WELCOME
Alumni & Friends of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
We stand in solidarity with the fight against racism and inequity.
While our office within LaGuardia High School is closed until further notice, we are working remotely. You may contact us at info@alumniandfriends.org. All paper correspondence and contributions can be mailed to our P.O. Box:
Alumni & Friends of LaGuardia
P.O. Box 230015
Ansonia Station
New York, NY 10023
Thank you for your understanding! We hope to see you soon!
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ALUMNI NEWS
Tuesday September 22nd, 2020
Check out Audrey Flack's (M&A '47) artwork on view at MoMA The Museum of Modern Art - "Leonardo's Lady" (1974).
And learn about "Queen of Hearts," a documentary about the life and art of Audrey Flack.
"Octogenarian artist Audrey Flack has always been a trailblazer. In this intimate portrait of her life and work, she returns to her canvas for the first time in decades, revealing her longtime struggles as an artist and mother to find her rightful place in the art world." www.audreyflackfilm.com/
Monday September 21st, 2020
It appears that every awards show includes at least one LaG, M&A or PA alumnus nominee/winner! Congratulations to Jasmine Cephas Jones (LaG '07, Vocal) for winning her first Emmy Award, for her role in the Quibi series #FreeRayshawn.
And congratulations to Jennifer Aniston (PA/LaG '87) for being nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for "The Morning Show" among so many wonderful actresses.
If there were any other alumni nominated please share in the comments (behind the scenes work, etc.). And always share with us if you know of a fellow alumnus who should be given a shout out. Send to info@alumniandfriends.org
www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winner
www.emmys.com
Website content © Television Academy.EMMY, EMMYS, and the Emmy Statuette are registered trademarks and/or copyrights Of ATAS and NATAS.TELEVISION ACADEMY and ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES are...Jasmine Cephas Jones LaG ‘07 Winner for Best Actress in a short form comedy or drama series for #FreeRayshawn
Monday September 21st, 2020
If you're looking for tutoring for your K-12 student, please check out Gertie Zwick Schacter's (LaG '20, Drama) "Filling the Gap" - a NYC organization founded by and comprised of recent graduates from LaGuardia High School.
"We recently experienced the difficult transition from in-person to remote learning. Not only have these conditions set back the education of K-12 students but they have also created a childcare crisis in which parents must take on the role of teachers for their children in addition to their jobs. Simultaneously students previously hoping to attend college in the fall now find themselves at home looking for ways to fill their time meaningfully and financially support themselves. We saw the possibility for these groups of individuals suffering from parallel crises to support one another.
Filling the Gap provides job opportunities for previously college-bound students by pairing them with K-12 students in need of academic and artistic support. We work to pair students with tutors that grew up and learned in their same community, and who represent the best match for them both personally and academically. We offer tutoring in all academic subjects, including AP classes, languages, and various electives. We also offer SAT/ACT and SHSAT tutoring, as well as tutors who can provide college application support. Beyond academics, we are committed to making high-level tutoring in visual arts, dance, theater, and music available for students needing guidance with rehearsals, auditions, portfolios, or looking to continue their craft remotely."
fillingthegapnyc.com/
fillingthegapnyc.com
Filling the Gap is an NYC organization that pairs gap year students as tutors with K-12 students grappling with remote learning during the 2020-21 school year.Saturday September 19th, 2020
Read about the life of Music & Art alumnus Steve Carter, Steve Carter, "an award-winning playwright who explored the African-American and Caribbean-American experiences with incisiveness, humor and a willingness to wrestle with difficult themes, including hatred, revenge and forgiveness. Mr. Carter was one of many playwrights to emerge from the renowned Negro Ensemble Company in New York City in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s."
www.nytimes.com/2020/09/17/theater/steve-carter-dead.html
Steve Carter, Playwright in a Black Theater World, Dies at 90
www.nytimes.com
He emerged from the Black Arts movement and the famed Negro Ensemble Company, writing dramas and satires about the Black and Caribbean-American experiences.Friday September 18th, 2020
Watch a Q&A with the cast of the 2020 remake of "Dune" starring Timothée Chalamet (LaG '13, Drama).
Stephen Colbert hosts cast members Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Zendaya, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Jason Momoa and Javier Bardem, and director Denis Villeneuve.
The stars and filmmaker talk about making the long-awaited sci-fi epic and what it means. The panel includes footage and imagery not included in the first trailer.
"Dune" is expected to hit theaters December 2020.
youtu.be/lvIasUKWgYs
Friday September 18th, 2020
Congratulations to Jasmine Cephas Jones (LaG '07, Vocal) for winning her first Emmy Award, for her role in the Quibi series #FreeRayshawn. Jones's honor was in the category of Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series. Jasmine originated the dual roles of Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds in "Hamilton."
www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/news/jasmine-cephas-jones-wins-emmy-for-freerayshawn_9...
Jasmine Cephas Jones Wins Emmy for #FreeRayshawn on Quibi | TheaterMania
www.theatermania.com
Jones is a first-time nominee and recipient.Friday September 18th, 2020
Tanzina Vega (LaG '92, clarinet) is the host of WNYC Radio's "The Takeaway." Listen to her show from Sept. 17 where she sat down with Terrance McKnight, the host for WQXR, New York Public Radio's classical station, and Dr. Aaron Flagg, a trumpet player, Chair of Jazz Studies at The Juilliard School and Chair of the League of American Orchestra's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee to discuss the classical music world's struggle to become more inclusive in the 21st century. www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/takeaway/segments/classical-music-world-struggles-inclusive-represen...
www.wnycstudios.org
The firing of Minnesota Public Radio's only Black classical host, Garrett McQueen, has reignited conversations about representation in classical music.Thank you so much!
Thursday September 17th, 2020
Shoutout to Shawn Martinbrough (LaG '89) for his editorial illustrations for the September 2020 issue of Vanity Fair - two powerful and informative pieces on Police unions and the Call for Abolition by writers Eve L. Ewing and Josie Duffy Rice.
www.vanityfair.com/culture/2020/08/september-2020-issue-the-great-fire
The Great Fire: Introducing Vanity Fair’s September 2020 Issue
www.vanityfair.com
Ta-Nehisi Coates guest-edits a special project about Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement, and more.Thursday September 17th, 2020
Check out the artwork of Derek Buckner: (LaG '88) in person at the George Billis Gallery in Los Angeles for the current "Cityscape Show X: Concrete and Earth" (through October 10) or online at www.gbgla.com/the-cityscape-show-2020.htm
Thanks so much for the shout out! I will be having an exhibition of watercolors at the George Billis Gallery in New York opening on October 1 as well.
Thursday September 17th, 2020
Read about the narrator of this presentation, Ilfenesh Hadera (LaG '03) - actor, activist, and humanitarian, who delivered a manifesto dedicated to women, celebrating the brand founder's visionary and timeless quote, "Clothes Won't Change the World. The Women Who Wear Them Will."
Hadera made her acting debut in the film 1/20. A frequent collaborator with Spike Lee, she has also appeared in Da Brick, The Blacklist, Oldboy, Show Me a Hero, Chi-Raq, Chicago Fire, The Punisher, and She's Gotta Have It. She also had a recurring role in the Showtime Series, Billions. Ilfenesh's latest project is the Epix series, Godfather Of Harlemomen, celebrating the brand founder's visionary and timeless quote, "Clothes Won't Change the World. The Women Who Wear Them Will."
www.salamancapress.com/news/state/anne-klein-makes-a-statement-for-our-times-at-new-york-fashion-...
Anne Klein Makes a Statement For Our Times at New York Fashion Week
www.salamancapress.com
NEW YORK, Sept. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Iconic women's fashion brand ANNE KLEIN returned to the new New York Fashion Week today, presenting a timely and timeless video on CFDA'sFriday September 11th, 2020
Please watch the video of this morning's incredible ritual for peace performance, conceived and choreographed by Jacqulyn Buglisi (PA '68). 9/11 Tribute Table of Silence Project by Buglisi Dance Theatre at Lincoln Center, NYC - 2020
Performers include Jaryd Farcon (LaG '16) and LaG Dance Faculty Blakeley White-McGuire.
