Neighborhood Music School Presents: Twilight Tuesdays Summer Concert Series

NMS Presents:  Twilight Tuesdays 2016

Doors open at 6:30 pm. Concerts start at 7:30 pm.

Neighborhood Music School presents Twilight Tuesdays, an alfresco dinner/concert series of four fabulous evenings of music in the Park of the Arts, located behind NMS.

 

July 19 – Goza Latin Jazz Band

Goza (Spanish for “joy”) performs classic and modern songs and dances from Latin America, Brazil and Spain with guitar, horns, violin, percussion and beautiful, romantic vocals. Their variety of styles includes cha-cha, samba, flamenco and tango, and will have you dancing in no time! Learn more about Goza here. 

Listen to Goza here

 

July 26 – Sasha Dobson

This singer/songwriter is a rising star who has toured with some of the music world’s greatest talents, including Willie Nelson, Norah Jones and Neil Young. Her debut album, Modern Romance, is a fusion of Brazilian Groove, pop, jazz and selections from the Great American Songbook. Sasha comes back to New Haven due to popular demand following her acclaimed performance at NMS’s Le Jazz event last March. Learn more about Sasha Dobson here.

Listen to Sasha Dobson here  

 

August 2 – Model Decoy

Model Decoy is an art-rock group, and New Haven favorite, that plays original songs ranging from upbeat and catchy, to slow and sublime. This imaginative duo Doron Monk Flake and Ari Sadowitz, and their band, certainly don’t stick to the same old topics when it comes to song-writing - their lyrical influences are drawn from literature, graphic novels, sci-fi shows and classic films. Learn more about Model Decoy here.

Listen to Model Decoy here 

 

 August 9 – Lonnie Plaxico

Don’t miss this renowned Jazz bassist and composer who has performed with notables including Alice Coltrane, Junior Cook and Dizzy Gillespie, not to mention his Grammy award-winning collaborations with Art Blakey and Cassandra Wilson. This performance will feature Plaxico and NMS faculty members performing classic jazz as well as his original compositions.

Learn about Lonnie Plaxico here. 

Listen to Lonnie Plaxico here. 

Concerts held in the Park of the Arts behind Neighborhood Music School,

100 Audubon Street, New Haven.  Rain or shine!

Food trucks available on site or you are welcome to bring a picnic dinner.

Cash beer and wine bar. BYOB is welcome.

Tickets available at:   https://goo.gl/1ZhiNR

Aaron Jafferis is Coming to the Neighborhood!

When acclaimed hip-hop poet and playwright Aaron Jafferis visits NMS on May 5, anything is possible. That's because Aaron's repertoire is so wide-ranging, from his free-form poetry to his musicals, which have been produced around the world. Aaron will be discussing the philosophy behind what he does - plus, he'll be performing!  The lecture is the third in the NMS Spotlight Series; the last event on March 31 -  featuring our own Jesse Hameen II describing his personal journey as a jazz musician - was standing room only with over 75 people in attendance!                                                                            Photo from www.sandiegouniontribune.com

May 5 will follow a similar format, with NMS Program Director Noah Bloom providing  an introduction to Aaron's impressive body of work, including discussing what he and  NMS are doing to create a forum for New Haven youth to express their feelings about cultural issues through the arts.  Aaron's artistic accomplishments (just to name a few) include appearing at major venues  such as the Kennedy Center and National Poetry Slam Championships, and completing  multiple artist's residencies. He teaches poetry and hip-hop theatre in schools, health  centers, community organizations, and detention centers in New Haven - his hometown -  including serving as the writer-in-residence at Yale-New Haven Hospital's Child Life  Department, where he works with children in the hospital on creating poetry about their  experiences.   "We chose Aaron for this series because Neighborhood is a place where we believe  deeply in giving youth a platform to develop their own voice through the arts," says Noah. "When we think about people in this community who are doing this with great success, Aaron is top of the mind."

But you don't have to wait until May to get a sneak preview of the great work Aaron's  doing in the community. Don't miss THE WORD - Citywide Youth Poetry Collective's  annual high school poetry jam on April 29 at 6 p.m. - this year held at Neighborhood  Music School, with a back-up band made up of NMS jazz students accompanying some  of the performers! The event, showcasing original work of student poets from local high schools, follows week long residencies at these schools by Aaron and other artists and performers. Learn more about the poetry jam - which is free and open to the public! And to learn more about what Aaron does - and to watch mesmerizing videos of him  performing - visit his website - www.aaronjafferis.com So be sure to mark your calendars for these two fabulous events: April 29 - THE WORD poetry jam at 6 p.m. and Aaron's May 5 Spotlight Series talk, which will take place in the NMS Recital Hall at 6:30 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public, and features complimentary coffee from the Happiness Lab and donuts from Tony's Square Donuts. The Spotlight Series talk series is sponsored by Yale New Hospital.

Neighborhood Music School Presents: Seymour Bernstein

Neighborhood Music School (NMS) is delighted to host pianist, teacher, composer and author Seymour Bernstein for a Master Class on Saturday, April 16 at 2 p.m.The class, featuring three advanced NMS students, will be followed at 5 p.m. by a viewing of the inspiring documentary, “Seymour, An Introduction,” a film by celebrated actor Ethan Hawke.

