BMS Backstage
BMS Backstage is a new monthly series that takes our community behind the scenes and on a journey through BMS, the history, the community and by celebrating historical and contemporary aspects of music and the performing arts . Anika Rahman our new and brilliant marketing intern explores contemporary and historical subjects through the lens of the building, programming, events and our local and global community connections.
Happy New Year!
Brooklyn Music School has had a whirlwind year, from concerts and shows performed by our talented students to exciting events, galas, and bashes held throughout the year. We've made so many wonderful memories in 2022, and now that 2023 has arrived, let us take this opportunity to reflect on all of the incredible experiences we've had over the last year.
BMS' 20th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert
We began the year with a special live stream event, the 20th Annual "Spirit of Hope," our annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert. We celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy virtually this year with an incredible lineup of performances that included esteemed guest artist Janis Russell, as well as BMS Jazz faculty and students. Congressman Hakeem Jeffries also made a wonderful video presentation for the annual event, speaking about the turbulent year and how Dr. King's legacy and methodology are more important than ever. It was a memorable and inspiring evening, and we can't wait for this year's event!
Valentine's Day Concert
Last February was definitely filled with love, music, and joy as we held our annual Valentine's Day concert, “Songs from the Heart”. Our brilliant vocalists and ensembles provided us with a musical melting pot that spoke to the power of love. From rock ballads to heartbreaking anthems, we were reminded of how human connection can go beyond words.
Sunday Sound Baths
This past year, BMS has been promoting South Bath Meditations to enhance general health and wellness. These sound bath meditations are guided listening meditations with a range of instruments designed for optimal release, grounding, and balance. The sound bath employs Alchemy gem and quartz crystal singing bowls, Himalayan metal singing bowls, hand pans, monochords, and other resonant drone instruments to induce a profound state of rest and release in order to balance the autonomic nervous system. These sonic meditations involve all of the senses and are based on the notion that deep listening allows us to heal and connect with ourselves and others while also generating new neural pathways for optimal, sound health. We have hosted over (insert number) Sound Bath Meditations over the 2022 season and are thrilled to be able to encourage healthy arts within our local community. Keep an eye out for future Sound Bath Meditations sessions this year!
The Eighth Annual BMS Middle School Jazz Festival
Last April, we hosted our Eighth Annual BMS Middle School Jazz Festival. Throughout the event, we heard music from Grammy-Winning Trumpet Soloist Extradorimne Micheal Rodirgrez and esteemed legends such as Chick Corea, Charlie Haden, Kenny Barron, Clark Terry, Bobby Watson, Eddie Palmieri, and Quincy Jones. We also got to witness a wonderful selection of music from performers such as Ocean Hill Collegiate Charter School's Jazz Band and the Forte Prep Jazz Band as well as from our own Brooklyn Music School's Jazz Faculty and Jazz Ensemble. It was a fantastic evening filled with all things jazz.
Spring Annual Fundraising Gala
Last May, our Annual Spring Fundraising Gala took place on the rooftop terrace of the Brooklyn Children's Museum. The night was a celebration of both music and performance in all of its forms, but this year with a new purpose. The New heartBEATS Fundraising Gala launched a new initiative at the Brooklyn Music School, emphasizing the importance of health and wellbeing in the arts and within the Brooklyn community. BMS believes that a healthy arts community contributes to the overall mental and physical well-being of the borough while also fostering strong community connections. Contributions and funds raised from the New heartBEATS Gala went toward enhancing programming such as early childhood music education, after-school programs, music therapy, dance, and musical theater. These programs will help to sustain Brooklyn as a thriving arts community while also supporting the borough's schools, community centers, and senior centers. Our gala not only launched this new initiative of promoting healthy arts, but it also celebrated both our internal and external BMS communities and featured performances by distinguished artists. The night was unforgettable, but it was only the beginning of our efforts to promote healthy arts.
Spring Spectacular
Our Spring Spectacular last June was a music-filled evening that highlighted the musical talent of our very own ensembles and musicians. With their melodic songs, the Woodwind Quintet, Youth Orchestra, The Blackstones, Jazz Band, Adult Rock Band, and Jazz Band got the audience on their feet. Meanwhile, talented soloists created some amazing music while delivering captivating performances. Last year was certainly a spectacle of musical mastery, making us even more eager to see what this year has in store!
