NEWSLETTERTHE

MURROW MUSIC INSTITUTE

VOLUME 4, NUMBER 3

EDWARD R. MURROW HIGH SCHOOL ANTHONY R. LODICO, PRINCIPAL

2010/2011

EDITORS T. TORIELLO, C. CHRISTENSEN

COMMENTS, CONTRIBUTIONS, QUESTIONS PLEASE SEND TO: TTORIEL@SCHOOLS.NYC.GOV

The Music Institute Faculty: Tom Toriello, A. P., Cindy Christensen, Don Christensen, Joe DeMarco, James Duncan, Cheryl Johnson, Beth Lindberg-Prather, Alan Shapiro

Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Mixed Chorus, String Orchestra, and Women’s ChorusThe Spring Concert: Two Nights of Wonderful Music

On Thursday, June 2nd, and Friday, June 3rd, the Spring Concert took place in the Joseph Anzalone Theatre. With over 400 students performing for friends and family, it is one of the most significant events for the Murrow community. There were ten different performing ensembles; including the debut of Beginning Chorus as a performing group at this concert (They did a great job!). On Friday, there was a very special moment right after intermission. Ms. Sheryl Shultz presented her son Tyler’s alto saxophone to freshman, Ashley Velez, in his memory. Ashley was grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful act of generosity. Highlights from Thursday night’s concert included debuts of works by two student composers: Rayon Beckford’s Dream for String Orchestra and Brandon Peralta’s, Nuages for Chamber Orchestra; a beautiful rendition of Shenandoah by the Women’s Chorus and The Western Wind; the swinging Jazz Band interpretation of a Dizzy Gillespie standard Con Alma; an original composition of The Western Wind’s baritone, Elliot Z. Levine’s Sigh No More, Ladies, performed by the mixed chorus; and another piece by Mr. Levine, I Thank You God (music set to an E. E. Cummings poem), sung by the Gospel Chorus. On Friday night, highlights included Leroy Anderson’s Bugler’s Holiday featuring Concert Band trumpet players, Valerie

Browning, Samuel Cole and Jason Taranow; compositions spanning hundreds of years from Ludovico da Viadana to Lennon and McCartney sung by the Mixed Chorus; Alfred Reed’s extensive tone poem, Armenian Dances performed by the Symphonic Band; and the inspiring finale piece, Lift Every Voice and Sing in a joint performance of the Symphonic Band and Gospel Chorus. Congratulations to all the students and teachers for putting on such a memorable and amazing concert. ◼

Murrow Continues to Get a Lift from The Western Wind The Western Wind, a professional a cappella sextet, had the pleasure of continuing its residency at E. R. Murrow for a third consecutive year. The ensemble worked closely with the Women’s Chorus, Mixed Chorus and Gospel Chorus. This year, the highlight of the residency was a joint performance with all three choruses at the Spring concert on June 2nd featuring works composed by Western Wind baritone Elliot Z. Levine. In addition to working with the choruses, The Western Wind coached solo repertoire and presented a series of lecture-demonstrations for academic classes on the following subjects: Musical Settings of Italian and Spanish Poetry, The Holocaust, and Music in the Time of Shakespeare.

The Western Wind residency was made possible with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts, The Performing Arts Initiative of the Open Society Foundation, and Edward R. Murrow H.S. ◼

Guitar Fest Unplugged, 2011, A Wonderful Farewell Concert for Mr. DeMarco

(DeMarco made the mark) by: Angelica Jaffe

Once again, Murrow’s Guitar Ensemble hit the stage for another concert on May 27th, 2011. This concert, in which the audience sits on the stage with the performers, is unlike any other concert in the school. The intimacy and casual nature that exists between the performers and audience is reflective of the relationship that the ensemble’s director, Mr. DeMarco, creates in his classroom. As a performer in the Guitar Ensemble for four years now, I always look forward to the diverse styles of music present at the concert. Within two hours, the audience heard an avant-garde string quartet, traditional flamenco, jazz guitar, and even an R&B trio. To further show the deep talent pool at Murrow, this concert featured flamenco dancers, a mandolin player, a flutist, a percussionist, flamenco palmas, as well as an ensemble of about 30 guitars.Although Mr. DeMarco is retiring after 26 years, the Guitar Ensemble tradition he created will remain influential for Murrow guitar players. His wonderful teaching and endearing word puns (he could have written the headline!) will be missed. ◼

Vocal Tech I at The Met Vocal students in Mrs. Prather’s Vocal Tech I class were treated to a fantastic performance of Comte d’Ory by Giaccomo Rossini, starring Juan Flores, Joyce Di Donato and Diana Damrau at The Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center. This was the first opera performance for many of the students, but hopefully will not the last. The students were impressed by the beauty, range and power of the voices. Andrew Brown said, “The performance was surprising and exhilarating. I definitely want to go to the opera again.” ◼

