music education at the pre-K level.
Pinto comes to the Expanded Education team shortly after Adam Calus, Director of NEC Preparatory School.
“We are so thrilled to welcome Adam and Cecilia to our team. They come to NEC with a wealth of experience and fresh perspectives that will strengthen the work of the Expanded Education division. I cannot wait to see all that they will accomplish in their new roles,”
said Caggiano.
A professional violinist and music educator, Pinto holds a Master of Music in Violin Performance from the Boston Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from the Peruvian National Conservatory of Music. Pinto was Chair of the Strings Department of the Suzuki Association of Peru, where she is originally from. Later, she held the Strings Department Chair position at the Chicago Center for Music Education, where she was also the United in Harmony ensemble music director.
Pinto has taught early childhood music classes for 14 years and violin for 18 years. She has created programs in three countries (Uruguay, Peru, and USA) and two languages for students of many different backgrounds and settings.
“Joining the NEC community as the new Early Childhood Education Director is a great honor,”
says Pinto.
“I hope to bring my experience, expertise, and passion to NEC's efforts of providing music education to young children from all backgrounds. My plan is to build on the Preparatory School's wonderful programs and integrate those with new partner collaborations, so we can remove barriers and open up new pathways for more children to have the opportunity to find their voice through music.”