2023 Gift of Music Program and Journal

In Memory of a Very Special Woman Marion Cutler

June 27, 1930 – March 24, 2011

Marion Cutler was a dear friend of the Music School, with a love for children and a passion for music. As an alumna of Englewood’s Dwight Morrow High School, she was enthralled by the Music Discovery Partnership between the Thurnauer School of Music and the Englewood Public School District. A long-time English teacher in Teaneck, Marion was a consummate educator who understood the crucial importance of the development of well-rounded individuals. She believed that all children should have the opportunity to learn about music.

We honored Marion at the Music Discovery Partnership Annual Spring Concert in May, 2010, when this photograph was taken. Marion viewed collaborations between community music schools and public schools as an imaginative and exciting way to provide the very best for our children. Community music schools, like public schools, are open to all. Combining the strengths of each, integrating their separate but overlapping worlds, was – to her – the height of educational excellence.

In Marion’s memory, and with loving gratitude for her extraordinary bequest to the Thurnauer School, we have created the Marion Cutler Fund for Community Music Education.

We miss her dearly, but her wonderful sense of humor, sunny outlook and great generosity will never be forgotten.

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the JCC Thurnauer School of Music’s 34th celebration of our Gift of Music Gala Benefit Concert! From year to year, we continue to be inspired by an unsurpassed roster of artists who generously give us their time and talents. Our lives are shifting by the global challenges we face. As educators and leaders, we are always responsible for inspiring and nurturing our students to be strong, positive and creative. And our students and their families respond with resilience and joy in learning about and making music.

A huge thank you to the world-renowned cellist Astrid Schween and pianist Yoon Lee who are sharing their artistry with us today, and for their generous commitment to music education and to our school and students.

We are thrilled that so many of our alumni are joining us to celebrate cellist Madeleine Golz, teacher extraordinaire and faculty member at the Thurnauer School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music for over 25 years.

As the Thurnauer School’s major fundraising event, this annual concert has great meaning for us. We are deeply grateful to Drs. Joan and Alan Handler who originated and continue to support the Gift of Music. Over the years, this program has become one of the premier musical gatherings in the region, bringing together great artists and young musicians for a remarkable and unique musical collaboration. The excitement and educational experience for our students in the Gift of Music is a highlight of their lives, as our alumni continue to tell us.

Today we celebrate the spirit of our community and the transformative power of the arts. Our vision is for a future of respect for our differences, and for kindness to each other. Let us treasure our diversity and our many cultures as we recognize all that we have in common and cherish the values that create and sustain community. Together, let us appreciate and support music and the arts as a unifying and vibrant connection.

I want to thank our exceptional faculty, dedicated staff, amazing students, and fantastic volunteers, all of whom have worked so hard to make this event a success, and to you—our audience—for being here and showing your support for the Thurnauer School. Thank you for all you do.

Enjoy our Gala!

Warm regards,

Dorothy Kaplan Roffman

Founding Director, JCC Thurnauer School of Music

THANK YOU TO OUR LEAD SPONSORS

DRS. JOAN AND ALAN HANDLER

PLATINUM

EVA HOLZER

GOLD

SHIRLEY SHAPIRO | SHAPIRO FAMILY FOUNDATION

SILVER

THE GABAY-KLAPOWITZ FAMILY

RICHARD H. HOLZER MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

VIVIAN HOLZER & MITCHELL IGNATOFF

CONDUCTOR

SANDRA O. GOLD

MAGGIE KAPLEN | THE KAPLEN FOUNDATION

THE NEUS FAMILY

ALISON & JOJO RUBACH | THE RUBACH FAMILY

CHASE & MIA’S FAMILY

CONCERTMASTER

RONI & JAMES ACKERMAN

THE BARNETT/REISNER FAMILY

GAIL BILLIG

JACQUELINE S. GUTTMAN

THE JCC THURNAUER SCHOOL OF MUSIC

In an environment of personal success, friendship and fun, the Thurnauer School of Music promotes the understanding, performance and enjoyment of music at the highest levels, enriching lives throughout northern New Jersey and beyond.

As one of New Jersey’s leading community music schools, the JCC Thurnauer School of Music is open to everyone with a desire to learn about music. Designated a “Major Arts Institution” by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, it offers a rigorous and comprehensive program of private lessons for students of all ages on piano, strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion and voice; creative musicianship classes; and orchestral, choral, jazz, and chamber ensembles. Reaching over 5,000 individuals annually, the School also offers master classes with nationally and internationally renowned artists; concerts including the Thurnauer Chamber Music Series, with distinguished faculty members and guest artists; student performances throughout the tri-state area; and highly regarded partnerships with public and private schools in the community. Thurnauer students have performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Disney World, Madison Square Garden, on PBS and WNET and in the feature film Music of the Heart. Concert and master class artists have included Itzhak Perlman, Wynton Marsalis, Joshua Bell, Yefim Bronfman, Paula Robison, Sharon Isbin, Paquito D’Rivera and Mark O’Connor. Alumni have gone on to the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music, the Peabody Conservatory, the Cleveland Institute of Music, Curtis Institute of Music, the Berklee College of Music, and the Royal Northern College of Music in England as well as Columbia, Barnard, Stanford, Oberlin, Indiana and Yale. The Thurnauer School is honored to receive funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The school was also a recipient of a special award “in recognition of excellence and high standards” from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. The Thurnauer School of Music is an integral part of the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades and a member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education.

THE THURNAUERS

A Legacy in Music

William Thurnauer, who passed away in March 2006 at the age of 92, was the Music School’s beloved benefactor and friend for over twenty years. He began his connection with the school in the 1980s when his late wife, Maria, began taking many of the tender photographs of our students that hang in our classrooms. In 1987, their lifetime dedication to music led Bill and Maria to endow the JCC Music School that bears their name. Bill was a loving presence at the school, first with Maria and later with his second wife, Lilo Goldenberg Thurnauer.

William Thurnauer was a president of the North Jersey Cultural Council and the Teaneck Symphony Society (later the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra), and on the boards of the International Society of Performing Arts Administrators and the Pro Arte Chorale. Maria, who passed away in 1999, was founder and director of the Friends of Music which provided free chamber music concerts in Bergen County when there were few musical choices available. Bill and Maria brought many world-famous artists to Bergen County, for which they were honored by the International Society of Performing Arts Administrators.

Lilo, to whom Bill was married for the last several years of his life, lovingly maintained the vital connection between the School and the Thurnauer name. Her passing in October 2017 marked the closing of a significant chapter in the history of our school. Lilo loved music and children and was so proud of all our accomplishments from day to day. She loved visiting and hearing music in each room as she walked through the halls. Her passionate support of our JCC Thurnauer School of Music included the establishment of a Scholarship Endowment in Bill’s memory. Lilo’s family has established a fund honoring her memory, the Lilo Goldenberg Thurnauer Gift of Music Endowment.

The loving support of Bill, Maria and Lilo has ensured that students of all ages and backgrounds have an opportunity to receive the education essential to a lifelong understanding and enjoyment of music. The contribution of these three individuals to the life of the music school is immeasurable as they supported new initiatives, lent their time and talents to a wide range of projects, offered wise counsel and were a visible presence at the School’s many events over the years. Everyone who passes through the doors of the Thurnauer School of Music is a beneficiary of all that the Thurnauers have given to us, for which we are truly grateful. We will always treasure all they have done, and we are dedicated to carrying on their legacy to our Music School.

THE THURNAUER SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Maria Bill Lilo

Featuring ASTRID SCHWEEN

Cellist Astrid Schween has gained a rich following and enjoys a varied career as a soloist, chamber artist and teacher. Since joining the Juilliard String Quartet in 2016, she has appeared at many of the world’s great concert halls and music festivals. A dedicated and passionate teacher and mentor, Astrid Schween is a member of the Juilliard cello faculty and served in this capacity at the Perlman Music Program for five summers. She was recently appointed to the faculty of the Tanglewood Music Center and guest artist faculty at the Heifetz Institute.

At the age of 16, Astrid Schween made her concerto debut with the New York Philharmonic under conductor Zubin Mehta. With degrees from the Juilliard School, Astrid received her primary training under the guidance of Leonard Rose, Harvey Shapiro, Channing Robbins, Ardyth Alton and Dr. H.T. Ma, with additional studies under Bernard Greenhouse and Eugene Moye. As a young cellist, she performed in master classes with Philippe Muller and William Pleeth, and participated in the Marlboro Music Festival. She was also mentored over the course of seven years by the legendary cellist Jacqueline DuPré.