Jazz Band Last Minute Gigs: Jazz Festival and Street Fair On May 21, Murrow's Jazz Band performed at a high school jazz festival hosted by LIU at their Brooklyn campus. They were joined by bands from Frank Sinatra High School and Brooklyn School for the Arts. It was a great day of jazz. On Sunday, June 12th, 2011, the Jazz Band was invited to play at the Lena Cymbrowitz Community Health Fair sponsored by Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz. The band set up on a stage on Emmons Ave and Sheepshead Bay Road. As people visited the

various health-related services offered at the fair, they enjoyed music and dance provided by a number of public schools. It was an honor to be invited and to be so well received and we look forward to returning next year. ◼

Vocalfest Invites The Audience On Stage On Friday, June 10th, Vocalfest took a page from the Guitarfest playbook and brought the audience on stage with the vocalists. The performers and audience members both liked the i n t i m a t e f e e l o f t h e space.Vocalists representing f reshmen through sen iors performed repertoire ranging f rom Pop to Class ical to Broadway. Congratuations to the students and their vocal directors, Ms. Johnson and Ms. Prather on a job well done. ◼

Murrow Does A Classic: Crazy For You. On May 11, 2011, the Spring musical, Crazy for You opened for a four day run. It was a toe tapping, singing and dancing extravaganza with Music Institute students on stage and in the pit. The director, Ms. Roberta Raymond brought the stage alive with exquisite ensemble dancing. Ms. Beth Prather was the vocal director and Mr. Don Christensen was the musical director. With their guidance, the singers and musicians did an outstanding job. Congratulations to the cast, crew and musicians of Crazy for You. ◼

From the PYT (Pit Orchestra)by Ashley Procida

Murrow’s Spring musical performance of Crazy for You turned out to be a success just like all of Murrow’s musical productions. The music was written by the one and only George Gershwin. The songs are some of the greatest songs ever written for Broadway and it was a great experience for a bunch of 14-18 year old students to learn such wonderful Broadway music. George Gershwin’s music wasn’t easy to learn and it took a lot of rehearsing. The pyt rehearsed for 25 days, which is 84 hours of practicing and preparation. It was long, hard work; sometimes aggravating, but most times fun. ◼

Last Show for Senior Pyt Musicians

East 17th Street Becomes Saul Bruckner Way And The Band Plays On!

Letter from the editor: Tom Toriello Under his leadership of 30 years, Saul Bruckner maintained a steadfast support for the Arts at Murrow. When, during hard times, other schools were throwing their music, art, dance and theatre programs overboard, Mr. Bruckner made sure these programs did not fall prey to shortsighted solutions that shortchanged students. On the morning of Thursday, May 26th, 2011, the Symphonic Band set up right outside the music wing on East 17th to participate in the street renaming ceremony in honor of Saul Bruckner. Along with the Symphonic Band, the Gospel Chorus was also requested by Mrs. Bruckner to perform at the ceremony. Some say Murrow has changed over the past few years. One thing that has not is the continued commitment to the Arts by current Principal, Anthony Lodico. Along with the speeches that accompany most street renamings throughout the city were also students with something to say-singing in the chorus, playing in the band and painting the portrait (done by Man La) that was unveiled at the ceremony. Congratulations to the students. Their presence was the ultimate expression of Mr. Bruckner’s legacy. ◼

Madrigal Choir Performs For The Holocaust Memorial On Sunday, April 10, the Madrigal Choir was invited to perform at the annual Holocaust Memorial Essay, Poetry, Performance and Art Ceremony at the Manhattan Beach Jewish Center, sponsored by Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz. The choir performed The Star-Spangled Banner and a new arrangement of the Israeli national anthem, Hatikvah, written especially for the occasion by Mr. Shapiro, as well as the very moving Stephen Paulus composition The Road Home. The choir sang beautifully, with a dignity befitting the occasion, and the audience showed their appreciation with a standing ovation. ◼

Murrow Music Sponsors Present Boston Grand Upright Piano The 2010-2011 school year has ended. After six years of fundraising and generous support from parents, we have been able to present the Music Department with the Boston Upright Grand piano. A commemorative plaque has been placed in the auditorium listing contributors to the piano. We partnered once again with Coldstone Creamery and Equal Exchange for fundraising efforts. Our refreshment sales at music department events and program ads generated funds that enabled us to help send our students to Williamsburg, VA and Albany, NY; give scholarships to graduating seniors; and fulfill the music teachers’ wish lists. Our college introduction meetings continued with visits from Brooklyn College’s Conservatory of Music and LIU Brooklyn Campus Music Department. We ended the year welcoming our incoming families and students to the Music Institute. They were treated to beautiful performances by the Madrigal Choir and the Chamber Orchestra. Said one parent afterwards: "It gave me chills up and down my spine!" The performances were followed by questions from our guests for the students, faculty and parents. Throughout the year we have also been entertained by Symphonic Band, Concert Band and Women’s Chorus. We wish to thank everyone for your efforts this year and say a fond farewell to Lindanell Zwerling, our outgoing president, whose contributions over the last six years have been invaluable. We welcome the incoming Murrow Music Sponsors Executive Board: Cecelia Nodell as our incoming president, Fran Rock as our returning treasurer and Karen Eichel as our returning recording secretary. Have a wonderful, relaxing summer and we hope to see you on September 19th, 2011, for our first Murrow Music Sponsor meeting. Make It Music, Make It Count! The Murrow Music Sponsors Executive Board. ◼

