Music Lesson Program - Dwight-Englewood School

Dwight-Englewood School
Music Lesson
Program
2010 - 2011

Dear Dwight-Englewood
Parents and Students…
We are pleased to offer the opportunity for students to be
able to study with our professional faculty in a familiar
and convenient environment.
Please read the information in this booklet carefully.
There are details about policy, scheduling and payment as
well as biographical material about the faculty. We hope
it will answer most questions you may have about the
program. A contract form is enclosed with this mailing.
John Herrick Littlefield
Chairman, Department of Performing Arts

WELcoME
to the Dwight-Englewood School Music Lessons Program. We are
pleased to offer our students a variety of lessons with highly qualified
professionals, on an annual contractual basis. Because we are situated in
one of the cultural capitals of the world, we have access to exceptional
teachers who provide the best possible learning experiences.
There are three different parts to our program, each designed to meet
specific students’ needs:
Available to Lower School students only, there is the Lower School
String Program which offers 24 half hour private lessons on either
violin or viola during the school day in addition to a Lower School
String Ensemble which meets after school hours.
Available to Middle School Students, there are two after school 10
week ensemble classes, one in West African Drumming, Singing and
Dancing (also open to Upper School students, faculty and parents)
and one which is a Middle School (only) Jazz Workshop.
Available to Dwight-Englewood students in all grades is the Private
Music Lessons Program which offers 45 minute private lessons on each
of the orchestral instruments, piano, voice, set drums (and percussion),
saxophone, harp, classical and electric guitar as well as electric and
upright bass. The curriculum for this program includes 27 private
lessons, one master-class. (Hour long lessons may be possible by special
arrangement.)
These programs will be described in greater detail on the pages that
follow.
Above and beyond learning to play and appreciate music, the study of
music offers many benefits to your child including cultural awareness,
self esteem and an opportunity to experience the direct and beneficial
results of self discipline. The skills associated with music are long term
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goals which take time to master. Though progress will be seen from week
to week, it is only over time that the overall musical development can
begin to unfold. The most successful students tend to be those whose
parents are able to be involved in the learning process, encouraging
consistent practice at home, being aware of what their child is working
on musically and keeping in touch with the teacher from time to time.
As this is a long term process, the program has been set up as a full
year curriculum. Students will benefit most from a full year of study
to be able to implement what that individual teacher has to offer.
once teachers reserve lesson times for students they have to turn away
others, so please note that the contract for this program is a full year
commitment. Refunds will not be given for withdrawal from the
program or for missed lessons unless special arrangements have been
made and agreed to in advance due to extraordinary circumstances.
Please read this brochure carefully to be sure you understand all of the
policies prior to enrolling in the program.
Teachers’ biographies can be found on the later pages of this booklet.
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Lower School String Program
Annaliesa Place, Director of Strings
(201) 569-9500 x 3127
LESSoNS WITH ENSEMBLE
Students in the Lower School may take half hour private lessons on violin or
viola during the school day and also participate in a string ensemble that meets
weekly for one period immediately after school. Each student receives 24
private lessons and 24 ensemble sessions during the school year. This is a Suzuki
based program with an added component of reading notes and rhythms.
Private lessons are taught during the day. Students leave their classrooms to
take the private lessons. The lesson times are rotated from week to week
for each student so that the time missed in any one class will be kept to a
minimum. For example, a student having a lesson from 8:30 - 9:00 the first
week will have a lesson from 9:00 - 9:30 the second week, 9:30 - 10:00 the
third week, etc.
There are usually two ensembles that meet simultaneously from
3:00 - 3:45 on Wednesday afternoons. Placement in the ensemble best suited
to the student’s playing level will be determined by the faculty in September.
The Ensembles are part of the curriculum for the Lower School String
Program.
The fee for 24 half hour lessons and the ensemble is $1,126.
Fees are for the year and are payable at registration.
To enroll in the Lower School String Program submit a completed and
signed contract to James Lloyd with payment for the program desired by
September 8, 2010.