Astrid Schween maintains a lively solo performance schedule in addition to her extensive touring with the Juilliard String Quartet. This season’s highlights include JSQ performances with Itzhak Perlman, Emanuel Ax and Jean-Yves Thibaudet at Carnegie Hall, a cello recital at Tanglewood with pianist Shai Wosner and a return to the Seattle Chamber Music Festival. Recent invitations have included performances of the Elgar Concerto, and recitals and master classes at Tanglewood, the Aspen Music Festival, the Eastman School of Music, Boston Conservatory, Violoncello Society of New York and Cleveland Cello Society. Astrid has been featured in Strings and Strad magazines and on NPR, and she was a guest speaker on the topic “Women in Music” at the Library of Congress.

A longtime member of the Lark Quartet, with whom she earned the Naumburg Chamber Music Award and Gold Medal at Russia’s Shostakovich Competition, Astrid Schween is a former cellist of the Boston Trio and Boston Chamber Music Society. Her recordings appear on the Sony, Arabesque, Decca/Argo, CRI, New World, JRI, Centaur, NAR, and Point labels.

YOON LEE

The Special Prize winner of the Anton G. Rubinstein International Piano Competition, Dr. Yoon Lee is a concert pianist, teacher and entrepreneur active in the New York metropolitan area. She is currently on the faculty of SUNY Purchase College and the Heifetz International Music Festival as well as a staff pianist at The Juilliard School.

Her performance of Beethoven has been described as “equal to Beethoven’s virtuosic demands” by the New York Concert Review. A pianist characterized by her grounded interpretations and solid sound, she has performed at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, the Green Space, Château de Fontainebleau, the Schumann-Haus Museum in Leipzig, Hamarikyu Asahi Hall, and Seoul Arts Center in addition to many other stages in the United States, Europe and Asia. Her live performances have been featured on WQXR, America’s leading classical radio station in New York, and KBS, the national television station of South Korea. Yoon has appeared as a soloist with the Carl Maria von Weber Orchestra of Dresden, Germany, the Camerata Forum Internacional in Spain, the Prime Philharmonic of South Korea, and the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra of New York City.

As an avid chamber musician, Yoon has taught chamber music at Manhattan School of Music Precollege, Heifetz International Music Institute, and Kneisel Hall ACMI and has performed as a guest artist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Kneisel Hall, the Heifetz International Music Institute, Robbie Collomore Chamber Music Series, and the Cayuga Chamber Concert Series, among others. Yoon Lee has collaborated with Shmuel Ashkenasi, Elmar Oliveira, Catherine Cho, Laurie Smukler, members of the Juilliard String Quartet, Borromeo String Quartet, Orion String Quartet, and Brooklyn Rider. She has also been the pianist for master classes by Leonidas Kavakos, Steven Isserlis, Frans Helmerson, and David Geringas.

Yoon has served as a jury member at the Manhattan School of Music’s Precollege Piano Concerto Competition, the Chamber Music Competition, the YMF Festival by Schubert Club, and the NFMC Junior Music Festival. She is the co-Artistic Director of Noree Chamber Soloists, a chamber ensemble she founded in 2017. Yoon received her Doctor of Musical Arts from the Manhattan School of Music and a Graduate Diploma from The Juilliard School.

Celebrating MADELEINE GOLZ Cello Faculty

Madeleine Golz received her M.M. and B.M. from the Manhattan School of Music and completed cello studies with Peter Rejto, Gabor Rejto, Ardyth Alton, and Scott Ballantyne. She is an active chamber musician and recitalist and studied chamber music with Raphael Bronstein, Joseph Seiger, and Artur Balsam. Madeleine has frequently appeared with the “Golz Duo” along with her sister, pianist Evelyn Golz.  She has participated in many music festivals in the US and abroad and was a member of the Artist Faculty of the Brevard Music Center, Hartwick College Summer Music Festival and Institute, Amati Music Festival, and the KentSilver Bay Music Festival. Madeleine is the former director of the East Harlem Public School Cello Program, sponsored by the Opus 118 Music Center and has taught at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege since 1985.  In demand as a masterclass teacher, Madeleine is also a teacher trainer and CelloKids instructor through Paul Katz’s CelloBello website.

Madeleine joined the JCC Thurnauer School of Music Faculty in 1986.  Coming from a family of musicians going back several generations, she greatly values the environment at the Thurnauer School where her students can nurture their talent and thrive in a supportive and inspiring environment.  Her students have won many prizes in national and international competitions and have gone on to study at some of the country’s most prestigious music schools, including the Curtis Institute of Music, the Julliard School, the Manhattan School of Music, the New England Conservatory, the Eastman School of Music, the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University as well as in the music departments of Princeton, Yale, MIT and Harvard Universities.  Her former students now perform in professional orchestras and as soloists, chamber musicians and, as teachers in many music schools, they are helping to train the next generation of young cellists.

THE GIFT OF MUSIC & JOAN AND ALAN HANDLER

Established in 1990 by Drs. Joan and Alan Handler, the Gift of Music Fund is the primary source of scholarship assistance for those who wish to study at the JCC Thurnauer School of Music but cannot afford the cost of tuition. The Gift of Music Gala Benefit Concert serves as the major fundraising event for this purpose.

Joan and Alan Handler are psychologists in private practice. As the owner and director of the Sylvan Learning Center of Teaneck, a basic academic skills learning center, Alan Handler was actively involved in the educational development of youngsters and teens. In 1999, the Handlers founded CavanKerry Press, a not-for-profit literary press dedicated to promoting the works of promising and talented writers and providing literary outreach programs to underserved populations in the community at large. Visit www. cavankerrypress.com for more information.

Their son David was among the first Thurnauer alumni. He is founder and owner of New York’s celebrated dining and performance venue, Le Poisson Rouge, located in Greenwich Village. David was actively involved with the Music School for many years, and it is as a consequence of his participation that the Handlers became JCC members. As his parents put it, “positive motivation and active student/parent involvement are crucial elements in the learning process. Under the direction of Dorothy Roffman, these elements were plentiful in David’s violin education and we, as parents, saw the benefits in his increased self-discipline, confidence, and self-esteem. Because of our deep satisfaction with his musical and personal development in this program, we were committed to making it available to those students who might not be able to afford such an education.” David went on to graduate from the Manhattan School of Music with majors in both violin and composition. David was recognized with the first ever “Distinguished Alumni Award” at the 2014 Gift of Music Gala Benefit Concert.

The first Gift of Music concert, in 1991, celebrated the Handler family’s gift of $100,000 to endow the Sylvia and Jacob Handler Master Violin Chair at the Thurnauer School. Witnessing their grandson’s enthusiasm for his fiddle brought profound joy to their lives. Again, to quote Joan and Alan Handler, “It was a great privilege to establish this violin chair in the name of the late Sylvia Handler and Dr. Jacob Handler. The guiding philosophy and goals of the school – to provide the highest quality music education to all members of the community, to nurture with love, and to expect the best from every student, parent, and teacher – were deeply appreciated by us and by David’s grandparents. As a result of this formative experience, David has now chosen a life in music.”

The JCC Thurnauer School of Music is deeply grateful to the Handler Family for their tremendous wisdom and generosity in establishing the Sylvia and Jacob Handler Master Class Chair and the Gift of Music Scholarship Fund. Their commitment to excellence, education and the community will be a legacy that benefits many aspiring musicians for years to come.

Dear Faculty,

Your devotion to the art of teaching and your commitment and hard work are the cornerstones of who we are. You have created an extraordinary community of music lovers and learners. It is a joy to be working together with you!