And read the review in the NY Times: www.nytimes.com/2020/09/11/arts/table-of-silence-9-11.html
On the Anniversary of 9/11, Lincoln Center Awakens With Hope
www.nytimes.com
“Table of Silence” was adapted this year to look back at one moment of crisis in New York City history against the backdrop of another.Thursday September 10th, 2020
Julian LaVerdiere (LaG '89) is one of the creators of the beautiful Tribute in Light, which has memorialized the attacks on the Twin Towers since 2002.
Tribute in Light is a commemorative public art installation first presented six months after 9/11 and then every year thereafter, from dusk to dawn, on the night of September 11. It has become an iconic symbol that both honors those killed and celebrates the unbreakable spirit of New York.
www.911memorial.org/visit/memorial/tribute-light
Julian LaVerdiere xxx
Thursday September 10th, 2020
#thankfulthursday
Dick Rauh (M&A '43) says, "It is hard to evaluate how much Music and Art has meant to me. All I know is that if you scratch the surface of anything I have done in my life, you will find a trace of that wonderful edifice."
('thank you" artwork by Athena Capo-Battaglia, LaG '18)
⭐️Fill out our quick form at alumniandfriends.org/thankful/ and tell us why YOU are thankful for your FREE high school arts education at PA, M&A, LaGuardia! And read why others are thankful.
Thursday September 10th, 2020
Enjoy this new book by Dick Rauh (M&A '43) - "The Science Behind Flowers - Plant Morphology for Botanical Artists" at www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FRHR9K9/
and read a piece about his art: www.ctinsider.com/living/ctpost/article/At-95-Dick-Rauh-remain-a-master-of-botanical-art-15382309...
"Explore the reasons why flowers provide such a feast of variety to our eyes in a fully illustrated text written by an artist. The aim of the book is to provide a storehouse of basic information in layman's terms that will guide you to identify and stress those features that make each flower special. Stacked photographs of thirty floral families are featured, covering the wide range of floral form. It is the author's hope that it will leave you realizing that you will never look at a flower in the same way again."
Thursday September 10th, 2020
September 11 performance, 7:55am
"Art has the power to transcend boundaries. One step at a time, we shall change the world." - Jacqulyn Buglisi (PA '68)
Join the 10th anniversary Table of Silence Project 9/11
Friday, September 11, 2020, 7:55AM www.tableofsilence.org/
Performers include Jaryd Farcon (LaG '16) and LaG Dance Faculty Blakeley White-McGuire.
Free public performance ritual for peace conceived and choreographed by Artistic Director Jacqulyn Buglisi
presented by Buglisi Dance Theatre and Lincoln Center
in partnership with DanceNYC at Josie Robertson Plaza, Lincoln Center, NYC
Global Live Streaming on YouTube, Facebook Live, LincolnCenter.org
COVID-19 restrictions prohibit spectators from gathering on the Plaza during the live performance.
The live performance adheres to all CDC and NYS guidelines of social distancing and face coverings for outdoor gatherings.
www.tableofsilence.org/
Wednesday September 9th, 2020
Read a great feature about Marika Brussel-Ballet (PA/LaG '86) and
her most recent piece, “House of Names," - a series of short pieces about women in mythology, and bringing them into contemporary times.
www.jweekly.com/2020/09/04/pandemic-isolation-fosters-creativity-for-busy-dancer-and-choreographer/
Pandemic isolation fosters creativity for busy dancer and choreographer
www.jweekly.com
Much of the arts world may be shut down, but choreographer Marika Brussel isn’t feeling isolated. And she definitely isn’t idle. Brussel, a 2020 arts fellow at LABA East Bay, an incubator for Jewi...What a great way to deal with the pandemic.Create beauty and be an inspiration to others!
Thanks!! Also, if anyone wants to see some cool dance this weekend, I'm co-producing this: www.odc.dance/virtualpathways ONLINE! stay safe, friends
Tuesday September 8th, 2020
For those in the Alexandria, VA area, check out Nina Tisara's (M&A '55) exhibit: “Witnessing Worship” Revisited: Nina Tisara Reexamines Faith in a Time of Crisis. At The Lyceum, 201 South Washington Street.
“Witnessing Worship: A Photographic Study of Faith in Alexandria” will run through November 1, 2021. The Lyceum, is currently running with limited capacity and reduced hours. Timed-ticketing, face masks, and social distancing protocols are required. Tickets are free for Alexandria residents and $3 for others. The exhibit is also available in part online.
thezebra.org/2020/09/07/alexandria-living-legend-nina-tisaras-work-takes-center-stage/
Alexandria Living Legend Nina Tisara's Work Takes Center Stage
thezebra.org
September 2020 marks the On Exhibit column’s fourth anniversary at The Zebra Press. To celebrate, On Exhibit interviewed Nina Tisara about her art, her faith, and her hope for the future.Tuesday September 8th, 2020
For those on the East Coast, you can catch a viewing of the 1980 movie "Fame" today at 4:50pm on Movies TV Network: moviestvnetwork.com/movies/1850
Future dates:
Wed, Sep 16 at 8:00PM
Mon, Sep 21 at 3:00PM
Sat, Sep 26 at1:10PM
Wed, Sep 30 at 8:00PM
FAME "LIVE" FROM LONDON'S WEST END IS STREAMING NOW ON BROADWAYHD - "IT'S A MASTER CLASS IN MUSICAL THEATRE FROM START TO FINISH!" " THE STUNNING MUSICAL THAT WILL LIVE FOREVER!" vimeo.com/447323399/ca405d84f0
Thursday September 3rd, 2020
Check out this article from Vassar's student newspaper about social media graphics inciting long-lasting awareness of injustice, featuring artist Kim Saira Sarte (LaG '15).
"artist Kim Saira (@kimsaira) intends to fight for long-term change, not the short-term rush of social media activism that quickly fizzles out. “I want my art to inspire others to go out there and advocate in real life,” said Saira.“Instagram posts are just Instagram posts, similar to performative activism. My art doesn’t mean much at all if the work isn’t being done in real life. And I hope my art enrages, inspires or even makes people uncomfortable enough to go take action in their daily lives.”
Saira began creating and sharing her art in May as a way to process George Floyd’s death. But she had been practicing and studying art for years prior, beginning as a student at LaGuardia High School, a specialized public school for art in New York City. “I…grew up as an immigrant in NYC up until college, which plays heavily into my art themes” Saira shared. “When I was growing up, English was a second language for me and I was super quiet because of it. I remember drawing to truly express all of my feelings. This followed me as I grew older, where I use art to relay messages and feelings to my audience.”
miscellanynews.org/2020/09/02/arts/social-media-graphics-more-than-playful-platforms-for-artists-...
Thursday September 3rd, 2020
Read this NY Times feature on Princess Lockerooo (aka Samara Cohen, LaG '03).
"Princess Lockerooo is a whirling force with a singular focus: spreading the gospel of Waacking. For more than a decade, the 34-year-old devotee of the retro club dance has performed in competitions and led workshops all over the world, tirelessly promoting a message of self-expression and empowerment."
www.nytimes.com/2020/08/29/nyregion/waacking-nyc-club-dance.html
What Is Waacking, and Why Is It All Over TikTok?
www.nytimes.com
A few dedicated New Yorkers are masters of the 1970s club dance, which has become a social media sensation.💗💗💗 Princess Lockeroo
Wednesday September 2nd, 2020
Catch "Fame" on tv right now! Or on the following dates:
Wed, Sep 2 at 5:00PM
Tue, Sep 8 at 4:50PM
Wed, Sep 16 at 8:00PM
Mon, Sep 21 at 3:00PM
Sat, Sep 26 at1:10PM
Wed, Sep 30 at 8:00PM
moviestvnetwork.com/movies/1850
Wednesday September 2nd, 2020
Enjoy this piece about multi award winning dancer and choreographer (and supporter of Alumni & Friends) Camille A. Brown (LaG '97)!