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Lower School String Program
Faculty Biography
KIMBERLY SYVERTSEN, VIoLINIST & coNDucToR, has been
teaching in the Lower School String Program since the fall of 2008. She came
to the Dwight-Englewood School with considerable experience teaching
violin, directing ensembles and building programs. Ms. Syvertsen is on the
faculties of Montclair State university as well as at the Jcc Thurnauer School
of Music. She is the conductor of Overture Strings Youth Orchestras of Essex
County and the university Youth orchestra at Montclair State university.
She is the Student chapter coordinator of the American String Teachers
Association (ASTA) – NJ Board as well as having been President of the
Montclair chapter of ASTA. Ms. Syvertsen holds a Bachelor of Music degree
from the Peabody conservatory of Johns Hopkins university.
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Private Music Lessons Program
James Lloyd II, Coordinator
(201) 569-9500 x4004
The Private Music Lessons Program offers 45 minute private lessons on all of
the orchestral instruments as well as harp, piano, voice, saxophone, classical
and electric guitar as well as upright, electric bass and music theory. The course
of study includes 27 private lessons, one master-class and, for those who are
adequately prepared, one formal concert during each school year. Lessons
are offered to match the needs and skill level of each student from beginner
through advanced. Middle and upper School students are encouraged to
inquire about performance opportunities in the various instrumental and
choral ensembles offered through the Performing Arts Department academic
curriculum.
The fee for the 27 lessons and 1 master-class is $1,498 which is due with the
contract at the time of enrollment. Financing arrangements can be made by
speaking with James Lloyd prior to submitting the application. If the lessons
end up being scheduled at the student’s home, there will be a surcharge of
$15.00 per lesson to be paid directly to the teacher to cover travel time and
expenses. If the scheduling of lessons, after the contract has been processed
but before the first lesson has been given, proves to be impossible, the fee will
be refunded in full to the parent. once the lessons have been scheduled and
the student takes the first lesson the contract is in effect for the full school
year and the no refund policy takes effect. (Schedules permitting, hour long
lessons may be able to be arranged at the parent’s request. The annual fee for
hour long lessons would be $1,998. Please contact the Music Lesson coordinator
to inquire about the feasibility of this if you are interested.)
GETTING STARTED - once a signed contract has been received with
payment, the coordinator will instruct the teacher to contact the parent to
arrange a mutually agreeable lesson time for the student. Times immediately
following dismissal are obviously very limited and also very desirable. Please
have alternative options to discuss when you speak with the teacher. Most
private lessons are taught at the school but they may be taught at the student’s
home (for an additional fee) or at the teacher’s private studio when necessary
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to facilitate scheduling. To assure the best chance of being scheduled into
this program please submit contracts by September 8, 2010.
uPPER ScHooL STuDENTS may take lessons during free periods within
the school day if they can be coordinated with the teacher’s schedule and an
available studio. Lessons are generally scheduled after the school day if there
is no compatible free period during the school day. upper School Students
should be especially careful not to schedule lessons at times that will conflict
with any seasonal sports activities that they may wish to participate in.
MIDDLE ScHooL STuDENTS usually take lessons after school hours as
they have very few free periods during the class day. They are permitted to
take their music lesson during the school day on the rare occasion that they
are able to schedule a time during a study hall or free period. Middle School
Students should be especially careful not to schedule lessons at times that will
conflict with any seasonal sports activities that they may wish to participate
in.
Lower School students take private lessons after the school day. Lower
School students must be escorted to and from their lessons by a parent or by
the private lesson teacher. Please note that escort time on the part of teachers
is part of the contracted lesson time and thusly shortens the amount of time
in the studio for the student. Parents should arrange to pick up their children
at the conclusion of the lesson. This is a good time for the parent to compare
notes with the teachers regarding what has been assigned for the week and to
be updated on the progress of the student. Students not picked up after their
lessons in a timely fashion will be escorted by the teacher to the Explorers
After School Program to wait for their parent or guardian. Parents will be
billed for the time spent there. Lower School students may not wait in the
Middle/upper School Library.
Master-classes will be scheduled by each private lesson teacher for their studio
or in conjunction with another teacher’s studio sometime between the winter
break and the spring recitals. These master-classes will be performance classes
to give every student the opportunity to practice and discuss performance
skills. Master-classes may be held at the School, at the teacher’s studio or at a
student’s home (if offered by the parent) as best suits the needs of the students
and the teacher involved.