With great appreciation,

VIOLIN/VIOLA

Anna Faynberg

Yoonbe Kim

Kyungha Ko (on leave)

Krzysztof Kuznik

Jinah Lee

Yimain Amy Liu

Dorothy Kaplan Roffman

Misako Sato

Laura-Lindsay Sewell, Department Chair

Francesca Silos, Chamber Music Chair

Ellie Sturrock

Carey White, Director, Violin Groups

CELLO Sam Bae

Sarah Bish, Department Chair

Madeleine Golz

DOUBLE BASS

Rebekah Griffin Greene

PIANO

Michael Cochrane (jazz)

Yulia Dusman

Elias Guzman

Kazuko Hayami

Chanhee Kim

Dena Levine

Diana Mase

Steven Masi

Marko Stuparevic (on leave)

Yumi Suehiro

HARP

Barbara Allen

GUITAR

Jon Boudrot

Seth Himmelhoch, Department Chair

Stuart Klinger

Jonathan Trotta

PERCUSSION

Steve Johns

Jeff Kraus

WINDS & BRASS

Lisa Alexander, Bassoon

Gilles Bernard, Trombone

Zach Herchen, Saxophone

Andrea Herr, Bassoon

Debbie Keefe Johns, Saxophone

Samei Lim, Oboe

Donald Mokrynski, Clarinet

Noelle Perrin-Bryson, Flute Department Chair

Olivia Pidi, Trumpet

Michael Reingold, French Horn

Wendy Stern, Flute

JAZZ

Michael Cochrane

Debbie Keefe Johns, Co-chair

Steve Johns, Co-chair

VOICE

Elizabeth Acosta

Emma Brondolo, Department Chair

Michael Phillips

Nadja Ramsay

EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC

Elizabeth Acosta

Emma Brondolo, Department Chair

Anna Faynberg

Sharon Kinstlinger

Stuart Klinger

Noelle Perrin-Bryson

Ellie Sturrock

Yumi Suehiro

CREATIVE MUSICIANSHIP

Anastasia Baker

Rebekah Griffin Greene, Co-chair

Douglas Hertz,

Co-chair

Jiyoung Kim

Lara Mitofsky Neuss

Michael Reingold

Wendy Stern

Jonathan Trotta

COMPOSITION

Douglas Hertz

Zach Herchen

Lara Mitofsky Neuss

ENSEMBLES

Sam Bae, Chamber Music

Emma Brondolo, Young People’s Chorus @ Thurnauer

Dr. Marsha Bryan Edelman, SHIRAH Community Chorus

Diego Garcia, Thurnauer Symphony Orchestra

Zach Herchen, Video Game Music

Ensemble and Ensemble

X-Contemporary Music

Steve Johns and Debbie

Keefe Johns, Teen Town Jazz at Thurnauer

Noelle Perrin-Bryson, Flute Choirs

Michael Phillips, Amani Choir

Francesca Silos, Chamber Music Chair

Carey White, String Camerata

PIANO ACCOMPANISTS

Hannah Comia

Janice Deats

Kai Kobori-Huang

Duk-kyu Kim

Jiyoung Kim

Keiko Sharpton

Sung Ho Yang

DOROTHY KAPLAN ROFFMAN Founding Director

With over 60 years of teaching expertise specializing in the youngest violinists, Dorothy Roffman has a passionate commitment to each student as an individual and a strong sense of the positive influence an outstanding music school can have on the entire community. Having studied violin with Christine Dethier, Raphael Bronstein and Ivan Galamian, she holds a BA from the University of Rochester and the Eastman School of Music and an MA in Musicology from Columbia. She was a member of the American Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski and a member of the Music Department faculty at SUNY Stony Brook. Mrs. Roffman studied Suzuki pedagogy with Shinichi Suzuki in the United States and Japan and developed Suzuki programs at the Harlem School of the Arts, the Lighthouse School of Music, and the Manhattan School of Music where she was a faculty member for over thirty years. Her students have performed at Merkin Hall, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, on Sesame Street and in Itzhak Perlman’s Fiddling for the Future as seen on PBS. Mrs. Roffman received an award for Distinguished Service from the New Jersey chapter of the American String Teachers Association. In 2013, she was a recipient of a Milestone Certificate of Appreciation from the National Guild for Community Arts Education. Mrs. Roffman has been the director of the Thurnauer School of Music since it began in 1984. In 2016, Mrs. Roffman was honored by the Thurnauer School of Music with the Gift of Music Visionary Award in appreciation of her years of service and dedication to the music school. Mrs. Roffman’s former students and graduates from throughout the Thurnauer School are teaching and performing as soloists and in orchestras worldwide, spreading their love of music to people around the globe. Throughout her many years at Thurnauer, her commitment has remained consistent: To provide quality music education for all.

MICHAEL REINGOLD Associate Director

Michael Reingold has played a vital role in the administration and development of Thurnauer for close to 30 years. In addition to his role as Associate Director, Michael teaches creative musicianship, French horn, and music appreciation and was the recipient of the JCC’s 2010 Staff Recognition award. Michael has a Masters in Music from SUNY Stony Brook, a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and was a visiting student at Indiana University School of Music. He studied horn with Betty Levine, Forrest Standley, and William Purvis. Michael is also active as a producer, performer and consultant. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of NYC House Concerts, which has presented more than 500 intimate concerts in New York and New Jersey since 2005, featuring New York’s leading ensembles and recitalists. Michael has performed with orchestras in the United States, England, Israel and Asia and is a long-time member of the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra. He was on the staff of the Kinhaven Music School for 17 summers and is a former member of its Board. He has been an advisor to several chamber music series in Manhattan, including Musicians from Marlboro, Fabbri Chamber Concerts and Music Mondays.

EMMA BRONDOLO

Artistic Director, Young People’s Chorus @ Thurnauer, Director of Early Childhood Music and Voice

Emma Brondolo is Artistic Director of the award-winning Young People’s Chorus at Thurnauer, and Director of Early Childhood Music and Voice at JCC Thurnauer School of Music. Ms. Brondolo expanded the choral program and the voice program, and helped reshape the Early Childhood Music Program, instituting a new curriculum. Previously, Ms. Brondolo was a satellite conductor with the Young People’s Chorus of New York City and a middle school chorus teacher in Connecticut. She has been a festival conductor for regional choral celebrations and participated in choral competitions around the world. Emma Brondolo studied with Francisco Núñez, founder/director of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City; received her B.M. in music education from the Hartt School of Music; and earned an M.Ed. in special and general education from St. John’s University. She has participated in numerous conducting workshops and Kodaly Pedagogy training.

DIEGO GARCIA

Music Director, Thurnauer Symphony Orchestra

Diego Garcia has led the Thurnauer Symphony Orchestra since 2014.  Hailing from Colombia, Diego is a globally sought-after conductor, cellist, and educator who works with the most respected conservatories and universities including the Juilliard School, Mannes School of Music, and Eastman School of Music. He was thrilled to begin a new position this fall as Cello Faculty/Guest Conductor at the Steinhardt School of Music at NYU. Diego’s approach to music-making is full of dynamic passion, humor, and a strong sense of collaboration. As a conductor, he has shared the stage with prominent artists such as Joshua Bell, Sharon Isbin, Anthony McGill, Philippe Quint, Julian Schwartz, Steven Masi, and Naomi O’Connell. He has conducted and performed in major venues around the world and has made appearances with contemporary artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Harry Connick Jr., and Jennifer Lopez. His first album as cellist and arranger was praised by All About Jazz: “… Diego perform[s] intricate counterpoint that enhances the overall beauty of the whole without being obtrusive, also playing arresting lead parts.”

A strong advocate for the transformative powers of music, Diego strives to help students tap into their creative potential as young artists and professionals. Diego is Music Director of Orchestras at the Dwight-Englewood School and the Thurnauer School of Music. He is a frequent guest conductor at festivals and workshops in the United States and around the globe.  An avid chamber musician, Diego was a founding member of a new music ensemble called “Gibbs & Main,” a group that regularly commissioned works from new composers and presented interactive children’s concerts in formal and community venues. Diego’s performances as soloist and chamber musician have been featured on NPR as well as broadcasts for Music for Montauk, the Eastman School of Music’s Washington Square Concert Series, and at the Spotlight Series, Keuka on the Lake.

SARAH BISH

Chair, Cello Department

Dr. Sarah Bish earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Cello Performance from Rutgers University, a Masters in Music in Cello Performance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM). She made her solo debut in 2008, performing with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic after winning first prize in the Virtuoso-in-Progress Concerto Competition. Interested in performing a variety of musical genres, Sarah has made appearances at festivals such as the June in Buffalo Performance Institute for new music, the Chautauqua Institute, the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute, and is an alumna of the Perlman Music Program Chamber Music Workshop. An avid cello teacher, Sarah is certified in the complete Suzuki Cello Method by the Suzuki Association of the Americas and was the teaching assistant to Astrid Schween at UMass Amherst. She is currently the Chair of the Cello Department at the Thurnauer School of Music in Tenafly, New Jersey, on faculty at Silver Music in New York City, and on cello and chamber music faculties of the Luzerne Music Center, an intensive and widely respected summer music program. Passionate about pedagogy, Sarah focused on historical pedagogy for her doctoral project: a dissertation and lecture-recital on the French cellist and pedagogue, Jean-Baptiste Bréval, a member of the French cello school of the late-eighteenth century.