Murrow’s Vocal Ensembles Represented at Two Music In The Park Competitions

On Friday, May 20, three of Murrow's vocal ensembles under the direction of Mr. Alan Shapiro traveled to New Jersey to compete in a "Music in the Parks" festival. The Madrigal Choir, the Mixed Chorus and the Beginning Chorus were each judged on two pieces. After the performances, all the students headed over to Six Flags-Great Adventure for some thrills and eats and had a great time. The day ended with the awards ceremony held at Six Flags in the late afternoon. All three ensembles won first place in their divisions with a rating of superior. In addition, the Madrigal Choir won best overall high school chorus and Christina Vixamar, soloist with Madrigal, received a special award for her performance.

Vocal Students at Six Flags

Then on Saturday, May 21, Ms. Johnson and the Gospel Chorus traveled to Allentown, Pennsylvania for a day of performance and fun in Dorney Park. The Gospel Chorus placed second with a rating of excellent. It was both a rewarding and fun experience for all. ◼

, Gospel Chorus at Dorney Park

Strings and Things The Murrow string program is finishing a very productive and rewarding year. The string players won four awards, competed in three competitions, and won $750 in prize money. However, with all the awards and accolades, the most important thing that happened for our young string players is that they have grown as musicians and young adults. The orchestras have developed a new and exciting sense of ensemble. To enhance this development, we have had a number of exciting visitors and events. The Chamber and String Orchestra played original works by student composers Brandon Peralta and Rayon Beckford. During the rehearsals, composer Jim Bossi worked with the students and coached them through their ideas. For a second year in a row, our students received scholarships to the summer “Improv Camp” at Columbia University thanks to the generous help of Dr. Bert Konowitz. Congratulations to Zoe Shitemi, Changa Lourenco, Becky Brook, Kate Barmotina and Dylan Freed. The scholarships ($495 per student) are part of an ASCAP grant. We ended the year with a flurry of performances. First, many of our players took part in the Tri-M Music Honor Society Play-A-Thon to raise funds for St. Judes Hospital; the Chamber Orchestra played for the final Murrow Music Sponsors meeting welcoming the parents of incoming students; and a small group played the opening of the Murrow Art Show sponsored by the Murrow Art Institute.Congratulations to our players for working to the very end. We are looking forward to a fun and productive school year 2011-2012. ◼

Chamber Orchestra Plays for MMS Meeting

Tri-M Ends The Year With a Play-A-Thonby Rebecca Brook

Murrow's Tri-M Music Honor Society held its very first Play-A-Thon from May 31st-June 3rd. Tri-M members came to the courtyard to play their instruments, welcome students in the morning and collect money for St. Jude's Hospital. They put out buckets and boxes to collect the money, creating a cool street-performance feel. The members of Tri-M also asked their family, friends, and teachers to sponsor them in the Play-A-Thon. All of their efforts led to a nice sum of money - $240. This will be donated to the hospital. Students and teachers responded very positively, saying it was nice to enter school and hear music played by their peers. Many said the experience put them in a much better mood and made them excited to start the day. The organization and planning made by the Tri-M Society allowed Murrow’s first Play-A-Thon to be super successful. Let’s hope it will become an annual event. ◼

Khaled Jean, Piotr Sokolowski, Keith Downs, Fakoya Jack-Vilmar, and Rojin Karaca play for the Play-a-thon in front of the school.

Coaching Session by Brooklyn Philharmonic Expert Students from the Concert Band and the Symphonic Band were invited to a very informative brass coaching session by professional trumpet player, Chris Bubloz sponsored by the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra. Students learned about the three B’s: Buzzing, Breath and Brain. By warming up with buzzing, focusing on the air, and thinking about the sound before playing, students were surprised by how much their sound instantly improved. ◼

NYSSMA Scores for 2011NYSSMA Scores for 2011 *out of 25

Leonora Bediner 91 Andrea Levinsky 97Patty Chan 25* Liam Merli 95

Shyann Chen 22* Elen Ohanyan 96

Sarah Dawson 97 Christopher Scott 100

Keith Downs 95 Brianna Straut-Collard 97

Connor Dwyer 24* Saxophone Trio: Alessandro CiraficiStephanie GozaliKhaled Jean

100

Eustace Herbert 100

Saxophone Trio: Alessandro CiraficiStephanie GozaliKhaled Jean

100