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Recitals are scheduled at the end of the school year for students who have
demonstrated excellent preparation and technique throughout the year of
study. Recitals are presented in Hajjar Auditorium. Accompanists will be
provided by the school when needed for single line instrumentalists and
vocalists.
Absences and rescheduling lessons – When a parent knows that a student
will be absent for a lesson the teacher must be notified directly. under all but
the most extraordinary circumstances, if the teacher has not been notified of
an absence prior to leaving his or her home to teach that lesson, the lesson will
be considered as having been given and the student will not receive a makeup
lesson. Please note: The Dwight-Englewood attendance office does not
notify private music teachers when their students are absent from school.
When properly notified, teachers will expect to make up lessons due to illness.
Parents should acquire cell phone numbers and other means of reaching the
teacher at the beginning of the year when they schedule lesson times with
the teacher. When students have an occasional conflict with a lesson time
and can notify the teacher more than 24 hours in advance, the teacher will
endeavor to schedule that lesson at another time if possible. As the contract
simply calls for a total of 27 lessons to be taught during the year there is
some room for flexibility even if one week is missed. Please do not expect
teachers to make up lessons for absences due to play dates or birthday parties.
once a teacher schedules a regular lesson time, that teacher has excluded
the possibility of taking another student at that time. As all scheduling is
done at the beginning of the school year, teachers are not likely to be able to
reschedule students in the middle of the year. With the exception of mutually
agreeable changes in scheduling between the teacher and students, students are
expected to schedule all other activities (sports, tutoring, Senior Focus, etc.)
so that they will not interfere with the scheduled private music lesson time.
Failure to be able to reschedule lesson times as necessary to accommodate
a student taking on conflicting activities will not constitute justification
of a refund for missed lessons or for the expectation that those lessons
will be made up.
Teachers and parents are expected to resolve any issues that may arise. Teachers
or parents may contact the coordinator of the program (James Lloyd at (201)
569-9500 extension 4004 or by e-mail: lloydj@d-e.org) at any time if they
have questions about the application of this policy.
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occasionally parents request lessons with our Music Lesson Faculty to be given
while their child is studying the same instrument with another teacher outside
of our program. WE cAN NoT REcoMMEND THIS PRAcTIcE. our
experience has been that having two teachers often results in confusion for
the student due to conflicting approaches, especially when the two teachers
do not know each other’s teaching styles and are not communicating with
each other.
Private Music Lesson Program
Faculty Biographies
PIANo FAcuLTY
PHYLLIS BILLINGS, PIANo, has been teaching at Dwight-Englewood
since 2006. She received her bachelor’s degree in music from North carolina School
of the Arts. Her teaching experience includes private piano and violin lessons, as well
as general music classes for pre-school through grade six. She has also directed string
ensembles, hand bell choirs, and children’s choirs. Her performance experience includes
playing violin for the North Jersey Symphony orchestra and the Ridgewood
Gilbert & Sullivan opera company. Phyllis resides in cresskill with her husband
and three daughters.
ALLEN FARNHAM, cLASSIcAL & JAZZ PIANo, has been teaching at
Dwight-Englewood since 2001. He received his Bachelor’s degree in classical Piano
and Jazz Studies from oberlin conservatory and now freelances as a pianist, composer,
arranger, producer and teacher. He has recorded extensively as a sideman and
leader, as well as having produced over 50 recordings for the california based record
label, concord Records, for such illustrious artists as Tito Puente, Monty Alexander,
charlie Byrd, Scott Hamilton, Buddy DeFranco and Mongo Santamaria. Mr.
Farnham’s performance credits include work with vocalists including Susannah Mccorkle,
Mel Torme, Mark Murphy and Ernestine Anderson. His most recent album
Allen Farnham Meets RIAS Big Band (concord 4789) features Mr. Farnham’s original
compositions and arrangements for a 17 piece big band performed by the renowned
Berlin Radio RIAS Big Band.