"Camille A. Brown can’t remember the first time she danced the Electric Slide. She only remembers doing it. “It just was,” she said in a recent Zoom interview. “It’s the same thing with the Running Man or double Dutch. I don’t remember the first time I had a rope in my hand, but I remember the freedom."
Ms. Brown, 40, a renowned dancer and one of the most sought-after choreographers of her generation, didn’t learn those social dances in school. She picked them up from family and friends — along with a host of other moves with roots in West Africa that African-Americans have passed down, from one generation to another, traded at family reunions and house parties or brought to pop culture and music videos."
"African-American communities have defined the value and meaning of social dance for themselves. It is “our form of social address,” Thomas DeFrantz, a professor of dance and African American studies at Duke University, said. “It is how we articulate ourselves within the group, and we’re actually claiming the relationship to dance as being the way that we recognize ourselves in social communion and understand ourselves to be Black.”
www.nytimes.com/2020/09/02/arts/dance/camille-a-brown-pandemic-every-body-move.html
The School That Camille A. Brown Built
www.nytimes.com
The dancer and choreographer was on a career high when the pandemic hit. Now she has created a virtual school powered by the kind of social dance at the heart of her work.Camille choreographed the Porgy and Bess viewable at no charge at metopera.org, tonight 9/4-Sunday 9/6 afternoon. If you missed it live last September - February, two LaG graduates are in the chorus, and a couple on the orchestra.
Wednesday September 2nd, 2020
⭐️ REPOST! DEADLINE TODAY, SEPTEMBER 2!
CALLING ALL NYC VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTISTS!⭐️
Green-Wood Cemetery is seeking applications for its new artist-in-residence program—the first of its kind for a NYC cemetery. For nine months from January to September of 2021, one artist will have the use Green-Wood’s grounds as a creative resource and inspiration. Deadline is September 2, 2020 - application here: greenwood.slideroom.com/#/login/program/55053
Green-Wood’s new Artist-in-Residence program was created for emerging and mid-career artists to directly engage with the site’s unique art, history, and nature. Since its founding in 1838, the Cemetery has inspired generations of painters, writers, and musicians. The artist selected for this program will continue in that rich tradition of creative expression.
The residency is open to those living in New York City and working in the visual and/or performing arts. Special consideration will be given to those whose final project can engage communities within the surrounding neighborhoods of Green-Wood. The artist will be provided an honorarium and studio space in the Historic Landmark Gatehouse on Fort Hamilton Parkway, as well as access to the Cemetery’s professional staff and archives and historical collections.
www.timeout.com/newyork/news/nycs-historic-green-wood-cemetery-is-looking-for-an-artist-in-reside...
NYC's historic Green-Wood Cemetery is looking for an artist-in-residence
www.timeout.com
Green-Wood Cemetery is seeking applications for its new artist-in-residence program—the first of its kind for a NYC cemetery. For nine months from January to SeWednesday September 2nd, 2020
For those in the Frenchtown, NJ area, check out Luke Ratray's (LaG '90) photography exhibit "Coney Island Mermaids: 1996-2019" at The Art Parlour, through September 20, 2020 - www.theartparlour.org/upcomingshows
"Luke Ratray has captured a unique perspective on this annual Brooklyn tradition. Choosing to shoot with film rather than digital media, and focusing on the people instead of the pageantry. The photography works toward taking the subjects out of the gritty, noisy environment of Coney Island and pushes the viewer to consider the individuals inside their costumes.
'People who invent identities for themselves - even if only for a day - have always fascinated me. When I photographed the Mermaid Parade for the first time, I knew that I found something special. I was attracted to the homemade spirit and revelry of people involving themselves in what may be the last self-made, and largely self-regulated, public performance in New York City.'" Luke Ratray Photography
Current Show — The Art Parlour
www.theartparlour.org
CONEY ISLAND MERMAIDS PHOTOGRAPHS BY LUKE RATRAYA 20 year photographic retrospective of Luke Ratray’s images ofConey Island’s iconic Mermaid Parade. Over Two Decades of Photographs From The Coney ...Wednesday September 2nd, 2020
Enjoy the incredible artwork and creativity from the LaGuardia Fine Art department during spring 2020, and the outstanding Semi Annual Art Show. Click the many links on this page to take an art tour. www.lagartstudiopa.org/semi-annual-lobby
Monday August 31st, 2020
Filmmaker Yoruba Richen (LaG '90) has made a documentary about the Life and Death of Breonna Taylor. Watch the trailer now on vimeo. The full documentary will air September 4th on FX and stream on Hulu.
vimeo.com/453038242?fbclid=IwAR1Y7lcAbKkCfUjpWvIwdERXn5lhBDAxKO5poXoV4nUs7_x0cQ0IdLmkBl0
Friday August 28th, 2020
Watch the upcoming Netflix series "Social Distance" starring alumni Daphne Rubin Vega (M&A '73), Steven Weber (PA '79), and recently graduated David Iacono (LaG '20, who performed a monologue for alumni at the 2019 student performance, and was the 2020 recipient of the Alumni & Friends John Cappelletti Drama Award).
Add a comment if we missed any alumni in the cast!
variety.com/2020/tv/news/danielle-brooks-asante-blackk-among-netflix-social-distance-casting-anno...
Danielle Brooks, Asante Blackk Among Cast of Netflix’s ‘Social Distance’
variety.com
Danielle Brooks, Asante Blackk, Mike Colter, Oscar Nunez and Daphne Rubin-Vega are among the cast of Netflix’s upcoming anthology series “Social Distance,” the streamer announced …Friday August 28th, 2020
#FiorelloFriday
Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia would have been in awe of our students' dedication these past few months. Please enjoy the 2020 Senior Choir's virtual performance, which was part of the 2020 Commencement Ceremony: "Abendstandchen from Op. 42" by Johannes Brahms, conducted by Jana Ballard.
www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=97uL2HCMHds&feature=emb_log
Thanks for posting. Jana Ballard’s performances are not to be missed; this Brahms is beautiful and will be shared widely among my 59’s friends ++.
Beautiful! They raised my spirit.❤️
The beauty of this high school is talent never takes a break
Just beautiful.
Ms. Ballard never disappoints.
Lovely!
So proud of them all!
This is amazingn
So proud to be and M&A graduate. Beautiful!
Beautiful ❤️
Thursday August 27th, 2020
#thankfulthursday
We are so thankful for the perseverance of our students and faculty. Please enjoy the Graduation Dance Concert from June 2020 - the culmination of amazing hard work and dedication!
www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=aNz-Tvor6RQ&feature=emb_logo
And please read the incredible review of the concert in SeeingDance website: www.seeingdance.com/laguardia-high-school-graduation-dance-concert-22062020/?fbclid=IwAR0pc3BbkM5...
Any advice as to how to get a copy of the 2020 yearbook? My class of '20 graduate never got his--who can I contact? Thanks.
Tuesday August 25th, 2020
⭐️CASTING CALL FOR 18-25 YEAR OLDS!⭐️
Amir Royale (LaG '16) shares the following opportunity with the LaG family (link below):
The Nvak Foundation is currently casting and recruiting young artists around the US to be the on-screen talent for its free e-Curriculum music courses (on songwriting, production, and music business). It hopes to shoot at the end of September. All artists between 18-25, energetic, friendly with leadership qualities are welcomed and encouraged to audition by sending a video of them teaching a music subject of their choice for one minute! Such subjects can include poetry writing, song structure, Logic Pro X and the process of releasing music.
alumniandfriends.org/wp-content/uploads/CASTING-CALL-Song-Start-One-Sheet-Nvak-Foundation-Creativ...
Thursday August 20th, 2020
On Monday, August 17, 2020 our own lovely and talented soprano Priscilla Baskerville (M&A '67 and recently retired LaGuardia vocal music teacher) was one of the esteemed guests on BLACK OPERA Live. You can watch the recording here! Enjoy!
