Posts for category ‘MCW News/Announcements’

The Music Conservatory of Westchester, a non-profit community school of the arts in White Plains, NY, has been awarded a total of $41,000 in grants from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).  The grants will support need-based scholarships and tuition assistance for students ages 7-18, as well as funding for the school’s Live on Central concert series, a partnership with area public schools to provide music education for special needs students, and the Conservatory’s extensive music and musical theatre programming for all ages. The grant-supported scholarships specifically identify students of color from low-income families to enroll.

These students have the opportunity to thrive in the school’s comprehensive program of music instruction, which includes individual instrumental or vocal instruction (classical, jazz, musical theatre), music theory, orchestra, chorus, and ensemble classes. The course of study centers on standard beginner, intermediate, and advanced repertoire for each instrument.

“We are delighted to receive this support and recognition for our work from NYSCA. Our scholarship program ensures that every child, regardless of age, ethnic origin, ability, or financial means, has access to high quality, comprehensive music instruction,” explained Executive Director Carol Shiffman. “We are committed to providing a pre-professional education for these students, all of whom will be eligible to continue with consideration for music scholarships through high school.”
In order to maintain their comprehensive scholarship program, however, the Conservatory must continually seek additional funding sources.

“The need that many of our students face is still growing,” said Shiffman. “The number of requests for financial assistance from our families continues to rise.”

In addition to the need-based scholarships, NYSCA’s grant funding helps to make possible the Conservatory’s ever-expanding list of program offerings and extensive annual concert line-up, which includes a numerous
performance opportunities for students, the school’s expert faculty, and renowned guest artists. NYSCA is dedicated to preserving and expanding the rich and diverse cultural resources that are and will become the heritage of New York’s citizens. The Conservatory’s applications for grant funding were awarded in NYSCA’s Special Arts Services, Music, and Arts Education categories. NYSCA designated the
Conservatory’s grants as part of a three-year funding cycle currently in its second year.

“The Conservatory is particularly grateful to NYSCA for their foresight in awarding this multi-year funding, as it allows for long-range planning and stability,” Shiffman explained.

The Music Conservatory of Westchester is located at 216 Central Avenue in White Plains, NY. Registration is always open and financial assistance is available for qualifying students. They can be reached at (914) 761-
3900 or by visiting www.musicconservatory.org. Follow the Conservatory on Facebook (Westchester MusicConservatory) and Twitter (@MusicCW), or check their new blog (www.musicconservatoryblog.org) for
the latest news and updates.

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Hi! My name is John Arrucci, and I am a percussionist and composer. I am looking forward to joining the MCW faculty this fall. I will be presenting a percussion sampler class called World Percussion Workshop which will have three separate modules – Samba Drumming, West African Drumming and The Art of Improvisation (through the drum circle). You can take one, two, or all three modules, and there are no pre-requisites for any of them (beginners are very welcome). The modules will all cultivate a strong sense of “inner pulse,” listening, creativity and ensemble playing. My hope is that all participants leave the class feeling confident in their own creative potential, sense of rhythm and ability to have a lot of fun with music!

In addition to the workshop, I will also be offering private lessons on percussion instruments from a variety of traditions from around the world (classical orchestra percussion, drumset, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian, West African). My private lessons are structured to address the individual student’s needs and goals with an emphasis on relaxed movement, attention to sound production , phrasing and musical expression. I am excited about meeting lots of new people and being part of the MCW community.

For more info on the new World Percussion Workshop, call 914-761-3900 or email info@musiced.org

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The Music Conservatory will be closed Friday, Sept. 3 – Monday, Sept. 6 – reopening Tuesday, Sept. 7 for Labor Day. Enjoy the long weekend.

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Music Conservatory of Westchester will offer an exciting array of new programs in music, musical theatre, and dance this fall when their semester begins Saturday, September 11. Since 1929, the Conservatory has welcomed students of all ages and skill levels, from young children to senior citizens.

“This fall we’re thrilled to introduce a number of exciting new classes,” said Dr. Jean Newton, Dean of Students and Faculty. “We’ve been amazed at the response we’ve received so far from these unique offerings.”

The Conservatory’s lineup of new classes for teens and adults includes: a World Percussion Workshop in which renowned percussionist-composer John Arrucci teaches drumming styles from across the globe; Introduction to Rock Guitar; a Theatre Audition Workshop led by Broadway veteran Sariva Goetz; and a Vocal Performance Workshop with former New York City Opera leading artist Thomas Jamerson.

“Our new Vocal Performance Workshop is a wonderful opportunity for experienced voice students — from teens on up — to take their craft to the next level in a supportive setting,” said Jamerson. “Students perform various styles and languages from the classical and musical theatre repertoire in a small ensemble setting. Instruction is given in diction, stage presence, as well as musical and dramatic interpretation.” Read more »

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The Conservatory will be closed from Friday, Sept. 3 – Monday, Sept. 6 in observance of Labor Day weekend. We will reopen Tuesday, Sept. 6.

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Support good live music!
Can’t get to the city- let the city come to you! Come out to the first of many “NYC Comes To You” concerts from thecheappop.com!

Anna Rose is a singer/songwriter from NYC with deep roots in Westchester. Her mother used to dance ballet and her father is Alan Menken, the celebrated and widely influential pianist and theater and film composer arguably best known for “Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin.” Rose …just debuted her full length album Nomad, which features standout songs “Wilshire Boulevard,” “Whispers,” and “Pictures.”