ToMoKo oHNo FARNuM, cLASSIcAL & JAZZ PIANo, joined
D-E’s faculty in 2002. Born in Tokyo, Ms. ohno graduated from Rikkyo university
with a degree in Law and Politics before entering the Jazz Studies Program at William
Paterson university in New Jersey. While studying there, she received the Student
Award of outstanding Excellence, and was a member of the Dean’s List. Ms. ohno
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has performed with Jerome Richardson, Wynton Marsalis, Benny Goodman, and
Joe Henderson, and has performed at Lincoln center, Weill Recital Hall, The Blue
Note, Sweet Basil, and the Lennox Lounge in Harlem. She has appeared on live
radio broadcasts on WGBo and WNYc, and has worked as a side musician with the
Harlem Spiritual Ensemble and the Spirit of Life Ensemble. Ms. ohno has released
three albums under the Japan-based Tokuma label; Powder Blue (1997), Affirmation
(1999), and Natural Woman (2000). Her major teachers were Harold Mabern and
Rufus Reid.
MARY HuRLBuT (SEE VoIcE)
KAREN LITTLEFIELD, PIANo, began teaching at Dwight-Englewood in
1998. Previously she has been on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music,
NYu and the Spence School. She was the acting Piano Department Head of camp
Encore/coda from 1987 to 2006. She has performed as a soloist and as a member of
The Herrick Ensemble in the Soviet union, Weill Recital Hall and Alice Tully Hall,
among others. She studied chamber music with Lillian Fuchs and Raphael Bronstein
and conducting with claude Monteux. She was also opera accompanist for the NY
Grand opera under Vincent La Selva in the 1970’s. Ms Littlefield holds her B.M.
and M.M. from the Manhattan School of Music and is featured with her husband,
flautist John Littlefield, on the cD French & Viennese Masterpieces produced by
Juston Records.
JAKE LLoYD, PIANo, began his involvement at Dwight-Englewood in 2007
when he was hired as pianist for the upper School musical. Since 2008, Jake has
joined the Music faculty as the Middle School chorus Instructor and Musical Director/Pianist
for the upper School musicals. This is his first year joining the Private
Music Lesson faculty. Having earned his bachelor’s degree in composition and orchestration
with a minor in piano performance from Nyack college in 2003, Jake
has been teaching in the classroom and privately in a number of places. outside
of teaching, Jake is a theatre composer/orchestrator and has written Dreamchaser,
Building Cities, and The Lizzie Borden Affair for the stage. September 2010 will see
the premiere of his latest musical, The Lost Boys. Jake has worked with a number of
Broadway veterans including music director for carla Bianco (Rent), master classes
with Stephen Schwartz and studied privately with chris Hughes (New York Pops).
Beyond that Jake is a music director/conductor/pianist for musicals all across NYc,
including off-Broadway as well as Regional and community venues. Jake specializes
in contemporary, pop, and theatrical music for the piano.
SoJuNG PARK, PIANo, received her Master’s degree and Professional Studies
certificate in Piano Performance at the Manhattan School of Music. She studied
under Joseph Plon, Michael Rogers, and Zenon Fishbein. She was the 3rd prize
winner of Villa d’Este piano competition in Italy in 2001. under the auspices of
the ‘Arte Musica Festival’ in Italy, she was invited to perform at ‘Villa d’Este’ and
participated in the master classes of carla Giudici, Dennis Kahn, Bonnie Hampton,
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Norman Fisher, Robert Diaz as a soloist and an accompanist. She had a debut recital
at Weill Recital Hall at carnegie Hall as a special presentation winner of Artist International.
She also gave recitals and chamber concerts in Yamaha Hall, Riverside
church, Mannes School of Music, etc. In addition to teaching in Woodmere Music
Studio, LI. for several years, currently, she is increasing her career as an accompanist
at Mannes School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, and Rutgers university.
GLoRIA Yoo, PIANo, has been teaching at the Dwight-Englewood School
since 2008. She received her B.M. in both piano performance and music education
from Temple university and M.M in music education from Teacher’s college,
columbia university. She currently is a candidate for EdD, Doctorate of Education,
from columbia university. She’s been teaching in her private studio since 1998 and
also taught PreK-12 as a choral director, general music teacher in NJ public schools
since 2004. Her performance experience includes competitions, and giving numerous
solo recitals, concerts mostly in the Philadelphia area and in Rome, Italy as a
soloist with orchestras as well as a member of chamber ensembles.