Ah... Thanks for sharing... wanted to see it on Monday night, but couldn't find the link...
This was outstanding. Thank you!
Wednesday August 19th, 2020
Watch and listen to today's conversation between opera singer Isabel Leonard (LaG '00) and Alec Baldwin!
www.instagram.com/p/CEFIcrHlO7g/?igshid=1lp7dpruvzu4h&fbclid=IwAR01Fj3Q2QUMV_Yn67HACxZdO3ZYkTlM9-...
Thank you for this wonderful conversation with Alec. I had the great joy of knowing him during his time at my alma mater, George Washington University. Did not know of his passion for classical music. M&A Class of 1975!!
I have sister in-law who taught the Baldwin brothers in Massapequa. They probably knew her as Mrs. Costa.
Wednesday August 19th, 2020
Read a great interview with Suzanne Vega (PA '77, dance) about ole NYC and the invaluable role of the arts:
"We need way more support for the arts on a state and federal level. It's really my belief that if we had that, if we understood that, that if kids could understand that you express your emotions through art, that you don't express emotions through weaponry, through buying a gun. A gun is for killing people, not expressing an emotion. This is how I see it.
I think if you really taught people how to express rage, if you made them look at Guernica and... all kinds of art... New York, well, not just New York, but America, would be different, would probably be a more cultured country than it is already. I mean, it's there. It's just a question of connecting it to kids and making it part of their life when they're growing up."
gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/landmark-diners-venues-suzanne-vega-interview-future-new-york-city
Landmark The Diners & Music Venues: Suzanne Vega On The Future Of NYC
gothamist.com
"It does upset me that more things are not landmarked." Forever-New Yorker Suzanne Vega speaks with us for our New York City Tomorrow series.Wednesday August 19th, 2020
$3600 Paid Internships September 3-November 5, 2020 (20 hrs/week) for college students or recent college graduates!
Harris Doran (LaG '96) is the Director of Development & Marketing/Film Team Leader for Students for Social Justice - an internship program for current college students, including those taking gap years, and recent graduates. It was created to meet two urgent needs – the need to fight voter suppression and apathy, and students’ need for meaningful, safe internship opportunities.
You must be enrolled in or on leave from college or a recent college graduate, and you must be 18 or older by September 3 to participate.
Please Share!
alumniandfriends.org/internship-opportunity/
www.studentsforjusticevote.com/
Monday August 17th, 2020
Julian LaVerdiere (LaG '89) is one of the creators of the beautiful Tribute in Light, which has memorialized the attacks on the Twin Towers since 2002. www.nytimes.com/2020/08/15/nyregion/towers-light-2020.html
Tribute in Light Will Shine After All, Officials Say
www.nytimes.com
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum had said the display would have to be canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.Friday August 14th, 2020
Please tune in on Monday, August 17, 2020 at 7pm to see LaGuardia's own (and recently retired) vocal teacher Priscilla Baskerville (M&A '67) on BLACK OPERA!
Tune in to Facebook and YouTube LIVE for an in-depth discussion with 3 of the world's leading sopranos from the last two decades, as we dive into what it's really like to wear the iconic RED DRESS from "Porgy and Bess." Featuring sopranos Marquita Lister, Roberta Laws, and ⭐️Priscilla Baskerville⭐️ with host Kenneth Overton.
Priscilla Baskerville has sung with the Metropolitan Opera, on Broadway, and appeared in the films "The Cotton Club" (1984) and "We Shall Not Be Moved" (2001).
Stage Credits
First Lady Suite[Off-Broadway]
Original Off-Broadway Production, 1993
Marian Anderson
Porgy and Bess[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 1983
Clara (Alternate)
Bess (Alternate)
Sophisticated Ladies[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1981
Porgy and Bess[New York]
Metropolitan Opera Revival, 1985
Performer
![Please tune in on Monday, August 17, 2020 at 7pm to see LaGuardias own (and recently retired) vocal teacher Priscilla Baskerville (M&A 67) on BLACK OPERA!
Tune in to Facebook and YouTube LIVE for an in-depth discussion with 3 of the worlds leading sopranos from the last two decades, as we dive into what its really like to wear the iconic RED DRESS from Porgy and Bess. Featuring sopranos Marquita Lister, Roberta Laws, and ⭐️Priscilla Baskerville⭐️ with host Kenneth Overton.
Priscilla Baskerville has sung with the Metropolitan Opera, on Broadway, and appeared in the films The Cotton Club (1984) and We Shall Not Be Moved (2001).
Stage Credits
First Lady Suite[Off-Broadway]
Original Off-Broadway Production, 1993
Marian Anderson
Porgy and Bess[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 1983
Clara (Alternate)
Bess (Alternate)
Sophisticated Ladies[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1981
Porgy and Bess[New York]
Metropolitan Opera Revival, 1985
Performer](https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/117542699_4556511414358936_9212581537267902470_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=jzZOTRfnAZwAX_4QFvD&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-2.xx&oh=8012b906ee0a31b971052bdf5b0edb97&oe=5F906BAA)
How wonderful!!! Priscilla and I were classmates and have been in touch over the years... BEST HIGH C EVER!!!
Please like out page so you don’t miss it! www.facebook.com/blackoperafilm
Priscilla Baskerville, Class of '67. YAY!!
Thursday August 13th, 2020
#thankfulthursday
Each year Alumni & Friends gives out 200+ awards and scholarships to LaGuardia students and we are so thankful for the donors who make this possible. We share a thank you card and note from Sherry Chen (LaG '20), who just received the Mary and Pablo Frank Art Award, the Murray Braunstein Leadership Award, and last year received the Shirley Ellman Vann Architecture Scholarship to study at University of Michigan's Architecture School in summer 2019.
⭐️Fill out our quick form at alumniandfriends.org/thankful/ and tell us why YOU are thankful for your FREE high school arts education at PA, M&A, LaGuardia! And read why others are thankful.🌠
Monday August 10th, 2020
A nice shout out to Music & Art by NPR's Susan Stamberg (M&A '55): "I had an art teacher at the High School of Music and Art who said we should keep turning our paintings upside down and sideways, to see if they held up."
www.npr.org/2020/08/06/895567657/it-lowers-your-blood-pressure-spend-a-few-moments-with-these-hyp...
'It Lowers Your Blood Pressure': Spend A Few Moments With These Hypnotic Trees
www.npr.org
In her childhood art classes, Jennifer Steinkamp used to make trees with sponges and paint. Now, as a video artist, her installations feature tree animations — some are named after her art teachers.It's beautiful and it works!
I found myself breathing in time to the tree's movements. It was very calming.
Monday August 10th, 2020
⭐️CALLING ALL NYC VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTISTS! ⭐️
Green-Wood Cemetery is seeking applications for its new artist-in-residence program—the first of its kind for a NYC cemetery. For nine months from January to September of 2021, one artist will have the use Green-Wood’s grounds as a creative resource and inspiration. Deadline is September 2, 2020 - application here:
greenwood.slideroom.com/#/login/program/55053
Green-Wood’s new Artist-in-Residence program was created for emerging and mid-career artists to directly engage with the site’s unique art, history, and nature. Since its founding in 1838, the Cemetery has inspired generations of painters, writers, and musicians. The artist selected for this program will continue in that rich tradition of creative expression.
The residency is open to those living in New York City and working in the visual and/or performing arts. Special consideration will be given to those whose final project can engage communities within the surrounding neighborhoods of Green-Wood. The artist will be provided an honorarium and studio space in the Historic Landmark Gatehouse on Fort Hamilton Parkway, as well as access to the Cemetery’s professional staff and archives and historical collections.
www.timeout.com/newyork/news/nycs-historic-green-wood-cemetery-is-looking-for-an-artist-in-reside...