Sarah is an alum of the Thurnauer School of Music, where she studied with Madeleine Golz from 2006-2010, participated in four Handler Master Classes at Thurnauer, with Steven Isserlis, Peter Wiley, Jonathan Spitz, and Fred Sherry, and was selected as the winner of Thurnauer Symphony Orchestra’s first-ever concerto competition, in 2007.

SAM BAE

Cello Faculty and Chamber Music Coach

Sam Bae is a Korean cellist whose dedications include performing and cultivating a new generation of artists as a pedagogue. Making his solo debut at Zipper Hall in Los Angeles, Mr. Bae has since performed in distinguished venues throughout the United States such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. He has appeared in the Masterwork Series at Bargemusic, Contemporaneous, and Core Ensemble, presenting a variety of genres and promoting cultural understanding through performances. Mr. Bae has served as a faculty member at Great Neck Conservatory, Opportunity Music Project, and Union City Music Project, providing quality musical instruction in diverse communities. His students have been accepted into the Pre-College divisions at the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, and Mannes School of Music, won prestigious accolades throughout the United States, and perform with the Boston Philharmonic and New York Youth Symphony among others. Mr. Bae received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Juilliard under the tutelage of Darrett Adkins.

JIYOUNG KIM

Creative Musicianship Faculty and Accompanist

Jiyoung Kim is a composer of musicals and an accompanist at Thurnauer School of Music. Her work Grandma Kim vs. America, was produced at the HERE Theatre Off-Broadway in Manhattan and performed at 54 Below. She had a 29-hour Equity reading of her full-length musical, my Island at NYU Tisch’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program’s Black Box Theatre. Songs from My Island were performed at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT. She composed music for the Choreographers’, Composers’ and Designers’ Workshop, a collaborative performance project of NYU Tisch Dance School culminating in the What It Is Showcase. She received a Master in Music Education at Kyung-Hee University and an MFA in Musical Theatre Writing at NYU Tisch.

THE THURNAUER CELLO ENSEMBLES

The cello ensembles for the Gift of Music Gala feature many cellists in Thurnauer’s cello family: Suzuki cello group class students, cello students in the private lesson and ensemble curriculum, faculty, alumni, and the brilliant artist, Astrid Schween. The cello groups, the “Yo-Yo Ma,” “Rostropovich,” “Casals,” and “Du Pre” classes, meet weekly and work on technique, repertoire in the Suzuki method, and developing musicianship and social skills. They have had the pleasure of performing with cellists Julian Schwartz and Steven Isserlis. The alumni cello ensemble features Thurnauer faculty members Madeleine Golz, Sarah Bish, Sam Bae and five of our esteemed alumni: Chase Park, Jasmine Pai, Lindy Tsai, Mia Kim Bernard, and Ian Maloney. This is an ensemble created to celebrate the wonderful teaching and inspiration of Madeleine Golz.

THE THURNAUER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

In the Thurnauer Symphony Orchestra, young and seasoned musicians perform standard symphonic repertoire and contemporary works. The orchestra has performed music by Vivaldi, Boccherini, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Smetena, Rimsky-Korsakov, Saint-Saëns, Arturo Márquez, Holst and Diego Garcia, among others. The orchestra has been led by conductor Alan Gilbert, Music Director of the New York Philharmonic and Gerard Schwarz, former Music Director of the Seattle Symphony. They performed with Glenn Dicterow, former concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic; world-famous violin soloists Joshua Bell, Phillippe Quint, and Sharon Roffman; guitarists Sharon Isbin and Larry Coryell; clarinetist Anthony McGill, principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic; and soprano Naomi Louise O’Connell, among others. The Thurnauer orchestral experience provides an excellent educational and nurturing environment where students play great orchestral music while developing ensemble skills. There are many performance opportunities during the year including winter and spring concerts where students showcase their talents to their parents, friends and the community. In addition, the Thurnauer Symphony Orchestra holds an annual concerto competition open to all Thurnauer students.

THE YOUNG PEOPLE’S CHORUS @ THURNAUER

In September 2009, the Young People’s Chorus @ Thurnauer (YPC@T) was established as an affiliate of the award-winning Young People’s Chorus of New York City. Francisco J. Núñez, recipient of a 2011 MacArthur “Genius” Award and winner of the 2019 ASCAP Award, is the Founding Director of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City which shares our mission of bringing together children of diverse backgrounds and abilities to create unique choral experiences and foster cultural understanding, friendship, and a love of music. YPC@T comprises the Prelude, Concert, and Amani choirs at the Thurnauer School of Music, with two satellite choirs at Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the McCloud Elementary School. YPC@T also created a modified version of its choral program at the Elisabeth Morrow School, becoming part of their elective offerings. YPC@T has performed at numerous venues including the 92nd Street Y in New York, The Lillian Booth Actors Home, The High-Note Music Festival and the Music in the Parks choral competition. In 2017, 2018, and 2019, YPC@T sang at the American Young Voices performance with 8,000 other choristers at the Prudential Center in Newark and won first place and overall best chorus in the Elementary and Middle School Divisions at Music in the Parks. In 2018 YPC@T made its debut performance at Carnegie Hall as part of the New York Chorus Festival and in December 2018, the YPC@T sang the national anthem at the New York Knicks game in Madison Square Garden. In 2019 and 2022 members of the chorus participated in the YPC Summer Camp at Lee University in Tennessee, and Santa Barbara, California. Last April, YPC@T established a choral friendship with Westminster Choir College of Rider University through conducting workshops and performances.

MUSIC DISCOVERY PARTNERSHIPS

Making Dreams of Studying Music a Reality

The “Music Discovery Partnerships” (MDP) are collaborations between the Thurnauer School of Music and Bergen County schools. The partnerships began as a small outreach program by Thurnauer to establish music education as an essential element of the classroom in several public-school communities including Englewood, Paterson, and Hackensack. The vision of the partnerships is to give all children in Bergen County communities, regardless of their financial means, access to a high-quality music education. Beginning with just eight children in 1997, the program has reached over 2,000 schoolchildren. MDP serves children from elementary school through 12th grade, after school, on-site at their schools and at the Thurnauer School. At Thurnauer, the program offers instrumental classes, musicianship classes and ensembles. Chorus is offered both at Thurnauer and in local schools. A week-long in-school residency by a professional string quartet is also included when available.

The goals of the program include:

• ENGAGING students in the highest level of instruction and experience of live classical music through weekly after-school lessons and related classes throughout the school year.

• PROVIDING students with sequential music experiences so they build the skills, means and understanding necessary to become increasingly proficient on their chosen instrument as measured by teacher evaluation, performance observation and self-assessment.

• ENCOURAGING students to continue participating in music throughout their school careers and beyond through frequent invitations to concerts and performance opportunities of their own.

• BUILDING life skills such as collaborating with others, exhibiting confidence, poise, self-efficacy, and becoming part of a community of learners, helping students to compete in the 21st century global economy.

• ACTIVELY INVOLVING family members in the study process through invitations to student and professional performances in New Jersey, New York City and beyond, at little or no cost.

The program has been called “one of the finest music education programs in the State of New Jersey” and “a stellar example of what a public school-music education partnership should be” by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. Throughout its history, it has been recognized with several grants, including the National Endowment for the Arts, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and The Frank and Lydia Bergen Foundation. This year, the program expanded into Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Elisabeth Morrow School, and the Englewood Public Schools. The model for the Music Discovery Partnerships can be modified to a public or private school’s needs in your community.

If you or someone you know may be interested in offering the program to an area school, please contact Emma Brondolo, Artistic Director of Young People’s Chorus at Thurnauer, for further information at 201-569-7900 x230 or via email at ebrondolo@ jccotp.org

THE GIFT OF MUSIC AT 34

On this, the 34th anniversary of our amazing Gift of Music gala benefit concert, we pause to reflect on the extraordinary contributions of Drs. Joan and Alan Handler, its originators and constant supporters, and the equally significant contributions of the artists listed below, who brought their great talent and inspirational performances to the students, families, and friends of the Thurnauer School of Music.