HARP FAcuLTY
ARDIS cAVIN, HARP, has been teaching at the Dwight-Englewood School,
which is one of the few schools in the area to offer harp lessons as part of its private
lesson program, since 2006. An experienced entertainment harpist, she teaches lever
and pedal harps to students of all ages and experience. Ms. cavin will assist the student
who might be interested in “trying out” a harp and also has a number of small
rental harps available. For details please see her web page: cavinharpstudio.com. In
addition to teaching at Dwight-Englewood, Ms. cavin is currently on the faculty at
Bergen community college where she teaches voice, piano and harp. She has a Master
of Music Degree from Indiana university and a BA from the university of Iowa.
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STRING FAcuLTY
VIoLIN/VIoLA
FRANco GENNARELLI, VIoLIN & VIoLA, has taught at Dwight-
Englewood since 1980. He also teaches violin at William Paterson university. A
violinist and pianist, he is the concert-master of the New York Grand opera under
Vincent La Selva as well as of the St. cecelia orchestra and chorus under David
Randolph. He has taught for seven summers at the crane Youth Music program at
S.u.N.Y. – Potsdam. His major teachers were Dorothy Delay, Gideon Grau, Rostislov
Dubinsky, members of the Lennox and Juilliard Quartets and Harvey Shapiro.
Mr. Gennarelli has performed two complete Handel Messiahs and the solo violin part
in Beethoven’s Missa Solemis – all at carnegie Hall. After a recent recital in Weill Hall
at carnegie Hall, New York Times critic, Tim Page, wrote: “The one real standout of
the evening was Franco Gennarelli who’s violin tone was both warm and effusive.”
ANNALIESA PLAcE, VIoLIN, joined the D-E faculty in 2002. She received
her Bachelor’s Degree from The Peabody conservatory of the Johns Hopkins
university and her Master’s Degree from The Juilliard School. Her principal teachers
have included Vasile Beluska, David updegraff, Victor Danchenko, and Robert
Mann. Ms. Place was featured in the cleveland orchestra’s first video conference
with Alan Gilbert and was hailed by the cleveland Plain Dealer as ‘the epitome of
poise and intelligence.’ She has performed solo and chamber concerts throughout the
united States, Europe, and Asia. Ms. Place also teaches at EMS Summer String Festival
and performs in various ensembles including the Jupiter Symphony chamber
Players, the Thurnauer chamber Music Society, and the conductor-less string orchestra
Ecco. She is a member of classnotes, a non-profit organization that performs
concerts in public schools. In addition to her classical music performances, Annaliesa
has performed with christina Aguilera, Kanye West, Josh Radin, Panic at the Disco,
Herbie Hancock, and Arlo Guthrie.
cELLo
ToMAS uLRIcH, cELLo, began teaching cello at Dwight-Englewood during
the 2007-2008 school year. He has received music degrees from Boston university
and the Manhattan School of Music. His principal instructors were Leslie Parnas,
Fred Zlotkin, Ardyth Alton and Marion Feldman. In additon to teaching privately
for over twenty years, Mr. ulrich has been a member of the music faculties of such
institutions as Friends Academy, Packer collegiate Institute, The Sylvan Academy of
Music as well as The Elizabeth Morrow School and Summer String Festival. Tomas
has written music for theater, film and instrumental performance and has concertized
in Europe, Japan, South America, canada and throughout the united States. Mr.
ulrich can be heard on over 70 cds in a wide variety of musical styles and settings.
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STRING BASS (classical)
(see, also, Electric Bass & Guitar)
cHARLES uRBoNT, cLASSIcAL STRING BASS, will be in his debut
year teaching at the Dwight-Englewood School. He is a member of the American
Ballet Theater orchestra and an associate member of the Metropolitan opera orchestra.
on Broadway, he played principal bass for the Houston Grand opera production
of Porgy and Bess and for Fonteyn and Nureyev at the uris (now Gershwin) theater.