NYC's historic Green-Wood Cemetery is looking for an artist-in-residence
www.timeout.com
Green-Wood Cemetery is seeking applications for its new artist-in-residence program—the first of its kind for a NYC cemetery. For nine months from January to SeIt’s beautiful with a hilltop view of the harbor!
Who would want to live there though? LOL!
Sari Weisenberg
Thursday August 6th, 2020
#thankfulthursday
We are thankful for all of the support our LaGuardia 2020 Seniors received from friends, family, and community. We want to share moving videos that were made to congratulate the LaGuardia class of 2020 and put together by the amazing LaG '21 parent Pamela French. This video is for students from the Drama and Technical Theater departments: vimeo.com/435532121/52cf4531d8
Thursday August 6th, 2020
#thankfulthursday
We are thankful for all of the support our LaGuardia 2020 Seniors received from friends, family, and community. We want to share moving videos that were made to congratulate the LaGuardia class of 2020 and put together by the amazing LaG '21 parent Pamela French. This video is for students from the Fine Art and Dance departments: vimeo.com/435527143/96cec5ba7a
I spot Charisma’s super cute family!
Thursday August 6th, 2020
#thankfulthursday
We are thankful for all of the support our LaGuardia 2020 Seniors received from friends, family, and community. We want to share moving videos that were made to congratulate the LaGuardia class of 2020 and put together by the amazing LaG '21 parent Pamela French. This video is for students from the Music Department: vimeo.com/435932028/cec1af59
Joseph Liccardo David Taubman Justin Strauss Jerry Strauss Elaine Tang Hamann Wing Kwong Luk Kaitlyn Luk Albert Farrell Thank you all for the well wishes and thoughtful videos. Alexa loved it ! Many thanks to Pamela French for putting this together .
Friday July 31st, 2020
Happy Fiorello Friday! As we continue to celebrate the legacy of Performing Arts, Music & Art, and LaGuardia, we pay special tribute to "Father Fame" - David de Silva - the creator and producer of the movie "Fame," celebrating its 40th anniversary, and the musical celebrating its 30th anniversary. David has contributed $90,000 towards awards for graduating seniors and we congratulate the 2020 Father Fame Award Recipients:
DANCE
Anna Lopez
Atticus Dobbie
DRAMA
Annalisa D'Aguilar
Jacob Bergman
INSTRUMENTAL
Alexa Chan
Zachariah Lee-Whitfield
VOCAL
Tessoro Estrella
Jerett Benjamin
Enjoy this solo dance piece by Anna Lopez (LaG '20).: vimeo.com/364669040/2fa80076e9
Stunning thank you! ❤️
Wonderful... Greetings from PA music dept 1958
John Chan
Congrats Honorees, and Happy Anniversary David!!
Gorgeous and congratulations to all those nominated
Beautiful
Awesome dancing!
Friday July 31st, 2020
The movie "Fame," celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, will live forever, but we say goodbye to the film's director, Alan Parker.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/alan-parker-dead-fame-midnight-express-mississippi-burning-directo...
Alan Parker, British Director of 'Fame', 'Midnight Express' and 'Mississippi Burning,' Dies at 76
www.hollywoodreporter.com
The filmmaker, whose features landed 19 BAFTAs, 10 Golden Globes and 10 Oscars, also was behind 'Bugsy Malone,' 'The Commitments,' 'Angel Heart,' 'Evita' and 'Angela's Ashes.'😞
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Tuesday July 28th, 2020
Tapestry Tuesday! Look at the beautiful tapestries made by Ruth Miller, M&A '66.
Ruth Miller is a fiber artist who creates hand-embroidered portraits. She works from her studio in a rural area of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
www.ruthmillerembroidery.com
So extraordinarily beautiful. I’m M&A Art 1961 grad. I embroider as well. Your work is brilliant
These are beautiful!
Just beautiful!
Beautiful!
Stunning!
Amazing!
I love these!
Thursday July 23rd, 2020
Read about Milton Glaser's (M&A '47) curated auction “To Inform & Delight: The Collection of Milton Glaser" with Wright Auction House:
www.antiquesandthearts.com/milton-glasers-last-act-a-curated-auction-at-wright/
"Word came of American graphic designer Milton Glaser’s passing on his 91st birthday, the same day that Chicago auction house Wright released on schedule its catalog for the 188-lot sale he singularly curated, “To Inform & Delight: The Collection of Milton Glaser,” which crossed the block July 14. The auction went 84 percent sold by lot and grossed $291,250.
Wright and Glaser had been working on the sale for more than a year at that point. It was only the firm’s second graphic design auction; the first, in September 2018, focused on American graphic designer Paul Rand.
Chief executive officer Richard Wright said, “Graphic design is pretty hard to sell at auction. It’s not really a big field per se, it’s still very niche. You need to be a very big name with high standing, which Milton had. He’s a singular American voice.”
Thursday July 23rd, 2020
Read a great review and watch a trailer of Natasha Coppola Shalom's (LaG '08) performance in "CHROME: The Series" on Amazon Prime. It's an escapist action adventure fantasy show about an abused robot slave Chrome who, with the help of a repairbot named Perdix, played by Natasha Coppola-Shalom, challenges the dark forces of her cruel masters.
Video Link: www.youtube.com/embed/SplFH2Ek6k8
menafn.com/1100515503/Nicolas-Cage-niece-Natasha-Coppola-Shalom-Sublime-Performance-in-Chrome-The...
menafn.com
Natasha Coppola-Shalom Bolsters her Famous Coppola Family Name with Resplendent Performance as smart and whimsical Perdix, a petite intelligent robot in the TV show Chrome: The Series. Chrome: The Ser...Thursday July 23rd, 2020
Chloe Markewich (LaG '08) will be performing in the world premiere of “The Dance of da Vinci 2.0,” to be held on the grounds of the historic Hill-Stead Museum in West Hartford, CT.
There will be four live performances July 31-August 2. “The Dance of Da Vinci 2.0” explores the passions and obsessions of Leonardo da Vinci, the preeminent inventor, artist, and philosopher. With choreography by the company’s acclaimed artistic director and founder Sonia Plumb, eight dancers will be propelled through space and time in front of moving projections by artist Bryan Swormstedt on an LED wall backdrop. The modern dance program will feature original music by Michael Wall (SoundFORMovement).
www.westhartfordnews.com/entertainment/dance-of-da-vinci-2-0-premieres-at-hill-stead-museum-in-fa...
‘Dance of Da Vinci 2.0’ premieres at Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington
www.westhartfordnews.com
FARMINGTON — Sonia Plumb Dance Company announces the world premiere of “The Dance of da Vinci 2.0,” to be held on the grounds of the historic Hill-Stead Museum, according toDeborah Markewich Awesome!
Thursday July 23rd, 2020
#thankfulthursday
We are thankful for our amazing alumni! Please watch this powerful 4 minute video on Dr. Melissa Freeman (M&A '43), who is still a practicing doctor at age 94!
She divides her time between her practice in Harlem and a methadone clinic in Lower Manhattan.
And she attends the Alumni & Friends reunion and LaGuardia Semi Annual Concert every year!
www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-53449255/i-just-love-helping-i-m-not-ready-to-give-it-up
'I just love helping, I'm not ready to give it up'
www.bbc.com
Dr Melissa Freeman is a doctor in New York City who has been practising for 65 years. The BBC spoke to her about her journey into medicine.I’m class of 1961 Art. Alumni are special people!
Tuesday July 21st, 2020
Enjoy this wonderful piece about jazz pianist Bill Charlap (PA '84). "There is no substitute for humanity and connection. I wish that I could be closer physically. But I will do everything I can to be as close in every other possible way with the music."
www.nytimes.com/2020/07/20/arts/music/bill-charlap-coronavirus.html
‘It’s a Risk for Everybody’: Why a Jazz Pianist Chose to Perform
www.nytimes.com
More than four months after his last public performance, the Grammy-winning artist Bill Charlap played at a storied Pennsylvania club, a glimpse into what may be the new normal for musicians.Monday July 20th, 2020
Read a lovely piece about M&A '54 alumna artist Joselyn Kinstler Ney. www.chestnuthilllocal.com/2020/07/17/lafayette-hill-artist-still-winning-prizes-in-her-80s/
Lafayette Hill artist still winning prizes in her 80s - Chestnut Hill Local Philadelphia PA
www.chestnuthilllocal.com
Ney has not let age slow her down. The Woodmere docent has had exhibits of her work at a New Hope art gallery, Rydal Park Retirement Community ingreat class!!!
