Guitar Festival 2014: January 25-26

BSM presented its annual Guitar Festival on January 25-26.  The event included a student recital, faculty recital, masterclass, and recital by Guest Artist Zaira Meneses, a wonderful classical guitarist.

Guest Artist Zaira Meneses in Masterclass with a BSM guitar student

A young BSM student practices during the Open Stage

BSM group class student wait to go on stage

BSM Guitar students enjoy the backstage comradery.

A BSM student performs with his teacher, BSM Faculty Mark Mollica

BSM Faculty Matt Buttermann

BSM Faculty Alejandro Cote

BSM Faculty and Guitar Festival Artistic Director, Jose Maldonado

BSM Faculty Members Mark Mollica and Matt Buttermann

BSM Faculty Gabriel Handy

Guest Artist Zaira Meneses talks to the audience before her performance.

Guest Artist Zaira Meneses

Italian Guitar Duos: January 12, 2014

On January 12, guitar faculty members Alejandro Cote and Jose Maldonado performed guitar duets from Italy spanning 4 centuries.  The duo showcased the guitar's versatility with pieces by Scarlatti, Tedesco, Giuliani and Demoniconi.

BSM guitar faculty, Alejandro Cote

BSM guitar faculty, Alejandro Cote

BSM guitar faculty, Jose Maldonado

BSM guitar faculty members, Alejandro Cote and Jose Maldonado

A Concert Celebrating the Life of Lawrence Davis

On Tuesday December 17, the Bloomingdale School of Music community united to celebrate Lawrence Davis.  Director of the BSM for 22 years, he touched the lives of many students and faculty.

Below are some photos of the special concert. 

The BSM Community Sings "Simple Gifts".

BSM Board President, Paul Ness remembers his time working with Lawrence.

Lawrence's sisters, Karen and Tamie Davis, share stories of their wonderful brother.

Jo-Ann Sternberg, Bathsheba Marcus Conley, and Evangeline Benedetti perform a movement from Beethoven's Clarinet Trio, Op. 11.

Arthur and Mary Sachs remember Lawrence.

Former MAP student Joshua Rim shares how much Lawrence affected his life.

BSM MAP students perform the first movement of Brahms' Piano Quintet.

BC Vermeersch recalls stories from his many lunches with Lawrence.

Marc Peloquin remembers his collaborations with Lawrence throughout his tenure at BSM.

BSM Faculty perform a movement from Bach's Keyboard Concerto in f minor.

Jeremy Conley, former Assistant Director of BSM, fondly reminsces about Lawrence.

BSM board member, Toni Dechario, reads one of Lawrence's blog entries from "Reaching In".

Chen Chu leads the BSM Chamber Orchestra in "Danny Boy".

BSM/Music from China Collaboration Concert

On Friday, December 13th, Music From China and the Bloomingdale School of Music Chamber Orchestra presented Traditional and Newly Composed Chinese Music.  The concert was led by Music from China's Artistic Director, Wang Guowei.  Also featured were soloists Melinda Chen, yangqin soloist and Melanie Chen, liuqin soloist.

Melinda Chen, yangqin soloist

Wang Guowei, Music from China Artistic Director

 

BSM Chamber Orchestra Flute Section from L to R: Linda Zhang, Jong Song, Thomas Lei

Melanie Chen, liuqin soloist

Melanie Chen, liuqin soloist

MAP Student Christina Brinzac, violin

Anastasia Salyer, cello

Jonyque Espeut, cello

Members of the BSM Chamber Orchestra: Thomas Lei, flute, Ashley Salyer, viola, Dante Mena, clarinet, Jason Butler, viola

BSM Chamber Orchestra Violins from L to R: Menglin Luo, Ricky Su, Brian Ramirez, Joshua Lam

The Music of Mario Lavista: December 6, 2013

Bloomingdale School of Music faculty members Claudia Schaer, violin, and Roberto Hidalgo, piano were joined by clarinetist Hana Kim and bassoonist Gilbert Dejean in a wonderful concert of works by Mario Lavista.  Mr. Lavista has been a leading voice in the music of Mexico since the 1960s and turns 70 this year.  This concert featured some of his most emblematic music for solo and small ensembles. 

Hana Kim, clarinet

BSM Piano Faculty, Roberto Hidalgo

BSM Violin Faculty, Claudia Schaer

Hana Kim, clarinet; Roberto Hidalgo, piano; Gilbert Dejean, bassoon

Faculty Focus Series: November 24, 2013

Flute faculty member Tia Roper performed music of Bach, Mower, Taffanel, and Taktakishvili as part of BSM's Faculty Focus Series on November 24. Joined by Mitchell Vines on piano, Tia showcased the flute in its versatility and captivating style, its virtuosity and lyricism, and its embrace of both classical music and jazz.

Tia Roper, flute

Tia Roper, flute and Mitchell Vines, piano

Just Brassin' Around: November 22, 2013

The Regal Brass performed an exciting concert of music from various jazz eras on November 22 at the Bloomingdale School of Music.  Selections included works by Jack Palmer, Paul Barbarin, Sholom Seceunda and Zack Smith.  BSM trumpet faculty, Brandon Vazquez was joined by his Regal Brass colleagues Kevin Murphy on trumpet, Lester Sanabria on horn, Jack Titcomb on trombone, Tom Lemak on tuba, and Vince "Kazi" McCoy on percussion.

Brandon Vazquez, BSM trumpet faculty

Kevin Murphy, trumpet

Lester Sanabria, horn

Jack Titcomb, trombone and Brandon Vazquez, trumpet

Vince "Kazi" McCoy, percussion

Tom Lemak, tuba

Regal Brass