First Annual Beer and Beats Festival
This past summer BMS created a brand new festival across Brooklyn that combined two of life's best things: great beer and great music! BMS' Beer and Beats Festival is a borough-wide tour of Brooklyn that is presenting free live music from BMS students, faculty and guest Brooklyn-based performers at six well-established breweries. Our goal for the Beer and Beats Festival was to engage and connect with our community on a larger scale, while also generating revenue and audiences for local businesses, and local artists. The event also doubled as a fundraiser, as a portion of the beer proceeds from each brewery was given as a donation to BMS!
Back to BMS Bash
Last September, we held our first-ever "Back to BMS Bash!" to welcome back our Brooklyn Music School community. It was a delightful gathering filled with snacks, drinks, and musical performances by members of our faculty and staff. The event was a blast, and it was a great way for students and teachers to (re)connect and an opportunity for alumni to reacquaint themselves with BMS. Here's to continuing the tradition of the Back to BMS Bash!
IVA The 2nd BMS Artist-in-Residence
BMS Artist-in-Residence program is launching the 2nd year of the this newly developing program. This year’s artist is BMS’s very own Emily Tepe who is know professionally as IVA. This past fall Emily offered a vocal warm-up for the BMS community and this coming spring there will be a special concert taking place in the MacDowell Room- mark your calendars for Sunday, March 5th and stay tuned for more details. You can read more about IVA here.
Sunday Jazz Sessions
This year, Jazz Standard Foundation and the Jazz Faculty at BMS Brooklyn collaborated to create Sunday Jazz Sessions, a program that is sure to please all jazz lovers. Beginning at 2pm and lasting until 3pm students collaborate under the supervision of experienced professionals. Following that, from 3pm to 4pm, students demonstrated what they had been practicing during the previous session. All music lovers are invited to stay for the entire journey or just for the last hour to witness some of the best music improvisations around. Sunday took on a whole new meaning for jazz fans this year!
Halloween BMS Monster Bash
This past October BMS celebrated its tenth anniversary of Halloween fun! With music, prizes, games and all the candy we could eat - not to mention our annual talent show and costume contest - it was an unforgettably spectacular night for all. Highlights of the evening included the amazing music acts from our incredibly talented performers, who really had us going as they belted out classical ensembles and hit Halloween songs. The costume contest was also fiercely contested, with several contestants competing for a prize bag filled with treats. Overall, the tenth anniversary of our Halloween celebrations at BMS was a huge success.
Giving Tuesday Events
Giving Tuesday began in 2012 as an idea to encourage businesses, organizations, and individuals to do something charitable. Now in its tenth year, #givingtuesday has evolved into a global movement that has inspired millions of people worldwide to give, connect, and celebrate the power of generosity. BMS was proud to participate in the special 10-year anniversary celebration this past November, with a new series focusing on sharing professional experiences in the music and performing arts industry. In mid-November, we invited members of the community to join us in the MacDowell Room for a free professional workshop with award-winning independent artist and recent Brooklyn Music School Honoree Maya Azucena. In the workshop, Maya sang, shared stories, and gave advice on becoming a successful international indie artist! Later in the month, we invited BMS Spring Gala Honoree Damon DeGraff. Since starting his own New York based company in 2001, dGi Management Damon DeGraff has become one of the world’s most renowned managers representing some of the industry’s premier artists, DJs and record producers. We thank Damon Maya for donating their time to the BMS community and for sharing their stories and strategies for professional growth.
Shrek the Musical Jr.! BMS Production
Last month, the BMS Musical Theatre Department's production of Shrek the Musical Jr. was a smashing success. Both performances on two nights were completely sold out as eager theatergoers enjoyed watching the family-friendly musical comedy about the adventures of an ogre named Shrek who sets out on a quest to save a princess from a dragon. However, in order to ultimately succeed, Shrek must overcome an even greater challenge: learning to believe in himself and open his heart to others. We are so proud of our hardworking students who put on such memorable performances for the audience, making Shrek the Musical Jr. a true success.
Holiday Spectacular
In our final event of the 2022 year, BMS students put on an amazing festive showcase at our very own theater. It was amazing to see all the BMS bands and soloists take the stage and rock out for an enthusiastic crowd! We saw a variety of genres, from jazz to classical music to pop, and it truly captured the range and breadth of talent at our school. It was such a great recap of our program this year and it showed just how much hard work had gone into our performances throughout the year in anticipation of this show. We're already looking forward to next year's showcase!
As we move into 2023, we want to take a moment to thank all of the people who have made Brooklyn Music School's past year so incredible. Our students, parents, faculty, and staff have all contributed to making BMS such a special place, and we can't wait to see what the next year brings. Thank you for being part of our community and helping us create an amazing year full of wonderful memories. We can't wait to see what 2023 has in store for us and from all of us at the Brooklyn Music School, happy new year!