Friday July 17th, 2020
Happy Fiorello Friday! Tonight July 17, 2020, don't miss this broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera's performance of Gershwins' "Porgy and Bess" on PBS at 9pm (EST) filled with our amazing alumni!
Choreography by Camille A. Brown (LaG '97), Assistant Choreographer Maleek Washington (LaG '05) and Chorus members Wayne Arthur Paul (LaG '07) and PaulGrosvenor (LaG '09).
Did we leave out any alumni in this performance? If so, please let us know!
www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/gp-at-the-met-porgy-and-bess-about-the-opera/11582/
GP at the Met: The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess | About the Opera | Great Performances | PBS
www.pbs.org
Synopsis Season 14 of Great Performances at the Met continues Friday, July 17 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) with Gershwin’s folk opera The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. Eric Owens and Angel...I watched the trailer earlier today. It is going to be magnificent. I am so, so proud to be a PA Alumni. I will be watching!!
Emma Emma ❤️❤️😁
Just fabulous -watched it last night! So proud of our great New York City PA Alumni!
Saw this last night and it was incredible. Music and Art and Performing Arts is still making their talented alumni known.
Thanks for sharing! Excited for tonight!!
Recorded and ready to go! My parents had what I believe was the original album. I touched one of the records and it disintegrated in my hands! Very much looking forward to seeing this!
Thursday July 16th, 2020
#thankfulthursday
"I am so thankful for the opportunity to be surrounded by art on a daily basis, and to be around other artists who constantly inspire and uplift each other. I’m so glad that everyone can have access to this amazing creative environment. Thank you!"
- Tess Miller (LaG '21) - follow Tess on instagram @meillionn
⭐️Fill out our quick form at alumniandfriends.org/thankful/ and tell us why YOU are thankful for your FREE high school arts education at PA, M&A, LaGuardia! And read why others are thankful.🌠
Thursday July 16th, 2020
Read a great interview with dancer and choreographer Maleek Washington (LaG '05), who is part of Camille A. Brown Dance Company.
www.thepoweroftheperformingarts.com/interviews/maleek-washington
Join Maleek on Monday, July 27, 2pm for a FREE live dance class via Camille A. Brown's instagram @camilleabrown
MONDAYS: SOCIAL DANCE FOR SOCIAL DISTANCE
In these unprecedented times, when we are all sheltering in place, community is more important than ever. We are grateful to connect with you virtually.
Shake Off The Quarantine Blues And Move!
In the spirit of staying connected, sharing and spreading some joy, Camille A. Brown & Dancers will be offering live social dance classes on Instagram @camilleabrown
FREE AND OPEN TO ALL! www.camilleabrown.org/covid19
The Power of the Performing Arts: Uniting Artists While Apart
www.thepoweroftheperformingarts.com
Q: What has your professional dance journey been like, and how did you come to dance with Camille A. Brown and Dancers?Pre-professionally, I went to LaGuardia High School. Camille choreographed my sen...Thursday July 16th, 2020
Congratulations to Camille A. Brown (LaG '97) for her 2020 Obie Award win for Sustained Excellence in Choreography!
"This relentlessly rigorous choreographer creates joyous and challenging work that has broadened the conversation around the power of dance in theater. This season alone, she used baseball as a conduit to speak truths about being Black in America, created an urgent physical language that gave a legendary choreopoem new emotional life, and filled Central Park itself with unapologetic dance joy. After a banner year that included work on Toni Stone, for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf, and Much Ado About Nothing, and following season after season of singular work Off-Broadway, the judges have awarded an Obie for Sustained Excellence in Choreography to CAMILLE A. BROWN."
- The 2020 Obie Awards
www.obieawards.com/events/year-2020/
Wednesday July 15th, 2020
Read a great piece about married LaG couple Imani Mchunu Grosvenor (LaG '10) and Paul GL Grosvenor (LaG '09) who met studying music at University of Michigan, and their Clinton Hill, Brooklyn opera block parties!
To quote the article:
"'Two young Black opera singers from New York who decided to go to the Midwest for college, naturally, we were going to find each other,' Imani said with a slight chuckle.
Indeed, the opera world is largely White – for performers and audiences. People often raise an eyebrow when they see a Black opera singer on stage. Black performers often face stereotyping and racism that can lead to a feeling of isolation.
However, opera now faces a racial reckoning prompted by the recent protests against police brutality targeting Black people.
Paul said he didn’t have to deal with those issues in the beginning because his high school was diverse. There was no hint that opera was not a genre for Black people because his school produced great Black opera singers. At that early stage in his career, Paul joined a network of Black opera singers.
“Down the line, though, it was a different experience, where we are often the only one in the cast,” he said, adding that Black people who find themselves being the only person of their race in the room typically feel the pressure to exceed expectations.
“In my case, that pressure helps me rise to the occasion and never be seen as unprepared,” Paul stated.
As the couple advance in their careers, they are seeking opportunities to reach nontraditional opera fans."
www.bkreader.com/2020/07/14/brooklyn-couple-on-a-mission-to-make-opera-more-accessible-to-the-com...
Brooklyn Couple on a Mission to Make Opera More Accessible to the...
www.bkreader.com
Imani and Paul Grosvenor brought down the house at a Clinton Hill block party with their live opera performance from their stoopWednesday July 15th, 2020
⭐️⭐️Hello Amazing Alumni Community! If you are not receiving emails from Alumni & Friends of LaGuardia, that means we don't have your up-to-date contact information in our alumni database. With 48,000 alumni we need your help to stay in touch! Please take a minute to fill out our alumni contact form at: www.alumniandfriends.org/connect
Thank you!⭐️⭐️
Stay Connected – M&A, PA, LaG Alumni! | Alumni & Friends of LaGuardia
www.alumniandfriends.org
Copyright © 2003-2020 Alumni & Friends of LaGuardia High School. All rights reserved. A&F is a non-profit, 501 (c) 3 organization.Wednesday July 15th, 2020
If you're in the Hudson Valley, check out Kingston's new hot spot, Lunch Nightly, co-owned by Gabriel Weinstock (LaG '09, and son of dance department musician Stephen Weinstock).
hvmag.com/food/restaurants/lunch-nightly-restaurant-deli-kingston/ and www.lunchnightly.com/
Congratulations, Gabriel! I started my teaching career at Kingston High School and I know exactly where you are located- wishing you all the best!!
Go Gabe! Also I will forever love Mr.Weinstock and be grateful for his impact on my life. As a dance educator in NYC public schools I think about him daily!
Gotta support our peeps!!!
Cool!
From mr Arcadio Torres from the lunchroom 7 floors
Sharon
Wednesday July 15th, 2020
SNL's Michael Che (LaG '01) has been performing FREE outdoor comedy sets in Long Island City outside the Plaxall Gallery (5-25 46th Ave). There's an event tentatively scheduled for tonight, July 15! queenspost.com/comedian-michael-che-brings-free-outdoor-comedy-shows-to-lic
Each event starts at around 5:30 p.m. and there is a different lineup every week, according to Edjo Wheeler, Executive Director at Culture Lab LIC. Some of the performers have included Chipha Sounds, Matt Richards and ‘Big’ Jay Oakerson.
Wheeler said that the artists perform on the back of a rusty old pickup truck – which acts as a makeshift stage – and then Che takes over at around 7:45 p.m. to perform his own set.