2023 Astrid Schween, cello, and Yoon Lee, piano

2022 Philippe Quint, violin; Jun Cho, piano; Pedro Giraudo, composer and double bass

2021 Joshua Bell, violin; Sharon Isbin & Colin Davin, guitar; Steven Isserlis, cello; Wynton Marsalis, trumpet; Bruce Adolphe, Rob Kapilow, composers; Francisco J. Núñez, choral conductor

2020 Sharon Isbin, guitar

2019 Gerard Schwarz, conductor; Julian Schwarz, cello; Marika Bournaki, piano

2018 Naomi Louisa O’Connell, mezzo-soprano; Brent Funderburk, piano

2017 Anthony McGill, clarinet; Mindy Kaufman, flute and piccolo; and Michael McHale, piano

2016 Joshua Bell, violin; Alessio Bax, piano and Sharon Roffman, violin

2015 Vadim Gluzman, violin and Angela Joffe, piano

2014 Larry Coryell, guitar; Bernie Williams, guitar

2013 The Paquito D’Rivera Latin Jazz Ensemble

2012 Francisco J. Núñez, founding director of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City; Bob McGrath, beloved star of Sesame Street

2011 Alan Gilbert, Music Director; Glenn Dicterow, Concertmaster; Sheryl Staples, Principal Associate Concertmaster; and musicians of the New York Philharmonic

2010 David Finckel, cello and Wu Han, piano

2009 Mark O’Connor, violin; Timothy Fain, violin; You-Young Kim, viola; Amy Barston, cello

2008 David Krakauer, clarinet; Marija Stroke, piano and Art Bailey, Accordion

2007 Steven Isserlis, cello and Melvin Chen, piano

2006 Maxim Vengerov, violin and Lilya Zilberstein, piano

2005 Paula Robison, flute and Melvin Chen, piano

2004 The Orion String Quartet

2003 Joshua Bell, violin and Simon Mulligan, piano

2003 Marian McPartland, piano; Rufus Reid, bass; and Kimberly Thompson, drums

2002 Gil Shaham, violin and Jonathan Feldman, piano

2001 The Paquito D’Rivera Jazz Quintet

2000 The Juilliard String Quartet

1999 David Finckel, cello and Wu Han, piano

1998 Ani and Ida Kavafian, violin/viola duo and Jonathan Feldman, piano

1997 Erie Mills, soprano; Kurt Ollmann, baritone; and Marija Stroke, piano

1996 The Emerson String Quartet

1995 The Wynton Marsalis Septet

1994 Claude Frank and Lillian Kallir, piano duo

1993 Richard Goode, piano

1992 Joshua Bell, violin and Andrew De Grado, piano

1991 Pamela Frank, violin and Claude Frank, piano

2023 GIFT OF MUSIC GALA BENEFIT

34th Annual Concert

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023

Bergen County Academies

HOST

Elliott Forrest

WQXR 105.9 FM

FEATURING

Astrid Schween

World-Renowned Cellist

Yoon Lee

Concert Pianist

CELEBRATING

Madeleine Golz

Distinguished Music Educator Award

JOINED BY

Thurnauer Cello Ensembles and Alumni

Thurnauer Symphony Orchestra

Young People’s Chorus @ Thurnauer

The Gift of Music is made possible by the generous support of Drs. Joan and Alan Handler.

PROGRAM

ENEZA UPENDO “SPREAD LOVE”

Words and Music by Jim Papoulis

Young People’s Chorus @ Thurnauer

Aaron Alur, Conga Maximilian Maio, Guiro Konrad Drzymala, Shaker

WELCOME

Elliott Forrest

SONATA FOR CELLO AND PIANO, L. 135 Claude Debussy

Prologue: Lent, sostenuto e molto risoluto

Sérénade: Modérément animé

Finale: Animé, léger et nerveux

HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY, OP. 68 David Popper

FANTASIESTÜCKE, OP. 73 Robert Schumann

Astrid Schween, cello Yoon Lee, piano

REMARKS

Dorothy Kaplan Roffman, Founding Director

POR UNA CABEZA Carlos Gardel, Arr. Jame Barralet

SUITE NO. 6 IN D MAJOR, BWV 1012

IV Sarabande

J.S. Bach, Arr. Colin Hampton

POLONAISE DE CONCERT FOR EIGHT CELLI, OP. 14 David Popper, arr. Valter Dešpalj

Faculty and Alumni Cello Ensemble

Madeleine Golz, Sarah Bish, Sam Bae, Mia Kim Bernard, Ian Maloney, Jasmine Pai, Chase Park, Lindy Tsai

DISTINGUISHED MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD

Madeleine Golz

Presented by Dorothy Kaplan Roffman

AFN PRIPETSHIK

Original Title Der Alef-beyz

“BY THE HEARTH” WORDS AND MELODY: MARK WARSHAWSKY (1848-1907)

Musical and Choral Arrangement: Binyumen Schaechter

Commissioned by Roberta Paula Books

Dedicated to Roberta Paula (Pese-Reyzl) Books

Astrid Schween, cello

Gift of Music Video

GLORIA TIBI Leonard Bernstein

Young People’s Chorus @ Thurnauer

Matthew Klapowitz, Bongos

Emma Brondolo, Artistic Director

FRENCH FOLK SONG

Folk Song, Arr. Eric Nordstrom

RIGADOON Henry Purcell

TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR Folk Song

Thurnauer Cello Department

Current students, faculty alumni and Astrid Schween Guest cellist, Astrid Schween

ELEGY OP. 24 Gabriel Fauré

Thurnauer Symphony Orchestra

Diego Garcia, Music Director

HEROES AND DREAMERS Words and Music by Pinkzebra

Astrid Schween, cello

Thurnauer Symphony Orchestra

Young People’s Chorus @ Thurnauer

*PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELLPHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES. No unauthorized photos or videos permitted

Piano generously loaned by Forte Piano of Paramus, NJ

ALUMNI CELLO ENSEMBLE

“Thanks to the loving mentorship and care of Ms. Golz, I am able to say I am currently in my second year of undergraduate studies at the Juilliard School with Ms. Astrid Schween. I cannot say enough about Ms. Golz and how she is always there for her students no matter what. I am so lucky to have been able to learn from such an amazing teacher and person.” -Mia

Kim Bernard

“I’m in my third year pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree at the Juilliard School right now, and I’m staying busy with solo performances, working with a quartet and a trio, and lots of music composition. During my time studying with Madeleine, she always nurtured and pushed my creative side and always encouraged me to try new things, and I attribute this to my versatility as a musician.” -Ian Maloney

“I’m currently pursuing my MMA degree at the Yale School of Music, as well as performing regularly as a member of the Opera Philadelphia Orchestra. I started the cello at age 4 with Madeleine at the Thurnauer School of Music and was lucky enough to study with her all the way until college. As an incredibly inspiring, versatile, and patient teacher, she was able to give me what I needed at every step of my musical upbringing and pushed me to become the cellist I am today. I often think back to those lessons and am still constantly applying and carrying with me the knowledge, skills, and, most of all, the love for music that she and the school instilled in me.” -

Jasmine Pai

“There is nothing that can compare to the generosity and love that the Thurnauer School of Music has given me since I was 4 years old. It is more than a home to me, and I am so happy and excited for all of the students who are so lucky to have the best teachers and environment to nurture their love for music. Thank you, Madeleine, for the most beautiful and wondrous introduction into the world of music and cello playing, and for always being my cello mom.”

- Chase Park

“I’m currently a cellist with The Louisville Orchestra, and I truly would not be in this position, nor the musician I am today, had I not had the guidance of Madeleine and the support of the Thurnauer School when I was younger. Madeleine was my teacher and mentor from age 4 to 18, and she helped shaped me as a musician and person in so many ways. I’m forever grateful for the care and support she showed me not only through my entire childhood and adolescence, but through my college years and the start of my professional career as well. She has always been my number one cheerleader.”

- Lindy Tsai

ENSEMBLE PERFORMERS

YOUNG PEOPLE’S CHORUS @ THURNAUER EMMA BRONDOLO, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

MICHAEL PHILLIPS, CONDUCTOR JIYOUNG KIM, PIANIST

Priscila Alcala

Daniella Alfonso

Livza Alphan

Aaron Alur

Hudson Austin

Anthony Babikian

Eli Bales

Jayson Belgrave

Johan Berrios

Thomas Betancourth

Ava Black

Zelica Bligen

Morgan BraddockThompson

Jeremiah Brotherson

Makayla Brotherson

Nathan Buckley

Nalani Burroughs

Sydney Burton

Michaela Cappas

Jose Carranza

Santiago Castaneda

Arjay Chambers

Freya Chen

Anna Cho

Nicole Christian

Stella Concepcion

Ailyn Corona

Karen Coxaj

Daylan Decoo

Angie Diaz

Noellie Diaz

Konrad Drzymala

Patrick Drzymala

Enzo Dumaine

Azariah Eaddy

Heylin Espina

Jacob Farkovits

Rebecca Farkovits

Julia Faynberg

Sofia Fiallo

Caoilainn Finnegan

Fiorenza Flores

Jhair Flores

Landon Floyd

Noah Franco

Isabella Garcia

Rachel Garcia

Alexandra Giedrewicz

Aamya Glover

Temple Goldson

Tanvi Gongala

Frank Graham

Skylar Grainger

Kayden Greene

Samuel Griffin

Ariana Gutierrez

Hannah Guttmann

Justin Guzman

Michelle Han

India Harper

Summer Holley

Anna Ivanova

Ari Jefferson

Mariah Joseph

Zion Joseph

Renold Paul Julien, Jr.

