DATE=03/26/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=VILAR FELLOWSHIPS (L-O)

NUMBER=2-288023

BYLINE=BARBARA SCHOETZAU

DATELINE=NEW YORK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

///EDS: Zarate act also available in Spanish///

INTRO: Six young performing artists have been named the first recipients of the Vilar Global Fellowships, modeled after the prestigious Rhodes Scholarships. Barbara Schoetzau reports from New York.

TEXT: Philanthropist Alberto Vilar set up the fellowships at New York University last year with a grant of 23 million dollars. His goal is to help exceptional young performing artists from all over the world come to New York for two years of graduate study and training with top teachers in acting, dance, design, filmmaking, instrumental performance, jazz studies and musical composition.

/// BEGIN OPT/// N-Y-U President Jay Oliva says the performing arts owe a great deal to Mr. Vilar, who has devoted much of the fortune he made in investments to art organizations all over the world.

/// OLIVA ACT ///

Of all the philanthropists in the world, here is a man who has dedicated himself to the performing arts, whether it is the Metropolitan Opera, or the Kirov (ballet) or San Francisco (Opera) or the Kennedy Center (for the performing Arts). Here is a man who understands the power of the performing arts in the world so that it is called the Vilar program is a big thing to me. Very important.

/// END ACT/// /// END OPT ///

Three-hundred and sixty applicants from Europe and North America were winnowed down to 19, including candidates from the Czech Republic, England, Italy, Korea, Romania, Thailand and Turkey. The semi-finalists were brought to New York for auditions before an international selection committee. In the end, five of the winners were Americans. The sixth, saxophone player Patricia Zarate, was born in Santiago, Chile, and studied jazz at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

/// ZARATE ACT ///

It means a lot because I really wanted to finish my Master's Degree. I actually started a couple of years ago and didn't finish. So I really wanted to finish and move to New York, which is the center of jazz and music therapy, which are two things that I really want to do.

/// END ACT ///

Sponsors say the program is expanding. Regional selection committees will be established in Asia and South America in 2003 and in Africa and the Middle East in 2004.(Signed)

NEB/NYC/BJS/SAB