Saturday July 11th, 2020
Check out "Queen of Hearts: Audrey Flack" - the multi award winning new documentary about the life and art of Audrey Flack (M&A '48) - www.audreyflackfilm.com/
Flack says: "Art is a calling. Artists are not discovered in school. Artists do not just paint for themselves and they don’t simply paint for an audience. They paint because they have to. There is something within the artist that has to be expressed. Every creation reveals something more about the universe and about the artist.”
Audrey Flack holds a unique place in the history of contemporary art in America. Feminist, rebel, mother, painter, sculptor and teacher, Audrey’s often controversial 40-year career evolved from abstract expressionism in the 1950s to photorealism in the 1970s. One of the first women ever included in the famed Janson’s History of Art, Audrey continues to create, explore, and inspire with her unique style and indomitable spirit.
"Queen of Hearts" follows Flack as she takes her work in a brand new direction and reveals her long-term struggles as the mother of a child with autism. Flack has something deep and genuine to communicate to the world. She is a provocateur and a rebel, an example and an inspiration. Queen of Hearts is a moving portrait of an artist who is still testing, still experimenting, still searching. Screenings and more information at: www.audreyflackfilm.com/screenings
Wednesday July 8th, 2020
Read a great interview with Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Countertenor (LaG '11) - who had hopes of going into politics before realizing his musical aspirations. www.operawarhorses.com/2020/07/08/rising-stars-an-interview-with-countertenor-aryeh-nussbaum-cohen
Rising Stars: An Interview with Countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen • Opera Warhorses
www.operawarhorses.com
The following interview with New York countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen was conducted with the facilitation of the Houston Grand Opera. [Below: Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen; publicity photograph by Fay Fox.] ...Wednesday July 8th, 2020
Read a wonderful piece about artist Lilian Thomas Burwell (who would've graduated from M&A in 1944 but her family relocated to DC) and her artist aunt, Hilda Wilkinson Brown, and the documentary currently airing about these two Black artists.
"Cabib set out to learn more about the late artist, which led her to Burwell. As a result, what she envisioned might be a documentary about one Black female artist, turned out to focus on two. The film’s website describes them both as “accomplished but under-recognized.”
Cabib’s short documentary, “Kindred Spirits: Artists Hilda Wilkinson Brown and Lilian Thomas Burwell,” is airing on WHUT, the local PBS station in Washington, on July 7 (today), July 16, and July 19. Additional virtual events, including a screening and a discussion, are planned later this month."
More about Burwell at www.burwellstudios.com/
www.culturetype.com/2020/07/07/kindred-spirits-documentary-explores-life-and-work-of-washington-d...
www.culturetype.com
THIRD AND RHODE ISLAND depicts a residential block in Washington, D.C. The painting captures a row of red brick homes, a white wood porches, concrete walkways, and leafless trees. The cir...Monday July 6th, 2020
Ellen Tovatt Leary (M&A '59) just released her new book "The Understudy."
Broadway World says: "a charming, evocative, and authentic novel about the life of a Broadway actress in the 1970s, evoking the familiar rooms, smells, situations and romance of the industry in a way that only a true veteran of the Great White Way can do. Leary's truthful, sensual, and insightful novel brilliantly conveys the essence of what it means to be an actress and the high wire act of a woman struggling to balance her career ambition with a life fully lived. The Understudy is a heartfelt love letter to the New York Theater scene of the 1970s that leaves the reader with a deep appreciation of an actor's devotion to craft, and how the life and the stage can be so closely intertwined."
Ellen Tovatt Leary spent twenty years acting on the professional stage. She performed in theaters from the Ahmanson in Los Angeles to the State Theater in Lincoln Center, including four Broadway theaters (the Barrymore, the Lyceum, the Helen Hayes, and the Palace), and many Off-Broadway and regional theaters. She worked with Hal Prince, Maureen Stapleton and James Hammerstein among others. She graduated from Antioch College and was a Fulbright scholar at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Her first book, a memoir, Mother Once Removed, details her childhood growing up on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village in the 1940s with an eccentric, divorced mother. She was a staff writer at Carnegie Hill News in New York for fourteen years and has published short stories as well as poems. A native New Yorker, she currently resides with her husband in LA.
www.broadwayworld.com/article/Ellen-Tovatt-Leary-to-Release-New-Novel-THE-UNDERSTUDY-20200611
Available online at: hansenpublishing.com/product/the-understudy/ and amazon, among other online retailers.
Ellen Tovatt Leary to Release New Novel THE UNDERSTUDY
www.broadwayworld.com
On July 1st, Hansen Publishing Group will release The Understudy by Ellen Tovatt Leary, a charming, evocative, and authentic novel about the life of a Broadway actress in the 1970s, evoking the famili...Monday July 6th, 2020
Check out this original song by Alice Texas (LaG '87) "Look at Me." Video produced by Jennifer Piazza.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSI8ARhQbXk&
Monday July 6th, 2020
Check out the work of Kevin Iega Jeff (PA '77) who is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater/Deeply Rooted Productions, established in 1996, and now offering online dance classes!
Rooted in African-American traditions of storytelling and universal themes in contemporary modern dance, Chicago’s Deeply Rooted Dance Theater performs world class dance that entertains, inspires, and builds community. deeplyrooteddancetheater.org/
Anyone seen his pants? Lol
Friday July 3rd, 2020
Shoutout to Garth Belcon (LaG '88), Co-Founding Producer of Moliere in the Park! Read the great NY Times review of their production of "Tartuffe" at: www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/theater/tartuffe-review.html and watch the production which was extended through July 12 at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmGzfjO-W-M&feature=youtu.be
Review: When ‘Tartuffe’ Meets Trump, It’s Revolutionary
www.nytimes.com
A streaming production of the Molière comedy, with allusions to the White House as well as Black Lives Matter, tears down walls to rebuild a classic.Thursday July 2nd, 2020
Two LaGuardia art alumni Samm Cohen (LaG '92) and Michael Reed (LaG '88) created this powerful 2-minute piece "Viral Emissions" as a response to the haunting sirens in their neighborhood during COVID-19:
youtu.be/Ys8hLO-EPPM
Thursday July 2nd, 2020
Kelly Chen (LaG '18) shares her amazing project - Student Film Archives and has an OPEN CALL for video content!
Kelly shares: Student Film Archives is a digital repository of early and student films and video art. Our archives have collected numerous iPhone films, experimental animations, and found footage video that demonstrate alternative production methods and systems of support when education or community institutions are not available due to COVID-19. It will support our mission of acknowledging the diverse starting points of young filmmakers and empowering students to experiment with alternative film techniques. Student Film Archives hopes to demonstrate diverse starting points of working with video, the development of a visual language, system of thought, and collected experience of media work. The archive bridges film criticism and community engagement by providing a comprehensive library of early student works.
OPEN CALL: We are looking for any video content that young filmmakers want to log (short/feature film, performance art, music videos, experimental documentary, VR/AR renderings, class assignments, etc.). We will also accept any early film/video art from alumni. We have a rolling SUBMISSION, and all content or inquiries can be directed to studentfilmarchives@gmail.com. If you are a student enrolled in a fine arts or media program and would like to get in touch about creating a student sect in your community, we would be thankful to correspond with you.
Website: studentfilmarchives.org
Instagram: @studentfilmarchives
Twitter: @SFArchives
Wednesday July 1st, 2020
We sadly announce the passing of Elly Stone (M&A '44) at age 93 on June 11, 2020. She was one of the four original cast members of the wildly popular revue “Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.”
www.nytimes.com/2020/06/27/theater/elly-stone-dead.html
Elly Stone, 93, Distinctive Singer in ‘Jacques Brel’ Revue, Dies
www.nytimes.com
She performed some of the most powerful songs in that show, which ran for more than four years in Greenwich Village and became a theater staple.I too didn't know she was an alumnus of M & A-one of my all time favorite performances (with her amazing voice!)
Didn't know she was an alumnus of M&A.
😢
Wednesday July 1st, 2020
"You need people who go beyond what is objective and what is logical. I suppose you have to call them artists."