Bernstein, who began teaching piano at just 15 years of age, has made it his goal to bring music to as many people as possible, and he is one of the most sought after clinicians in the country and abroad.

Beyond his career as an educator, which includes maintaining a private studio in New York City, serving on the juries of international competitions and working as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Music and Music Education at New York University, Bernstein continues to perform internationally. His concert career has taken him around the globe, including Asia, Europe and throughout the Americas. He is also a prolific composer and has written a number of music books, including With Your Own Two Hands and 20 Lessons in Keyboard Choreography, which have been published in German, Japanese, Korean and Russian.

“Seymour: An Introduction,” explores this charming musician’s remarkable life through his own heartwarming stories, shared wisdom and insightful reflections on creativity, art and the pursuit of fulfillment. A Q&A with Bernstein will follow the film.

The program is open to the public and appropriate for ages 12 and up. Due to limited seating, advanced registration is strongly encouraged. Light snacks will be served before the film. Learn more and register here: http://neighborhoodmusicschool.org/calendar/event/2/1359/2016/04/all. For more information about "Seymour: An Introduction" by Ethan Hawke, visit http://www.seymouranintroduction.com/.

© 2011 Seymour Bernstein. Photo credit: Jiyang Chen

Jesse Hameen II Photo by Judy Sirota-Rosenthal

 Neighborhood Music School (NMS) invites the public to its free Spotlight Talk Series event, “The Journey of a Jazz Musician: From New Haven and Back Again - The Jesse Hameen II Experience,” on Thursday, March 31, 6:30 p.m. at NMS, 100 Audubon St., New Haven.  

Hameen will highlight some of his experiences as a drummer while playing professionally all over the world, from New York to Sweden to France, and with jazz greats including Hank Crawford, Charles Brown and Irene Reid – and many others! He will discuss his involvement in New Haven’s jazz scene, including reigniting the New Haven Jazz Festival several years ago, and what led him to develop the Jazz and Rock Studies program at NMS, where he’s been a beloved instructor for the past 18 years. 

Jesse says “It all began in New Haven, where I grew up living and breathing music. Once upon a time, the city boasted an impressive and happening jazz scene. New Haven prepared me for it all,” he says. “It used to be one of the meccas for jazz. There were a lot of clubs and musicians; it was one of the main stops that jazz artists made. I’m proud to talk about what New Haven did for me.”

The next Spotlight Talk Series event will be:

Aaron Jafferis - “Breaking and Entering: Hip-Hop, Theatre & Community”
Thursday, May 5, 6:30 p.m.

The Spotlight Talk Series is sponsored by Yale New Haven Health System. Complimentary refreshments provided by A Happy Life Coffee and Tony’s Square Donuts.

Neighborhood Music School Offers Open House!

Neighborhood Music School (NMS) will present a free Open House on Saturday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Families can come see NMS in action by visiting a variety of classes and studios, and participating in several fun activities, including early childhood music & movement classes (for children five and under), a scavenger hunt, the instrument "petting zoo," where children can try out many different instruments and there will be face painting as well. The Open House also features a performance by popular folk singer, Phil Rosenthal, starting at 12:15 p.m.

Phil Rosenthal is a nationally renowned singer, songwriter, recording artist and record producer. For many years the lead singer and guitarist in the popular bluegrass group The Seldom Scene, he is also highly respected for his instrumental skills on banjo and mandolin.

Phil and his wife Beth Sommers run American Melody, a recording company devoted to producing bluegrass and folk music for children and families. The label's 22 releases have won many awards from the Parents' Choice Foundation, the American Library Association, and other organizations. Phil will be leading a Folk/Bluegrass ensemble at NMS this fall.

 

NMS's Fall semester began Sept. 9, but it’s not too late to register.  For more information on classes and lessons, visit neighborhoodmusicschool.org. For questions about private music lessons, contact the NMS Student Services team by calling 203-624-5189.

10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Instrument Petting Zoo – upper level

Face Painting & Popcorn table – main level, atrium.

Interactive Events- NMS Recital Hall

10:15 – 10:45 a.m. - African Drumming & Dance w/Tatchol Camara & Hanan Hameen

11:00 – 11:30 a.m. - Early Childhood Music & Movement Class w/Beth Patella (Ages 4 – 5 ½)

11:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. - Early Childhood Music & Movement Class w/Beth Patella (Ages 0–3 with parent)

12:15 – 1:00 p.m. Phil Rosenthal Concert

Open Studio – Lower Level Dance Space

10:55 – 11:35 – Creative Dance (Ages 4 - 5 ½)  Participatory Class

For over a century, Neighborhood Music School (“NMS”) has been developing human potential and building community through the performing arts. NMS offers high-quality educational arts programs in a safe, supportive environment for students of all ages and backgrounds. NMS programs are made possible in part with support from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, and the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, along with many other generous foundations, corporations and individuals.  The instrument petting zoo is made possible with the support of the City of New Haven Mayor’s Community Arts Grants Program.