The August Infinity are a NYC band who released their debut album “Voices of a Generation” last year. Everything on the album was written, recorded, mixed and produced solely by the band in the confines of their NYC apartments. To date The August Infinity has been featured on Sirius XM’s Octane channel as well as a growing number of college and internet radio stations.

Comedian Dante Mercadante will open the show!

The event is presented by Jon Chattman’s thecheappop.com. All proceeds go toward the Music Conservatory of Westchester.

TICKETS ARE $12 ONLINE OR $15 AT THE DOOR.

Get tix here:
http://www.augustconcert.eventbrite.com/

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Music Conservatory of  Westchester is pleased to announce the Morgan Stanley Foundation has made a $2,000 contribution to MCW on behalf of the volunteer efforts of Morgan Stanley employee and Conservatory Board Member Mary Bianco toward the Comprehensive Scholarship Program.

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Thomas Jamerson

What are some of your most memorable experiences as a performer, and who are some of the artists you’ve performed with?

When I was still attending graduate school at Louisiana State University, I was offered a contract with the Metropolitan Opera National Company, which eventually led to the exciting opportunity to sing the role of the Marquis in a recording of La Traviata with RCA Red Seal Records in Italy with Montserrat Caballé, Carlo Bergonzi, and Sherrill Milnes.  Soon afterwards, in my debut season at New York City Opera, I sang Valentin in Gounod’s Faust at Lincoln Center with Beverly Sills, Norman Treigle, and Michele Molese.  At first I felt quite intimidated by the thought of working with these fabulous artists, but they later became dear friends of mine.

The response of our audiences was deeply gratifying.  One example that will always stand out in my mind is our reception singing La Bohème with the Israeli Philharmonic.  After the final performances, fans mobbed the stage door, requiring security to place three cars surrounding the area just outside the stage door for our safety.  Beyond that area there seemed to be over a thousand people trying to get to us for autographs and pictures.

Two special opportunities which I had as a performer were singing the Papageno – Papagena duet in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and singing the role of Pish Tush in excerpts from The Mikado, along with fellow singers from City Opera in the movie Foul Play. Dudley Moore played the role of the conductor, but his part was filmed in San Francisco, while we were filmed in Los Angeles.  The proscenium of the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles was made to look like that of the San Francisco Opera House, and the videographers were able to blend together the shots of the stage and of the audience perfectly in the movie.  I remember our eating lunch, which was brought to the shoot and served in the parking lot outside the Shrine Auditorium.  Goldie Hawn questioned me as to how we had managed to arrange for the prime rib, as the actors had never been served such a good lunch previous to this!

A very important aspect of the profession is the special relationships you develop with your colleagues over the years.   I still remember the production of Andrea Chénier with Plácido Domingo in the title role, in which I sang Roucher, Chénier’s best friend.  Due to a scheduling delay of a recording being made of Mr. Domingo, he arrived only a few days prior to the first performance (quite an uncommon situation for Plácido).  My entire role consisted of our scenes together.  There was no time to actually stage the scenes with him, so he and I improvised the staging — quite well, I might add.  It was different in each performance.  Later, we realized that we had each previously done a different production of this particular opera which was directed by the same director (not the one credited for the production we were in), and we were able to use that character relationship to improvise on the spot.  I still have an autographed photograph of the two of us in that production, and it is one of my most prized possessions.

What is the value of the MCW Vocal Academy experience for students, and what it contributes to the vocal program?
The Vocal Performance Academy is an intensive two-week summer program, which the Conservatory initiated to provide a more intensive study experience for young singers of age fourteen and above.  Students are trained in vocal technique, stage movement, sight singing, diction, vocal anatomy, and musical styles and genres, including classical, musical theatre, jazz and gospel.  Our teachers, who have extensive experience in the fields of opera, concert and musical theatre, pass this knowledge on to the students and give them a thorough understanding of what to expect in these fields.  We assign students repertoire appropriate to their age and level of experience, to challenge them and help them grow alongside their colleagues in a supportive environment.  Read more »

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The Music Conservatory of Westchester’s Ninth Annual Golf Classic and Award Dinner was held on Monday, June 28, 2010 at the Whippoorwill Club in Armonk, NY. Sixty-two golfers and seventy-four dinner guests helped raise $80,000 for the Conservatory’s scholarships and tuition assistance programs.

Following the Classic, John and Patricia (Patty) Bottomley were honored for their decade of outstanding service and dedication to the school. Former MCW Executive Director Lisa Deutsch presented the couple with an original landscape painting and expressed her thanks for the many ways their commitment has been valued by the Board and staff. The Bottomleys are avid supporters of the Conservatory and invaluable advocates in the school’s fundraising efforts since they moved to Rye ten years ago. John joined the Board of Trustees in 2000 and Patty has been involved as a co-chair of the Golf Classic since its inception in 2001.

Proceeds from this year’s event will be matched in the amount of $75,000 by The Ernst C. Stiefel Foundation. As a non-profit, the Conservatory must raise $700,000 annually to support programs which are not covered by tuition alone, including financial assistance for the school’s low-income families. The Golf Classic is the Conservatory’s largest fundraising event. Read more »

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