Read more of this great interview with graphic arts genius Milton Glaser (M&A '47) from 5 weeks ago (he passed away on June 26, 2020 at age 91).
www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/arts/design/milton-glaser-together-design-coronavirus.html
Milton Glaser’s Unseen Design for New York: ‘Together’
www.nytimes.com
A conversation with the graphic designer, who, until his death at 91, was still thinking about how his craft could help his beleaguered city.Wednesday July 1st, 2020
Steven Oquendo (LaG '97), a professional musician, high school music teacher in the Bronx, and co-director of the NYC DOE All-City Latin Ensemble (featuring LaG students) shares:
"Our first Virtual Big Band recording that I just premiered with my big band, The Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra (SOLJO). Hope y’all enjoy it! #soljo #thejazzexchange."
youtu.be/1mkA89UG3ww
Saturday June 27th, 2020
We sadly announce the passing of Milton Glaser (M&A '47). Glaser designed the I ❤️ NY logo, the LA! logo, and so many more iconic graphics. He also established an award for LaGuardia students who excel in graphic arts and we just honored Rachel Quan (LaG '20) with this prestigious award. www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/obituaries/milton-glaser-dead.html
Milton Glaser, Master Designer of ‘I ♥ NY’ Logo, Is Dead at 91
www.nytimes.com
He was also a founder of New York magazine, created a memorable Bob Dylan poster and produced designs for everything from supermarkets to restaurants to “Mad Men.”Rest in eternal peace Mr. Glaser.
He spoke at the graduation for 2002 😔
A most remarkable man and artist.
Coincidently, today I received my reusable “I ❤️ NY” bag. His legacy continues. 😌
A fine teacher and colleague. May his spirit rest in peace.
Oh this hurts my heart. But his rest is well deserved.
Rest in peace
I didn’t know about the La! Logo.
What a wonderful contribution to the world. As a New Yorker, I am proud to have put up the art that Milton so diligently painted for all to see. He was at Music and Art about the time that I was there but I never knew him. I learned about him later. So many became famous such as Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul and Mary), Diannn Carroll, Jennifer Aniston, Dom deLouise, Robert Di Nero, Ellen Barken, Hal Linden, Suzanne Pleshette, Al Pacino, Leslie Ann Warren, Billie Dee Williams, Ben Vereen, Adrien Brody, Richard Benjamin, Michael Che, Wesley Snipes, Shari Lewis (“Lamb chop” from old days of TV) and many more. My cousin, Rafael Rivera Garcia was also a student there and he became a famous Artist so his paintings continue to sell. He was asked to paint his “Maximal Ambience” on an outside wall at the University of Miami in the mid 1960’s. He was very generous to us so a few of his paintings have graced our walls for years with some of his work. Today, the school has merged with the Performing Arts. Well done, Milton Glaser. RIP
Friday June 26th, 2020
Looking forward to a new series starring Emmy Award Winner Jharrel Jerome (LaG '15)!
The show's creator Boots Riley writes:
"I have a show about a 13-ft tall Black man who lives in Oakland.
It’s called I’m A Virgo.
Jharrel Jerome is playing the lead.
I’m doing this w Michael Ellenberg’s Media Res. We haven’t decided on the network/streamer.
It’ll be dark, absurd, hilarious, and important."
variety.com/2020/tv/news/boots-riley-jharrel-jerome-series-im-a-virgo-1234645138/
Boots Riley Developing New Series ‘I’m A Virgo’ With Jharrel Jerome in the Lead Role
variety.com
Boots Riley is looking to follow up his darkly comic, satirical “Sorry to Bother You” with another Bay Area-set project. The directors teased via Twitter that he is developing a new ser…Thursday June 25th, 2020
We invite you to attend the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts Commencement Ceremony on June 25th at 3pm and cheer on our resilient students! vimeo.com/event/131350/1de1a7d131
Please read our e-blast with more details about the ceremony and view some incredible LaGuardia performances and exhibits. myemail.constantcontact.com/Pomp-and-Circumstance.html?soid=1102254033589&aid=tGCROIHXyFg
This is the link to the ceremony: vimeo.com/event/131350/1de1a7d131
What happened to showing the family applaud videos we sent in? We spent a lot of time on those.
Thankyou.
Maria Masallo Your Granddaughter Graduation Today at 3 PM
Monday June 22nd, 2020
Looking for a cool camp for your middle schooler? A group of recent LaGuardia alumni started an online summer camp for the arts and sciences:
Jack Dermer (Tech '18), Adam Garrity (Tech ’18), Olivia Testa (Tech ’18), John Mattson (Art ’18), David Lepelstat (Drama ’18), Lea Jacobson (Art ’18), Dylan Marin (Tech ’19).
"We are a group of college students from some of the top universities across the country with a passion for sparking creativity in students through arts and science education. With the collective cancellation of both in-person summer camps and college internships, we saw an opportunity to come together and create a unique online learning program for kids. Our model is centered around sharing the ideas that we are most passionate about with our campers. As students ourselves, we have firsthand experience of the challenges that remote learning brings. This inspired us to create an unorthodox style of classes for our campers that focus on interactive projects taught in a fun and collaborative environment. We are an energetic team of instructors ready to share our diverse range of interests and keep learning alive this summer."
www.2020campconnect.com
Camp Connect | Online Summer Camp
www.2020campconnect.com
Camp Connect is an online experience for kids ages 10 to 14, centered around exploration, collaboration, and fun! Our small group, project-based courses, weave student learning with creative activitie...great idea! Good luck!
Beautiful!
Such a great idea! 👍🏻
I love this! What a great concept!
I’ll check it out! Anything on jazz vocals?
Very Cool!
Thank you LaG A&F! Excited for the summer! Happy to answer any questions in the comments
Great idea guys!!
Great idea!
Sunday June 21st, 2020
You are cordially invited to attend the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts Commencement Ceremony on Thursday, June 25, 2020.
Preshow: 2:30 PM
Commencement: 3:00 PM
vimeo.com/event/131350/1de1a7d131
Congratulations Class of 2020 from Fellow Alum of M&A Class of ‘71. Wishing you all much success in your journey of whatever path you choose. The best is yet to come! I was the one honking as you threw your hats up in the air!
Saturday June 20th, 2020
Tonight (June 20, 7:30pm) is the long-awaited LaGuardia High School Class of 2020 Graduation Dance Concert! Please tune in for the live premiere at 7:30pm at: vimeo.com/431023958/08700738c0
(photographers Rachel Neville, Rebecca Hurson, Andrew Fassbender/Rachel Neville, Rebecca Hurson, Jaqlin Medlock)
Friday June 19th, 2020
Tonight at 7pm tune in to The Greene Space at WNYC & WQXR on Youtube to celebrate Juneteenth by highlighting moving Greene Space performances by Black Americans, including Melanie Charles (LaG '06).
"We’re revisiting conversations and artistic works that celebrate Black excellence in New York City and beyond.
Enjoy essential conversations, thought-provoking moments, and creative achievements curated by our Black staff.
Performers and speakers include reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones, ballerina Misty Copeland, The Honey Bees Double Dutch Team, author Kiley Reid, jazz and experimental singer Melanie Charles, composer Damien Sneed, philosopher and public intellectual Cornel West and many more."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gba2M6dOOlU&utm_source=LIVE+STREAMS%3A+THE+GREENE+SPACE&utm
Good boys & girls The world we’re graduating into faces unprecedented challenges. The Chinese Communist Party's World Plan. Coronavirus is the Last Alarm www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm9BtJob33c in English. subtitle in Spanish
Thursday June 18th, 2020
#thankfulthursday
Lina Eid (LaG '22) shares her artworks and says, "LaGuardia is a fantastic school filled with opportunity and the most interesting people you'll meet."
Follow Lina @linagamaleid
⭐️Fill out our quick form at alumniandfriends.org/thankful/ and tell us why YOU are thankful for your FREE high school arts education at M&A, PA, and LaGuardia! And read why others are thankful.🌠
