Bloomingdale School Of Music Launches 2018-19 Season

Bloomingdale School of Music (BSM), now celebrating its 54th anniversary is pleased to announce its upcoming 2018-19 season. Characterized by its enduring commitment to accessibility and the belief in the power of music to enrich and sustain a community, at BSM students of all ages participate in a wide range of music making, including early childhood classes, private lessons, ensembles, a distinguished student composition program, annual commissioning of a professional composer, participation in a composer in residence program, a comprehensive pre-college program, and free community concerts.

FREE CONCERTS

Beginning September 28, 2018 and running through to May 3, 2019 the school continues with its popular free concert series of diverse programs that shine a light on varying historical musical periods, genres- classical, jazz, world, as well as works by composers both living and the music of underrepresented women composers. The series is curated by faculty and features performances by these same talented faculty members. (Attached please find complete BSM Concert Series Schedule).

SUPPORTING NEW MUSIC

BSM's interest in new music continues through three initiatives: our 14th Annual A4TY- Student Composers Program in partnership with the NY Philharmonic's Very Young Composers Program; the annual commissioning of a professional composer to create new music for BSM student ensembles; and participation as a host site for Con Edison's Exploring the Metropolis Composer in Residence Program which provides free, long-term studio space to composers who are in need of a dedicated workspace outside of their home. This year's composer in residence and BSM commissioned composer is Taylor Brook.

TAYLOR BROOK creates music for concert, film, theater and dance. Described as "gripping" and "engrossing" by the New York Times, his compositions have won numerous awards and prizes. His music has been performed around the world by ensembles and soloists such as the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, Quatuor Bozzini, JACK Quartet, MIVOS quartet, Talea Ensemble, Ensemble Ascolta, and others. His music is often concerned with finely tuned microtonal sonorities, combining his interest in exploring the perceptual qualities of sound with an individual sense of beauty and form. Brook holds a master's degree in music composition from McGill University and a Doctorate in music composition from Columbia University. Brook is the technical director for TAK ensemble.

NEW OFFERINGS FOR FALL SEMESTER

Guitar Orchestra - Designed to accommodate a wide range of ages and skill levels, Bloomingdale's Guitar Orchestra presents music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary compositions, original works for guitars, and arrangements of popular music. Participants will develop skills playing with other musicians and will have opportunities to perform throughout each semester and at Bloomingdale's yearly guitar festival. Students should be able to read music and have had prior guitar lessons, and an informal audition is required.

Broadway Ensemble - Like musicals? Interested in learning Broadway tunes? Then join the Bloomingdale Broadway Ensemble! Students in grades 4 through 12 will be matched with singers of a similar level to perform scenes from classic and modern musical theater repertory. Ensemble members will study character development, musical theater stylistic singing, and the history of musical theater. Basic singing skills such as matching pitch are required and the ability to read music is helpful, but no prior musical theater experience is necessary.

Way Out - A wild ensemble experience, Way Out is a chance for students interested in trying their hand at composition in collaborative, imaginative, and fun new ways. Working outside of staff paper this class seeks to create pieces using experimental sounds, working with friends, and using the space around them. Participants will develop and experiment with sounds, form and ensemble play resulting in final piece that will be performed by the creators. Students are required to have at least two years of experience at their instrument and be 11 years or older at the start of the semester.

Sunday Dalcroze classes for Early Childhood - Rhythm, tempo, and pitch are among the musical elements that are introduced in the classroom setting through movement and partner games. Young students will have the opportunity to begin developing sensitivity to dynamics and other concepts such as phrasing, in preparation for Dalcroze Eurhythmics.

Expanded Offerings for Adults

Sunday Dalcroze for Adults - Dalcroze Education is a unique and dynamic curriculum in music that uses movement to connect what the ear hears with what the mind knows. Students are brought into the music through personal and physical experience, sequentially feeling, identifying, vocalizing, visualizing-finally applying to instruments. This is a hands-on approach to music theory in which students can say, in Dalcroze's own words, "I know, because I have experienced." Over the course of the semester, adults will study tempo, melody, rhythm patterns, phrase, and meter. Musicians, teachers, actors, singers, and dancers all stand to benefit from these classes.

Season Ticket- A Season Ticket allows you to purchase (6) 60 minute lessons per semester arranged around your schedule. Simply schedule your lessons directly with the instructor and complete your lessons before the end of the semester. Sensible, simple and convenient, a Season Ticket offers busy people the flexibility they need and the lessons they want.

Piano for Absolute and Utter Beginners - For anyone who has always been intimidated by the thought of learning to play piano-this is a class for you! Even if you don't know a g-clef from the Mona Lisa, you can begin the study of piano with a patient and gifted teacher who also has a sense of humor. Students will go through the basics of reading music, hand position, rhythm, and will learn several short pieces

Guitar for Absolute and Utter Beginners This course is an introduction for adults to learn guitar within a supportive and friendly atmosphere. Weekly group classes provide the consistency needed to learn with ease and confidence without committing to private guitar study. Topics covered will include learning to read music, positioning the guitar, tuning the instrument, improvisation, blues, rock, and more. Students will use Aaron Shearer's Learning the Classics book.

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