What's New - The New School

A Message from the Executive Director
DEAr AluMni AnD FriEnDs,
i ’ m o f t e N a S k e d a b o u t t h e m e a N i N g o f “ c o N t e m p o r a ry ”
in our school’s name and mission, with the assumption that
contemporary means popular genre or style. Indeed, our alumni and
current students do cover the full musical spectrum, from JAZZ to
Jay-Z, from Basie to Beyoncé. But “contemporaneity”—as a quality
not of linear time, but of artistic creative expression—is a far more
relative and variable term. Among the significant changes in human
experience, few have been more drastic than our increasing sense of
the contemporary. The world has become ever more connected—and
smaller—as a result, with new opportunities
and resources at our digital fingertips. At
the same time, we face an overwhelming
amount of stimuli and information.
The flood of “contemporaneity” has
become a dominant feature of life today.
This is the world we must navigate
as artists, working to resist the force
of conformity brought about by mass
Executive Director
Martin Mueller
2
Photo: Michael DiVito
continued from page 1
with them. The New School for Jazz and
Contemporary Music is also a founding
member of the International Association
of Schools of Jazz (IASJ), an organization
comprising nearly 70 schools in more than
35 countries.
In addition, New School Jazz will again
take part in a summer jazz workshop in
Basanno del Grappa in Northern Italy.
The workshop, now in its ninth year, is a
component of the internationally acclaimed
Veneto Jazz Festival. During the workshop,
New School faculty will offer two weeks
of classes, ensembles, and performances.
Attendees may also audition for New School
Jazz and scholarship consideration.
Jazz, born out of the African-American
experience, is a shared global language
among countless musicians. The New
School is an important participant in
and contributor to the cultural exchange
of this uniquely American art form. To
recognize Arnie Lawrence’s dream and
honor his vision, The New School created
an endowment in his name. Alumni and
donors interested in contributing to the
Arnie Lawrence Scholarship Fund should
contact Mary Hastings, Jazz director of
communication, and seeking to find a
contemporary identity while perpetuating
the aesthetics and traditions of jazz.
To meet these challenges, it is essential that we remain aware of
the forces shaping the world. While we can’t know what tomorrow
will bring, we can be sure tomorrow’s musicians will need more
inclusive training and diverse skills than ever before. This is the vital
work of The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, made
possible through your support and through collaborations across our
university.
The essence of jazz is governed and protected by tradition. At The
New School, our stellar artist faculty provide direct connections
to that history and encourage our student artists to be the “new”
New School. Tradition and innovation both require openness, the
willingness to change, and that we honor where we’ve been.
Alumni and friends, it’s an exciting time to be at The New
School! Please help us forge these new pathways by continuing
our friendships, attending our concerts, and furthering your
commitment to our mission in music.
Martin Mueller
development, at hastingm@newschool.edu or
212.229.5662 x4579.
The Michael D. Thomas saxophonist Grant
duriNg the SpriNg of 2006,
The New School for Jazz and Contemporary
Music sadly lost alumnus and saxophonist
Michael D. Thomas (1976–2006). Thomas
graduated with a BFA in Jazz Performance
and Composition in 1999. In addition to
studying under legends such as George
Garzone, Joe Lovano, and Charles Tolliver,
Michael was significantly influenced
by Philadelphia-based saxophonist Ben
Schachter. Michael enjoyed playing at
many of New York’s legendary jazz venues
such as Birdland, The Blue Note, and The
Village Vanguard. Michael also studied and
played percussion, clarinet, and flute. But
his passion for jazz ventured well beyond
performance, and he was committed to both
honing his skills and nurturing his creativity
as a composer and arranger. His true love
was, indeed, pushing the horizons of jazz, to
create original, fresh, and inspiring music.
He strove to incorporate many different
genres into his work. During the last few
years of his life, he was particularly influ-
enced by the works of Duke Ellington and
David Byrne and the blues of the South,
especially the Mississippi Delta.
As a musician, composer, and lover of
music, Michael embodied the very attributes
that all musicians aspire to possess: passion,
tenacity, humility, and creativity. In addition,
he was devoted to sharing his knowledge
and love of music with future generations
of musicians. From 2002–04, he was
director of Music & Instrumental Performance
at the Tito Puente Performing Arts
Academy in Harlem. Michael was a talented
musician and teacher as well as a sincere
gentleman. Anyone who had the privilege
of knowing him was a better person for it.
Michael will be ineffably missed.
To honor the memory of Michael, the
Thomas family has established the Michael
D. Thomas Educational Foundation. This
private, independent nonprofit organization
is dedicated to the betterment of the arts
by providing financial support to full-time
students who exhibit artistic excellence in jazz
music. Through the funding it provides, the
Foundation strives to assist individuals to do
the following: develop musical knowledge,
hone performance skills, cultivate educational