Our team of Teaching Artists, and even our Executive Director, filled their summer with teaching and building community through music, both in the Boston area and around the world!
One of our newest Teaching Artists, Bengisu Gökçe, performed with the Berklee Indian Ensemble at the Mosaic Festival in Toronto alongside former BMP Teaching Artist, Layth Sidiq. She also spent time in Mexico, touring with her a cappella group Univoz Vocal Ensemble and playing her violin at local nursing homes.
Returning cello Teaching Artist, Stephanie Chen, led the String Orchestra at the Community Music Center of Boston Summer Music program. Her orchestra consisted of students from grades 2-8, including many BMP students! She conducted two orchestra concerts located at the Josiah Quincy Upper School Auditorium, and coached chamber music throughout the month! She will conclude her summer with a solo performance with the Taipei Century Symphony Orchestra performing the Elgar Cello Concerto on September 16 in Taiwan.
Our new Director of the Beethoven Ensemble, Marlene Markard, completed graduate coursework at the Boston Conservatory at the Berklee College of Music, where she is working towards her Graduate Certificate in Music Education and Autism.
Ms. Markard was also a guest teacher at Berklee, where she taught a graduate-level class in special needs and the gifted child. Throughout the 6-week summer program at the BIAESN, Ms. Markard also provided piano lessons and general music lessons to special needs students.
Our Executive Director, Christopher Schroeder, was invited to lead a new initiative through BPS Arts and Success Link, part of the Mayor's Office for Youth and Family Engagement. The BPS Summer Band provided Boston youth musicians with a paid summer music job that enabled them to hone their musical skills and develop entrepreneurial musicianship skills as a formative performance ensemble, playing all around the city of Boston. Their final performance was opening for the BPS August Leadership Institute and had some fun inviting the Mayor, himself, on stage to perform with the band.