Anya Kashyap

Sana Kashyap

Daniel Khegay

Dael Kim

Allison Lancheros

Ilona Lauren

Sophia Libreros

Luke Lugue

Amaya Mack

Zah’Kyai Mack

Maximilian Maio

Ishan Malleswaran

Nikhil Mani

William Matthews

Rotem Merdinger

Isabella Messing

Kendrick Midgett

Mia Miller

Tiana Mingo

Regina Miranda

Maya Montano

Marcus Monval

Aria Moon

Lenae Moore

Melanie Moreno

Ashley Morocho

Jack Morocho

Kenny Morocho

Elizabeth Motechin

Caleb Muhammad

Nyla Nham

Mila Nyazema

Faelyn Oshry

Adenike Oyerinde

Christopher Pereyra

Michelle Pereyra

Winter Phillips

Adriana Plaras

Michael Ponce

Aylen Pontier

Lindsay Porfirio

Donovan Poueriet

Morgan Pounder

Blake Prescott

Parys Pugh

Mackenzi Quiroz

Liliana Ramdeen

Xiomari Reinoso

Briana Restrepo

Silvia Reyes

Jeneice Richardson

Kaliyah Richardson

Liam Rodriques

Lucy Rohdin

Alessandra Rosen

Jonathan Salazar

Alana Sanchez

Jacob Shapiro

Brooke Shiber

Alivea Silungwe

Kai Silungwe

Kahla Singleton

Tristan Smith

Jarek Solano

Martina Solarte

Chance Soto

Paisley Sparks

Nives Spiz

Alexandra Stange

London Tarver

Jedwin Taveras

Mikaela Temesgen

Annabella Thomas

Domenica Urgiles

Daniela Virula

Nina Washington

Jendayi West-Sylvan

Amiayah Williams

Isaiah Williams

Stella Yang

Vera Yang

Makayla Wint Young

Matthew Zapata

Karla Ziessler

An Affiliate of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, the Young People’s Chorus @ Thurnauer comprises the Prelude Choir, Amani Choir, and Concert Choir at the Thurnauer School of Music, performing together with our two partnership choirs: Alegria Choir at Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Cantare Choir at McCloud Elementary School.

THURNAUER CELLO GROUPS

SARAH BISH, CELLO FACULTY CHAIR

MADELEINE GOLZ, CELLO FACULTY

SAM BAE, CELLO FACULTY

STUDENT CELLISTS

Rebecca Benson

Nathan Bhojawala

Valerie Chen

Isabelle Choi

Camille Cruz

Adrian Evertz

Charlie Feldman

Adam Hallak

Ian Han

Michael Hong

Ibrahim Javaid

Matthew Jean-Baptiste

Tyler Jeong

Aiden Kim

JIYOUNG KIM, PIANIST

Brianna Kim

Harry Kontorovich

Keren Kronzon

Peter Lee

Sylvia Lee

Makayla Lerner-Lam

Daniella Miller

Michelle Pereyra

Sergio Rivas

Naomi Schnarch

Ferdie Tsien

Ou Xi

Vera Yang

ALUMNI CELLO ENSEMBLE

Mia Kim Bernard

Ian Maloney

Jasmine Pai

Chase Park

Lindy Tsai

THURNAUER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

DIEGO GARCIA, MUSIC DIRECTOR

VIOLIN I

Alison Roh, Concertmaster

Hana Furukawa

Jacqueline Hutter

Adelina Lee

Kanen Shah

Nathan Sichel

Yoonbe Kim*,

TSO Violin Coach

VIOLIN II

Eleanor Park, Co-Principal

Alex Xu, Co-Principal

Ellie Choi

Isaac Choi

Ilhwan Kim

Mirabelle Megdal

Daniella Renteria***

Bryan Roh

Aaron Rothstein

Kailey Seok

Carey White*

Yinuo Zhou

VIOLA

Priscila Alcala, Principal

Quincy Eby

Zoe McGregor

Francesca Silos*

CELLO

Ian Choi, Co-Principal

Naomi Schnarch, Co-Principal

Heidi Chen

Harry Kontorovich

Peter Lee

Jean Park

Kim Seok**

Dhanesh Tikoo

Kiran Tikoo

DOUBLE BASS

Rebekah Griffin Greene*

Brendan McGillick

FLUTE

Bomina Kim

Lucas Londoño

OBOE

Adenike Oyerinde

Jendayi West-Sylvan

CLARINET

Giana Kim

Morgan Pounder

TROMBONE

Ayomide Oyerinde

TIMPANI PERCUSSION

Aaron Alur

Konrad Drzymala

Matthew Klapowitz

*Thurnauer Faculty

**Guest Artist

***Thurnauer Alumnus/Alumna

MUSIC SCHOOL GRANTS AND ENDOWMENTS

We are deeply grateful to the generous foundations, corporations and individuals who make our programs and activities possible:

GRANTS

National Endowment for the Arts

New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts

ADP Foundation

Berkshire Bank Foundation

Russell Berrie Foundation

Berru Charitable Foundation

Billig Foundation

The Community Chest, serving Englewood, Tenafly and Englewood Cliffs

Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation

Handler Charitable Trust

Richard H. Holzer Memorial Foundation

The Kaplen Foundation

Mitrani Family Foundation

Neus Family Foundation

Shapiro Family Foundation

Henry & Marilyn Taub Family Foundation

Young People’s Chorus of New York City

Susan Zirkl, z”l, Memorial Charitable Foundation

ENDOWMENTS

SCHOLARSHIPS

Russell Berrie & Family Music School Scholarship Fund

Samuel & Anna Cutler Memorial Scholarship Fund (MDP)

Handler Family Endowment for the School of Music Community Fund

Barbara and Seymour “Cy” Leslie Memorial Fund for Music and the Performing Arts

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT

Michael & Dede Levitt Faculty Enhancement Fund

25th Anniversary Faculty Development Fund

GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT

Audrey Blumberg Orchestral Endowment

Bergen Civic Music Association Fund

Edith Berg Charitable Foundation

Sandra O. Gold Music School Founder Fund established by Russ & Angelica Berrie

Marion Cutler Fund for Community Music Education

Music School Family Fund (formerly Music School Family Endowment)

Jack & Sarah Rogers Music Education Fund

Shirvan Family - Lillian & Jessie Hirschkorn Fund for JCC Music School

Silberman Family Joy of Music Fund

Tochner Family Fund in Memory of Yuval Glick

William, Maria, Joan, and Andrew Thurnauer Music School Fund

CONCERTS AND MASTER CLASSES

Konikow Chamber Music Endowment Fund

Sylvia and Jacob Handler Master Class Chair

Dr. Paul and Aranka Kaplan Honors Recital

Beverly and Lewis Lauring Guitar Master Class Fund

Karen and Michael Neus Flute Master Class Fund

SHIRAH

Ethel and Irving Plutzer Fund

The Rhoda Toonkel Fund for the Shirah Choir

Bernie and Ruth z”l Weinflash SHIRAH Fund in Tribute to Matthew Lazar

We thank our beloved benefactors, who have made the Thurnauer School a reality and a precious resource: The Thurnauer family, Marion Cutler z”l, Joan and Alan Handler, the Holzer family, Sandra and Arnold Gold z”l, Gershen z”l, and Rosalie Konikow and the Weinflash family.

