Category: Community Stories
Elijah J. Thomas, Jazz Program Manager
It has been a busy year for Elijah J. Thomas, BKCM’s first Jazz Program Manager. BKCM staffer Marcus Iwama asked Elijah about his experience so far, his understanding of jazz as “a boon for positive social movement,” and his vision for the program’s future.
Yoko Yates, CMS Piano Faculty
Eternal Moments in Women in Jazz Media! On the strength of her latest album, Eternal Moments, longtime Community Music School faculty member Yoko Yates was featured in Women in Jazz Media‘s print magazine. Here’s what curator Bradley M. Stone had to say: “Pianist and composer Yoko Yates has crafted a beautiful and highly melodic album with “Eternal Moments”, using a trio of Yoko-san on piano, Jeff Hirshfeld on drums and…
Katherine Slingluff, Bluegrass Coordinator
If you’ve attended BKCM’s Open Stages or House Party festivals in the past, chances are you’ve seen Katherine Slinguff on stage singing and playing mandolin alongside her husband, Andy Stuckey, in Paper Anniversary Band.
Fatima Jihada Q&A – 25 Years at BKCM!
If you’ve visited the Conservatory in the past quarter-century, there’s a decent chance you’ve met Fatima Jihada, BKCM’s Head Registrar. Fatima started working at the Conservatory’s then-active Queens branch in 2000 and moved over to 58 Seventh Ave in 2009. As she celebrates 25 years at BKCM, we asked her to share a few reflections.
Kailee Pedersen, Studio Collective Member
When Kailee Pedersen — soprano, novelist and software engineer — moved to Downtown Brooklyn, she knew she would need a new place to rehearse.
Annie Chen, CMS Jazz Faculty
Annie Chen’s performance tour took her to various venues across China, from the Hunan Museum to the JZ Club in Hangzhou, where she and her quintet began a residency on June 2nd. Night after night, they filled the club with jazz standards and experimental pieces that stretched late into the evening.
Music Therapy Program Director Toby Williams’ Op-Ed in Crain’s New York Business
In her op-ed, published yesterday, Toby expressed her support for a new bill that would allow Licensed Creative Arts Therapists to bill Medicaid, greatly widening access to mental health care in NYC and across the state.
Faculty Spotlight: Dorothy Savitch on Making Music Education a Priority in New York City
For nearly three decades, Dorothy Savitch has directed BKCM’s Music Partners outreach program and served as the music director of the Brooklyn Conservatory Community Orchestra. Last week, amNY Metro and PoliticsNY News recognized her tireless work to bring music education to more New Yorkers, naming her a 2024 Power Player in Education.
Nora Friedman on Building Community Through Dr. Suzuki’s Vision of Music Education
Nora Friedman joined BKCM in 2011 as a junior Suzuki instructor, and though she was just getting started, she knew right away that she was home. “As soon as I walked in, it was the place for me,” she recalls. She is now the Suzuki Program Director, taking over after long-time director Julianne Carney-Chung moved…
Sara Schoenbeck, Music Partners Program Coordinator
The New York Times describes Sara Schoenbeck’s bassoon playing as “galvanizing” and “riveting, mixing textural experiments with a big, confident sound”. She has played with everyone from David Byrne to the legendary experimental composer Anthony Braxton, and her bassoon graces the soundtracks of two Matrix movies.