He participated in the Metropolitan opera’s Grammy Award winning recording of
Wagner’s complete Ring with Maestro James Levine. Mr. urbont attended Franklin
& Marshall college and received a B.A. in music from c.W. Post college with a
major in voice. His teachers include orin o’Brien and Julius Levine (double bass),
Josef Marx (chamber music) and Alexander Dashnaw (voice and choral conducting).
While still in college Mr. urbont spent a year as a string and orchestra teacher in the
Syosset, N.Y. public school system and was a faculty member at the Kinhaven Music
School in Weston, Vermont.
WooDWIND FAcuLTY
(Flute, oboe, clarinet & Saxophone)
RoBERT DeBELLIS, SAXoPHoNE, cLARINET & FLuTE, has been directing
ensembles and teaching woodwinds at The Dwight Englewood School since
the mid-80’s. He has been a freelance woodwind performer in New York city for
twenty five years. As a jazz artist, he has recorded and performed internationally with
artists such as Don Byron, Muhal Richard Abrams, Mongo Santamaria, The New
York composers orchestra, Phillip Johnston, Kevin Norton, James Emery, uri caine
and Brad Jones. During the last several years he has devoted much of his time to
composing and playing in his own group, and has released one recording as a leader,
Parallax, on Vintone Records. Mr. DeBellis’ fluency on all saxophones, flutes, and
clarinets keeps him active in the new music scene, commercial recording, and on
Broadway. Recently, Mr. DeBellis has been involved in a varied array of high-profile
projects. He has a mastery of classical, Jazz, Pop and Broadway playing styles having
studied with many leading performers of each of these genres on each of his instruments.
Notable performances include: Symphony Space’s Stravinsky Marathon with
Don Byron and Marnie Nixon, Jay-Z’s return to the stage at Radio city, Brooklyn
Summer Salsa Series with Willie colon and the inaugural day of the Bethel Woods
Jazz Festival with James Emery. Rob has also performed in many Broadway shows
and is currently a regular member of the orchestra of The Lion King and How The
Grinch Stole Christmas. His woodwinds can be heard on the new cartoon Class of
3000, featured on the cartoon Network. He is a graduate of The university of Pennsylvania.
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DEBBIE KEEFE JoHNS, SAXoPHoNE, cLARINET, FLuTE & MuSIc
EDucAToR, attended the New England conservatory of Music in Boston, MA
and received a BM in Jazz Performance. Debbie performs in and around the NYc
area and resides in Englewood, NJ. Her performances have included such greats as:
cab calloway, Jackie Byard, Melba Liston Smith, George Russell, Junior cook, Walter
Booker, Jimmy cobb, Stanley Turrentine, The Mingus Big Band, The Diva Big
Band, Robert Palmer and Bruce Springsteen. Debbie has performed at the Kennedy
center, Washington, Dc, Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival, Lincoln center,
Damrosch Park Jazz Festival, and Kansas city Jazz Festival to name a few. She
is currently on the teaching staff at The Dwight-Englewood School, The Elisabeth
Morrow School and Tenafly Arts School in New Jersey.
JoHN HERRIcK LITTLEFIELD, FLuTE, has been teaching at
Dwight-Englewood since 1998 and has been conducting the orchestras at Dwight-
Englewood since 2006. He has taught flute at the Spence School in New York city
since 1986 and conducted the orchestra there from 1986 to 2007. Mr. Littlefield
has performed on the flute to critical acclaim as a chamber musician, orchestra member
and soloist throughout the united States: “...notable elegance...” The Washington
Times, “...a fluent flutist...” The cleveland Plain Dealer & “…commendable musical
perception of all the works in the program.” The New York Times. His flute teachers
include Julius Baker, Frances Blaisdell, and claude Monteux. Mr. Littlefield has
recorded French and Viennese Masterpieces for Flute & Piano including works by Poulenc,
Brahms, Fauré & chaminade with his wife, Karen Littlefield, on Juston Records
and 3 Quartets, Opus 145 for flute and string trio by Beethoven’s student, Ferdinand
Ries, which is distributed internationally on the Naxos label. His articles have been
published in chamber Music Magazine and Flute Talk. Mr. Littlefield plays a gold
flute made by Sankyo.