WITH GREAT APPRECIATION TO OUR AMAZING AND DEDICATED HOST, COMMITTEE, CHAIRS AND VOLUNTEERS

ELLIOTT FORREST Host

Peabody Award winning broadcaster, director, designer, filmmaker and producer. Afternoon host on New York’s Classical Radio Station 105.9FM, WQXR, host of the national radio concerts of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and has hosted more the 60 concerts onstage at Carnegie Hall, where his film FACE TO FACE premiered. Founding Executive Artistic Director of ArtsRock. org of Rockland County, NY. For 20 years he’s been bringing professional concerts, theater and conversations to his upstate community. Co-Creator and Producer of the National Tour of AN EVENING WITH ITZHAK PERLMAN and MICHAEL FEINSTEIN CELEBRATES JUDY GARLAND. Co-Director and Projection Designer of the live national tour and PBS TV Special of CONSIDERING MATTHEW SHEPARD by Craig Hella Johnson. Executive Producer of The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park on the Radio of RICHARD II. Elliott has directed several versions of A CHRISTMAS CAROL with such Scrooges as David Hyde Pierce, F. Murray Abraham, Brian Cox, Tony Roberts and Kathleen Turner. He regularly produces, directs and designs symphony concerts: LA Philharmonic, The NY Philharmonic, Houston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, New Haven Symphony Pasadena Pops and the Little Orchestra Society in venues including the Kennedy Center, Hollywood Bowl and Lincoln Center. Orchestra narrator: Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals, Peter and the Wolf, Stravinsky’s Soldier’s Tale and Britten’s Young Person’s Guide. For 12 years, Host for A&E Television’s of Breakfast with the Arts. BA in Theater from the University of Texas, Austin. www. ElliottForrest.com

MUSIC SCHOOL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

James C. Ackerman

Bruce Adolphe

Joshua Bell

Angelica Berrie

Claude Devillers

Sandra O. Gold

Jacqueline S. Guttman

Joan & Alan Handler

Eva Holzer

Bernie Koster, honorary

Lolita Mayadas

Susan Silberman

MUSIC SCHOOL & GIFT OF MUSIC COMMITTEE

Vivian Holzer, Chair

Mai Abe

James C. Ackerman

Craig Barnett

Emma Barnett

Louis Blumberg

Tracey Blumberg

Roberta Paula Books

Soojin Choung

Annick Des Roches

Claude Devillers

Sandra O. Gold

Jacqueline S. Guttman

Andrea Klein

Angelique Phillips

Eileen Pleva

Elana Prezant

David Siegel

Rebecca SoansAlur

Ou Xi Zhang

CONCERT CO-CHAIRS

Min Kim & Gilles Bernard

Felicia Zekauskas & Peter Maloney

CONCERT HONORARY CHAIRS

Sandra O. Gold

Eva Holzer

AND OUR THURNAUER FAMILIES AND PARENT VOLUNTEERS who worked tirelessly to create a wonderful experience for our community. Your devotion to the success of this gala is greatly appreciated!

A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU

ASTRID SCHWEEN We are deeply grateful for your extraordinary artistry, warmth and generosity.  You are an inspiration to all.

YOON LEE Thank you for your musical excellence and for your support and participation in our gala.

MADELEINE GOLZ The accolades can never be great enough!  How lucky your students are for all that you have given them with such warmth and devotion.

ELLIOTT FORREST Our benefit gala simply cannot happen without you.  We love you!  You are always there for us.

VIVIAN HOLZER Music School Committee Chair extraordinaire!  We are deeply grateful for your leadership and devotion, and for always giving so much of yourself in support of the Gift of Music and the music school.

Thank you to CRAIG BARNETT, former Music School Committee Chair, who continues his wonderful support in so many ways.

A huge thank you to our Co-chairs FELICIA ZEKAUSKAS & PETER MALONEY and MIN KIM & GILLES BERNARD for their extraordinary guidance, organizational skills and support in creating this wonderful event.

To EVA HOLZER and SANDRA O. GOLD, our Honorary Chairs, who are always by our side with support, encouragement and inspiration.

To ROBERTA PAULA BOOKS for her generous support of the arrangement of Afn Pripetshik.

To MUSIC SCHOOL AND GIFT OF MUSIC COMMITTEES for working so hard for the benefit of our young people and supporting their desire to learn about and make music.  A very special thank you to DAVID SIEGEL and REBECCA SOANSALUR for your incredible hard work and for giving so generously of your time.

To OUR EXTRAORDINARY FACULTY MEMBERS for your direction and leadership, and devotion to your students.  A very special thank-you to SARAH BISH, SAM BAE, MADELEINE GOLZ, EMMA BRONDOLO and DIEGO GARCIA for putting in extra time preparing and rehearsing students for today’s wonderful performance.

GIFT OF MUSIC CHAPERONES, PARENTS and VOLUNTEERS for your invaluable assistance and community support

Thank you to MIA KIM BERNARD, IAN MALONEY, JASMINE PAI, CHASE PARK AND LINDY TSAI for coming home to celebrate Madeleine Golz and inspire today’s Thurnauer students.

To ZACH HERCHEN for your excellent audio engineering and technology expertise.

To NICOLE PRESS and Team for your excellent stage management of this performance.

TO OUR THURNAUER FAMILIES AND PARENT VOLUNTEERS who worked tirelessly to create a wonderful experience for our community. Your devotion to the success of this gala is greatly appreciated! A special thank you to MAI ABE, SOOJIN CHOUNG, ANNICK DES ROCHES, ANNA AND ROBERT DRZYMALA, DAVID SIEGEL, REBECCA SOANSALUR AND TAHIRA WEST who work with such enthusiasm on behalf of our school.

To the THURNAUER TEAM, who worked tirelessly to make this evening a success: DOROTHY KAPLAN ROFFMAN, MICHAEL REINGOLD, EMMA BRONDOLO, DANIEL JATOVSKY, ROBYN SEARLES, MICHAEL PHILLIPS AND STUART KLINGER.

To ARTHUR SINENSKY, Chair, JCC Board of Directors, for your leadership and support, and the twinkle in your eye!

To STEVE ROGERS, ALYSSA SCHIFFMAN and the entire JCC staff for your constant guidance and wisdom, and for helping in so many ways.

To CARLI BUSHOVEN and the JCC MARKETING DEPARTMENT for your tremendous assistance with event promotion. A very special thank you and welcoming home to REBECCA SEEMAN for caring deeply and always being there for us.

Thank you to KEVIN CUNNINGHAM, GARY BERNSTEIN AND THE JCC ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT for your ongoing assistance; ROB SCHIRRMACHER for your year-round printing expertise; KEITH ROSENFIELD and the JCC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT for always lending a hand; and CHRIS PARRILLI and the MAINTENANCE TEAM for your invaluable assistance.

We thank our BELOVED BENEFACTORS , past and present, who have made the Thurnauer School a reality and a precious resource.  We could not do this without you.

To our friends at FORTE PIANO OF PARAMUS, NJ for the generous loan of today’s beautiful piano.

Thank you to CHOPSTIX IN TEANECK , NJ for providing food for our faculty.

The Handler Family extends their sincere thanks to all of the volunteers, parents and staff who have put so much time and energy into this event to produce another successful Gift of Music.

UPCOMING EVENTS

SUN, MAR 12, 2 PM

Violin Master Class featuring Mimi Zweig

Part of the Sylvia and Jacob Handler Master Class series

SUN, MAR 19, 3:30 PM

Dr. Paul and Aranka Kaplan Honors Recital

SUN, APR 2, 2 PM

Guitar Master Class featuring Ana Vidovic

Part of the Beverly and Lewis Lauring Guitar Master Class series

SUN, APR 16, 3 PM

Thurnauer Chamber Music Series

Sharon Roffman, violin and artistic director

Clancy Newman, cello

Orion Weiss, piano

Series funded with the generous support of Eva Holzer

THUR, MAY 11, 4 PM

Cello Master Class featuring Julian Schwarz

Part of the Sylvia and Jacob Handler Master Class series

THUR, JUN 15, 6:30 PM

Dr. Sandra O. Gold Founder’s Day Concert

Funded by the Sandra O. Gold Music School Founders Endowment Fund, established through the generosity of Russ & Angelica Berrie.

PLATINUM SPONSOR

In fond memory of Erich Holzer

Eva Holzer

Congratulations to Dorothy Roffman on her continued leadership of the Thurnauer School of Music and another wonderful Gift of Music concert.

Shirley Shapiro Shapiro Family Foundation

SILVER SPONSOR

Congratulations to this year’s honoree, Madeleine Golz. Her wonderful students are proof of her commitment to excellent and compassionate teaching.

Thanks to Astrid Schween for sharing her talent with us and to all the performers who will join her. Thanks to Elliott Forrest who has become a member of the Thurnauer family.

Thanks to all who are supporting this year’s Gift of Music for music education scholarships.

Vivian Holzer & Mitchel Ignatoff

SILVER SPONSOR

Congratulations to Madeleine Golz on being honored with the Distinguished Music Educator Award. Thank you for your dedication to our students and to Thurnauer.

Thanks also to Astrid Schween, Yoon Lee, and the Thurnauer students and alumni who will perform and fill the hall with beautiful music

Richard H. Holzer Memorial Foundation

We are proud to support the annual Gift of Music Benefit Concert and the Thurnauer School of Music at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades. Congratulations to the students, teachers, and staff on another year of transforming lives with the power of music.

