About Our Ensembles
BKCM’s Brass, Woodwind and Flute Ensembles are designed for saxophone, clarinet, flute, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, tuba, euphonium or french horn players who are currently taking private lessons or participating in their school band program. Playing in an ensemble is a rewarding experience and essential for young players to learn how to play in-tune, blend with others and support their sound within a section.
Each ensemble is coached by a brass, woodwind or flute specialist who tailors and arranges repertoire that will challenge students at their current level and advance their playing and performing skills. Students learn a range of genres including classical, pop, world and jazz selections and perform throughout the year at recitals, community events and informal parent observations. Students are encouraged to practice their ensemble repertoire outside of class.
Brass Ensemble
Saturdays, 3:00-4:00 PM
Woodwind Ensemble
Saturdays, 3:00-4:00 PM
Flute Ensemble
Saturdays, 3:00-4:00 PM
AUDITIONS & REGISTRATION
Step 1: Audition
New students are required to audition to join the Brass, Woodwind or Flute Ensembles.*
- Record a video playing a minimum of 2 major scales as well as a short excerpt from a solo piece, or an excerpt from your current band or lesson repertoire that shows your skill.
- Submit your video audition to cmsadmin@bkcm.org, ideally as a private YouTube link or viewable link on Google Drive, Dropbox or iCloud. Include your full name, email and phone number in the body of the email.
- If you would prefer to schedule a live audition, please email cmsadmin@bkcm.org and specify dates and times that work for you.
Students who have previously enrolled in BKCM private lessons or ensembles may receive a nomination from their teacher or the administration to bypass the audition. Students who have previously enrolled in a BKCM Brass, Woodwind or Flute Ensemble or the Brooklyn Band Academy are not required to audition.
For more information, please contact cmsadmin@bkcm.org.
Step 2: Register
Once you have been accepted to join an ensemble, please complete the following steps to register.
- Fill out BKCM’s required Student & Family Survey.
- Click here to create a Registration account (for new families).
- Call 718-622-3300 to complete your registration.
Financial aid is available for qualifying students. To apply please contact kris.mandapat@bkcm.org and fill out the financial aid application.
If you have questions, please call 718-622-3300 to speak to one of our registrars who will guide you through every step of the registration process.
For complete information on our registration process and policies, please click here.
FACULTY
Pablo Masis – Brass Ensemble Coach
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Pablo grew up in northern Arizona on the Navajo Indian Reservation and in Billings, Montana. He studied classical trumpet at Lawrence University with Robert Levy, receiving a Bachelor of Music degree. Following a year of Graduate study in classical trumpet with Dennis Najoom at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he moved to New Orleans, where he studied with Terence Blanchard, Clyde Kerr Jr. and Ed Petersen, and received a Masters Degree in Jazz Studies from the University of New Orleans.
Pablo has performed with a variety of New York-based ensembles including Kyle Saulnier’s Awakening Orchestra, Bobby Sanabria’s Multiverse Big Band, the David White Jazz Orchestra, the Dan Pugach Big Band, and the NYC Brass Choir. In 2012 Pablo released his second recording with a quintet of musicians from New York, titled “Intrinsic,” featuring Chad Lefkowitz-Brown on tenor sax, Alex Brown on piano, Linda Oh on bass, and Jared Schonig on drums.
Pablo has appeared across the United States and Europe including New York, Seattle, Portland, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Kansas City, Washington DC, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Poland. Pablo has presented concerts and masterclasses at Rocky Mountain College, South Dakota State University, Augustana University, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
In February 2015, Pablo traveled to Kabul, Afghanistan where he was a guest artist with the Afghanistan National Institute of Music for their Winter Academy.
Mitzy Nonaka – Flute Ensemble Coach
Versatile and energetic flutist Mitzy Nonaka has a varied career, performing with regional orchestras, chamber ensembles, and recording for media projects. Dedicated to promoting social justice values through music, she regularly contributes to the efforts of Protestra: An Activist Orchestra. Mitzy can be heard in recent recordings with Ensemble 2I2 and Light Opera of New York, Key Glock: Ambition for Cash, View and Chew on Amazon Prime and Bite Size Broadway, an award-winning musical podcast.
As an educator, Nonaka is dedicated to sharing the joy of music with any student with curiosity and provides lessons for students across NYC, with several receiving scholarships to study. She is on faculty at the School of The Holy Child Rye, directing instrumental ensembles.
Mitzy earned her Bachelor’s in Music at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music with Tara Helen O’Connor and her Master’s in Music at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music with Thomas Robertello, where she was the recipient of the Graduate Tuition Award and Dean’s Scholarship.