PATRIcIA ZuBER, FLuTE, is in her debut year as a teacher at Dwight-
Englewood. She is an associate member of the Metropolitan opera orchestra at
Lincoln center. She has appeared with the MET orchestra at carnegie Hall, on live
high definition broadcasts, and on tour in Japan. She also performs on Broadway,
having performed in the productions of Beauty and the Beast, candide, Swan Lake,
Jekyll and Hyde, Ragtime, and La Boheme. She is piccoloist with the Northeastern
Pennsylvania Philharmonic, with which she has appeared as a concerto soloist. Ms.
Zuber is an avid recitalist, performing solo recitals as well as chamber music. She
performs regularly in a flute/percussion duo with her husband, percussionist Gregory
Zuber. She has taught at the chamber Music conference and composers’ Forum
of the East at Bennington college, Vermont and at the Verbier Festival in Verbier,
Switzerland.
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BRASS FAcuLTY
JoHN BAILEY, TRuMPET, will be in his premiere year teaching at Dwight-
Englewood. A consummate performer in Jazz and classical styles, John toured the
world with Ray charles in 1996 and has played with Paul Anka, the Buddy Rich
Band and the Woody Herman orchestra as well as with the Florida Philharmonic.
He has been on the faculties of the university of Miami and was a trumpet instructor
at the Eastman Summer Jazz Program. Mr. Bailey is a graduate of the Eastman School
of Music and the university of Miami.
THoMAS oLcoTT, TRoMBoNE (ALSo EuPHoNIuM) has been on
the Dwight-Englewood Private Music Lesson Program faculty since 2007. He is a
regular member of the American Ballet Theatre orchestra and the Radio city Music
Hall orchestra as well as having been on call as an extra with the Metropolitan opera
orchestra. He has performed at one time or another with almost every orchestra of
note in the New York city Metropolitan Area as well as with numerous Broadway
shows. He has presented many Young Persons’ concerts and has given Master classes
at Suffolk community college. Mr. olcott has degrees from the Julliard School of
Music and Yale university.
PERcuSSIoN FAcuLTY
KEVIN NoRToN, PERcuSSIoN, began teaching at Dwight-Englewood
in 1998. His teaching experience includes university of Maryland, William Paterson
university, The Thurnauer School of Music and the Brooklyn conservatory of
Music. He has been a featured jazz and new music performer at various jazz and new
music festivals throughout the united States and Europe. Live and recorded performances
have won critical acclaim in Downbeat (“Rising Star” on Vibraphone 2005),
cadence, Jazz Times and the Village Voice. Kevin Norton can be heard on over 80
cDs. Fifteen of those are under his own leadership and can be found on cIMP, Music
& Arts, FMR, Barking Hoop and clean Feed labels. Awards include: composer
in residence at the MacDowell colony, June 2002 and commission Music uSA
(Meet the composer), April 2005. Mr. Norton received his B.S. from Hunter college
and M.M. from Manhattan School of Music.
GuITAR & BASS FAcuLTY
(Electric and classical)
RIcHARD PEARE, GuITAR, ELEcTRIc BASS, began teaching at Dwight-
Englewood in 1996. He received his B.A. from the Mannes college of Music. He
is also an adjunct faculty member at Raritan Valley community college, college of
Staten Island and the American Institute of Guitar. Richard has been teaching pri-
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vately for over twenty years at his private studio located in the Snug Harbor cultural
center on Staten Island. He has performed at cami Hall and other venues including
various clubs and restaurants, and cTV channel 24. Mr. Peare has performed in
master classes with Eliot Fisk, John Duarte, oscar Guillia, chuck Wayne and Turk
VanLake. His major teachers were Leonid Bolotine and Peter Prisco.
DAVID RIcHARDS, ELEcTRIc BASS, AcouSTIc BASS AND GuI-
TAR, has been teaching at the Dwight-Englewood School since 2008. Mr. Richards
has been teaching guitar and led jazz ensembles at the Tenafly Jcc as well as at the
Torah Academy of Bergen county. In the early 90’s he toured Sweden with the Ray
Kennedy Quartet giving workshops and lessons at many community colleges. He
has recorded with The Indigo Girls, Richie Havens, Richard Shindell & cliff Eberhardt.