Maggie Kaplen | Kaplen Family Foundation

– Plato

With deep admiration and gratitude to Dorothy, Michael, Emma and the entire faculty & staff at Thurnauer for bringing the highest quality music education to all. May you continue to go from strength to strength.

Alison & JoJo Rubach The Rubach Family

“Music is to the mind as air is to the body.”

Congratulations to the staff and faculty of the Thurnauer School for inspiring our children to make beautiful music during challenging times. We Salute You!

Karen & Michael Neus

CONDUCTOR

Special thanks to the amazing GUEST ARTISTS

ASTRID SCHWEEN and YOON LEE for performing to help provide Music Education scholarships to eager Thurnauer students!

Plaudits to Madeleine Golz for “THE GIFT of MUSIC”

she has given to so many students as an outstanding EDUCATOR and an extraordinary CELLIST! With enormous  appreciation for teaching and inspiring Joshua and Rebecca, THE GOLD and BENSON Families

We want to thank Dorothy and the Thurnauer faculty for all their support throughout the years.

Chase and Mia’s Family

Best Wishes to the JCC Thurnauer School of Music.

Best wishes to the JCC Thurnauer School of Music

from the Starling Ensemble. You inspire us!

From the Starling Ensemble. You inspire us!

Photo: Hank Chang

We are proud to support the JCC Thurnauer School of Music and offer our congratulations to the performers, teachers, and staff on another wonderful Gift of Music Benefit Concert.

Pearl Seiden and Family

Dear

201-768-4600

KellyH@ModeraWealth.com www.moderawealth.com

We are proud to support the Gift of Music Benefit Concert and the talented musicians of the Thurnauer School of Music at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades.

Congratulations

to the Students

Marilyn Taub

Judy Taub Gold

Benay and Steven Taub

Shelley and Ira Taub

Debra Oremland & Arthur Sinensky

We Came to AMERICA

a work for chorus and orchestra composed by renowned composer Rob Kapilow, artist-in-residence at the Thurnauer School of Music

Sat, January 20, 2024, 8 pm New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, NJ

Sun, January 21, 2024, 3 pm Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown, NJ

FEATURING

The New Jersey Symphony, performing with The Young People’s Chorus @ Thurnauer

The Young People’s Chorus of New York City Additional Performers to be announced!

ABOUT

Inspired by Faith Ringgold’s 2016 children’s book, We Came to America, and by the spirit of her words — “We came to America, Every color, race, and religion, From every country in the world”

Proceeds will raise critical scholarship funds in support of the Thurnauer School of Music’s mission to make music education accessible to all.

To learn more about ways you can become a part of this powerful initiative, please contact Alison Rubach at arubach@jccotp.org.

Thank you to our esteemed artists, Astrid Schween and Yoon Lee.

Congratulations to Madeleine Golz, recipient of the Distinguished Music Educator Award.

We invite you to submit a TRIBUTE VIDEO to Madeleine Golz - via the link or QR code below. These videos will be just for Ms. Golz and are a very special way to express our shared appreciation and love!

www.Tribute.co/madeleine-golz/

JCC

SCHOOL

1, 2022.

There are many ways to help sustain the work of the JCC Thurnauer School of Music. Whether you would like to support a program, establish a scholarship or other honorary fund, or simply contribute to the future of music education, gifts of all amounts are greatly appreciated and very much needed.

You may give online at jccotp.org/donatetothurnauer or contact Founding Director, Dorothy Kaplan Roffman, at 201.408.1460 or DROFFMAN@JCCOTP.ORG to discuss the ways we can work together to make your vision a reality.

$50,000 AND OVER

Eva Holzer

New Jersey State Council on the Arts

$25,000 TO $49,000

Sandra and Arnold Gold Humanism Research Fund

$10,000 TO $24,999

Sandra O. Gold

Vivian Holzer

Karen and Michael Neus

Richard H. Holzer Memorial Foundation

Russell Berrie Foundation

Shapiro Family Foundation

Susan Zirkl, z”l, Memorial Charitable Foundation

YPC National Inc.

$5,000 TO $9,999

ADP Foundation

Berkshire Bank Foundation

Theresa Chong and Brian Park

Joan and Alan Handler

Jacqueline Gabay and Julian Klapowitz

Andrea and Jerry Klein

The Kaplen Foundation

Alison and Joseph Rubach

$2,500 TO $4,999

Roni and James Ackerman

Karen Reisner and Craig Barnett

Gail Billig (Billig Foundation)

Roberta Paula Books

The Community Chest

Jacqueline S. Guttman

Maureen and Andrew Thurnauer

$1,000 TO $2,499

Min Kim and Gilles Bernard

Berru Charitable Foundation

Fan Fox & Leslie R Samuels Foundation

Henry & Marilyn Taub Foundation

Jaeyoon Jeong and Yuyoung Kim

Scott Loventhal

Jackie Lowenfels

Felicia Zekauskas and Peter Maloney

Anna and Neal Merker

Pearl Seiden

Susan and Charles Silberman

Debra Oremland and Arthur Sinensky

Eun Hwa Song

Iris and Alan Wormser

Joy Zaykoski

Jeff Zekauskas

$500 to $999

Christine Hong and Tom Cha

Claude and Carla Devillers

Rella Feldman

Frank Grippo

Mariette Dermendjian and Sarkis Gurunian

Casey and James Horgan

Michael Maher

Mitrani Family Foundation

Judith and Marvin Platt

M. Stephen Rasch

Jodi and Saul Scherl

Wei-Li Pai and David Siegel

Jeff Toonkel

Isabella Zhang

$250 to $499

Elizabeth Brondolo

Patrice Cecere

Joan Thurnauer and Craig Colwes

Marsha Edelman

Kiera Flynn and Michael Epstein

Dana Septimus and Joseph Feldman

Steven Fink

Norma Gabay

Carolyn Gollance

Grigory Kalinovsky

Melody Li

Andy Park

Ruth and Daniel Pernick

Brandi and Samuel Rubin

Rena and Elliot Steigman

Frank Tsai

Ray Zekauskas

$100 to $249

Mia Bernard

Yari Bond

Arline Duker

Idajean Fisher

Elliot Forrest

Lucero Garcia

Hebrew Congregation of N. Tarrytown and Tarrytown

Michael Heller

Sunni Herman

House of Fish, Inc.

Robin Treinish and Stephen Jay

Jennie Katsaros

Judy and David Kershner

Jean LeMee

Eva and Arthur Lerner-Lam

Jean Levan

Christian Maloney

Ian Maloney

Sam Negin

Ahrona Ohring

Jasmine Pai

Kathy Pecht

Karen Poleshuck

Carolyn Rocco

Ana Maria Rosado

Eileen Prusek and Daniel Rubin

Daria Salusbury

Ruth and Louis Schapiro

Alyssa Schiffman

Hilary and Jason Schwartz

Anne Shearn

Sandra Brown Sherman and Robert Sherman

Debra Simon

Richard Verderame

Patricia and Ardie Walser

Fern Wilensky

Bona Yoo

Any donations made after January 19, 2023, will be acknowledged in the Sandra O. Gold Founders Day Program.

Should you find any errors or omissions in this list, please notify Dan Jatovsky at 201.408.1466 or djatovsky@jccotp.org so we may correct our records.

THE

THURNAUER

OF MUSIC GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES ALL OF OUR DONORS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED SINCE JANUARY

Borough of Tenafly 100 RIVEREDGE ROAD

TENAFLY, NEW JERSEY 07670

www.tenaflynj.org

Thurnauer School of Music

Kaplan JCC on the Palisades

411 East Clinton Avenue

Tenafly, NJ 07670

Dear Friends,

January 29, 2023

Congratulations to Madeleine Golz as the JCC Thurnauer School of Music honors your thirtyseven years of inspiration and dedication to your students and music. It is heartening to know that your commitment has resulted in new generations of cello players growing into music professionals.

Cheers also to the Thurnauer team for the important opportunities they create when providing scholarships for children that directly benefit from financial support. The Gift of Music Gala Benefit Concert is the perfect celebration of our community at work.

Art, particularly music, is fundamental to our lives. Most of us experience music every day, and almost everywhere we go. Thanks to educator artists such as Madeleine Golz, artists such as Astrid Schween and organizations such as Thurnauer, Juilliard and the Perlman Music Program, we know the joy of music will continue to grow.

Congratulations again to Madeleine Golz for your life’s work and your achievements. Your school community and our homes are better places because of you.

Best regards,

Mark Zinna

Mark Zinna Mayor