Middle School Jazz Academy Kickoff Concert: September 27, 2013

The partnership between Jazz at Lincoln Center and Bloomingdale School of Music serves the mission of both organizations; to make quality music education accessible to everyone eager to learn. Bloomingdale School of Music has a long standing history of providing the community with high-quality music education and Jazz at Lincoln Center is equally dedicated to enriching the community with jazz. Throughout this partnership Middle School Jazz Academy students will learn about jazz both at the "House of Swing" (Frederick P. Rose Hall) and the Bloomingdale School of Music.


Middle School Jazz Academy offers tuition-free instrumental jazz instruction to New York City middle school students. Students learn how to play jazz while emphasizing the importance of teamwork, creativity and self-expression. Students also learn from members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and world renowned jazz legends each semester.

At the beginning of each season, faculty from both programs join forces in a kickoff concert.  It is our hope that this partnership will instill jazz within the fibers of the Bloomingdale School of Music as the community continues to grow for years to come.

Below are some pictures of this incredible concert from September 27, 2013 at Christ and St. Stephen's Church.

Instrument Discovery Day: 9/15/13

Bloomingdale’s Instrument Discovery Day is one of the most popular events the school hosts.  Each September and January, the IDD is held at the school and is free to the public.  It allows children and adults to try an instrument and speak with faculty members.  This instruments presented this year included piano, violin, cello, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, recorder, trumpet, percussion, and voice.  Below are a few images highlighting future musicians getting their first experience with an instrument.

Margalit Cantor, cello faculty, helps a prospective student play her first notes on the cello.

Violin faculty Dawn Wohn observes a young student's first few notes on the violin.

Tia Roper, flute faculty helps a young child with the flute.

A young student receives some instruction from Eric Phinney, percussion faculty.  

Faculty Dinner: 9/12/13

At the beginning of each year, the Bloomingdale faculty unites for dinner to reconnect with each other and welcome new additions to our school family.    This year’s dinner took place at Havana Central, a wonderful restaurant in our neighborhood.  It is a wonderful time for everyone to share stories from the summer and get ready for the fall semester.

From Left to Right, Katherine Coplance, voice; Dawn Wohn, violin; James McCain, Director of Student Services; Kerrick Sasaki, violin/viola; Jeremy Blanden, violin and Educational Project Manager; Christine Browning, voice; Lisa Pike, horn; Kaoru Hinata, flute; Lydia George, Assistant Registrar; Lily George, Lydia George's Mother.

From Left to Right, friend of Jose Maldonado; Jose Maldonado, guitar; Allison Lander, piano; Lawrence Davis, Executive Director; Alejandro Cote, guitar; Mario Gotoh, violin; Amy Gustafson, piano; Monica Verona, piano.

Naho Parrini, violin and Director of Education and Nilsa LaSalle, Administrative Assistant share a laugh.

Brandon Vazquez, trumpet and Assistant Director and his son, Judah share some quality time at dinner.

MAP Orientation: 9/12/13

September is always a very exciting time for new and returning students in Bloomingdale’s Music Access Project.  In order to kickoff the year with a great start, the MAP students attend an orientation on September 12th to help them prepare for the upcoming semester.  This year, Brandon Vazquez, the director of the MAP program, spoke to all of the students, followed by an amazing performance by some returning students.  Below are some of the pictures from the event.

Brandon Vazquez addressing the MAP students.

MAP students perform at the orientation.

A MAP student performs at the orientation

Awards Convocation: 6/10/13

On Sunday,  June 2nd, 2013, over 75 students participated in Bloomingdale School of Music's Annual Performance Competition. A diverse group of students ranging from beginner to advanced on instruments including piano, voice, flute, clarinet, and trumpet, performed pieces for a panel of judges. A separate category for chamber music was also included. While winners were selected in each category, the main goal of the event is for students to receive feedback from an outside group of professional teachers other than their own teacher. After the competition, students receive detailed written feedback both on their overall playing and specifics to the pieces they presented. The pictures below are from the Awards Convocation on June 10th at which the winners were presented with certificates and monetary prizes. The first place winner in each category also performed at the event.

Winners of the Piano Upper Intermediate category receive their certificates

Winners of the Chamber Music Category perform Dvorak's Piano Trio No. 4 in E minor (Dumky).

Performathon Weekend: 5/17/13 & 5/18/13

Last weekend Bloomingdale's students, parents, faculty, staff, and Board of Directors came together to celebrate our school at the annual Performathon and Performathon Prelude events. Over the course of two days, $50,000 was raised to support BSM's financial aid program. More than 250 people participated in the two events, performing a wide variety of music and showcasing our community in its full diversity and creativity.

Cello faculty member Margalit Cantor performs at Friday's Performathon with a student.

Board member Jo-Ann Sternberg performs with her group "Four of a Kind Clarinet Quartet" at the Performathon Prelude portion of Friday evening. 

Bloomingdale and Jazz at Lincoln Center's partnership was featured at Performathon Prelude in this jazz ensemble featuring students from both programs playing tunes by Gene Ammons and Billy Strayhorn.

Piano faculty member Laurie Kono Merchant played a duet with a student at the Performathon.

Children's Concert: 4/21/13

On April 21, 2013 violin faculty member Regina Sadowski presented a children's concert which featured an original score to Brett Helquist's children's book The Grumpy Goat. The author was in attendance to discuss illustration and Regina was joined by Gregor Kitzis on a variety of instruments. 

Brett Helquist discusses illustrating a children's book with young audience members

Regina Sadowski and Gregor Kitzis