He has also worked with Rosanne cash, The Drifters, Jewel, Patty Larkin,
Sarah McLachlin, Natalie Merchant and Madeline Peyroux.
VoIcE
MARY HuRLBuT, VoIcE & PIANo, has taught voice and piano at the
Dwight-Englewood School since 1993. Her teaching engagements have been at The
American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Greenwich House Music School, Bronx
House Music School and The Vaughn college of Aeronautics. She has had performances
with Down Town Music Productions, Gravesend Players, American Landmark
Festivals, Music Downtown, American Festival of Microtonal Music, The New
Music consort, cygnus Ensemble, The NJ Percussion Ensemble and SoHo Baroque
opera. She has been featured on Fortay, Frog Peak and Tarmac recordings and pre-
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miered works by John cage, Elodie Lauten, Jackson Maclow, Anne Tardos, Franz
Kamin, Harold Seletsky and Dan Levitan. Performance halls include Merkin, Symphony
Space, LaMama La Galleria, The Knitting Factory, Roulette and Weill Hall
at carnegie Hall. Her voice studies were with Antonia Lavanne, Angelica Lozada,
Priscilla Woodley and chiara caffarelli and she studied piano with Elka Kirkpatrick,
Michel Ashmore and Bernice Sjogren. MM, The Mannes college of Music, BM,
William Paterson university and AA cottey college.
MIDDLE ScHooL ENSEMBLES
(offered through the Music Lesson Program)
We are pleased to be able to offer two ensemble experiences for Middle School Students.
These are a new 10 week programs for the 2010 – 2011 school year that will
meet once a week after the school day during November, December, January and
February culminating in an in-school performance. The two ensembles will be: 1.)
Traditional African Drumming, Singing and Dancing (open also to 5th Grade
students, Upper School students, faculty and parents), and 2.) Middle School
Jazz Workshop. The tuition for each 10 week ensemble will be $250.00 per student.
Students must sign up for the full term. No refunds will be given for students choosing
to withdraw and no make-up lessons/classes will be offered for classes missed.
These workshops will meet from 3:30 to 4:30 on Tuesdays. Specific dates will be
announced by october 1, 2010.
MIDDLE ScHooL JAZZ WoRKSHoP
KEVIN NoRToN - DIREcToR
This ensemble is designed to help Middle School music students 1) find an outlet for
their instrumental skills and their personal creative impulses and 2) strengthen the
“foundation” of the upper-School music program by having a larger, more capable
pool of students ready to fill that school’s ensembles. Jazz is perhaps the most important
art form that the united States has given to the world at large and its creative
possibilities awaken the student to his or her original “voice” within a welcoming
musical community.
Basic tools for growing into creative jazz improvisation include: Learning chord
symbols (the chords and the appropriate scales to use with those chords), learning
basic structural forms to improvise on (12-bar blues form, 16-bar form, 32-bar song
form), learning how to play together with other musicians in ensemble and in musical
conversation.
An in-school performance will be presented at the end of the 10-week program.
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TRADITIoNAL WEST AFRIcAN
DRuMMING, SINGING & DANcING
RoBERT LEVIN - DIREcToR
This Middle School ensemble will learn recreational, warrior and harvest music and
dance styles from Ghana. Students will use a large family of traditional Ghanaian
drums, bells and rattles. All of the students drum (stick drumming, hand drumming,
stick & hand too), and sing and dance. This music is taught in the traditional West
African oral tradition, using call and response, dialog drumming, with mnemonic
drum syllables of the Ghanaian drum language. Students will learn to talk and listen
with their hands in vibrant polyrhythmic conversation. Dance movements are cued
by drum calls so the dancers learn the drum language. To fully understand the meaning
and the feeling of the drumming, the drummers learn the dance. Songs are sung
in the languages of Ghana: Ewe, Ga, Fanti, Twi, Dagbani and English. This course
develops strong rhythmic acuity in musicians and dancers. There is no sheet music
to read and no baton to follow.
Enrollment is initially limited to 16 students. The number may grow to accommodate
more dancers eventually.
An in-school performance will be presented at the end of the 10-week program.
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Dwight-Englewood School
315 East Palisade Avenue, Englewood, NJ 07631
(201) 569-9500 • www.d-e.org