Longy School of Music of Bard College's 2023 Viewbook

BECOME THE MUSICIAN THE WORLD NEEDS YOU TO BE

What should a modern conservatory education look like?

That question has always guided us at Longy. It empowers us to strive for more—to build a music education model that reflects the needs and goals of today’s working musicians. And in our many years of asking it, we’ve managed to identify a few truths.

Conservatory learning should be inclusive. Dynamic. Collaborative. It should be practical and studentcentered, and built around our students’ identities and experiences. Above all, it should prepare students to make a difference with their music, building community and enacting social change.

Whether teaching, performing, or unlocking their activism, students at Longy forge their own paths. These paths intersect to form a rich musical community—and the world could stand a bit more community right now. At Longy, we’ve found that a student’s unique talents, passions, and drive lead them to meaningful careers in music. Join us and see where yours lead you.

Karen Zorn, President

TABLE OF CONTENTS

No matter what experiences are served up by life, we should never underestimate the real and sustaining power of giving voice to what lives within us, whether that is through an instrument, through composing a new work, or, quite literally, through our vocal cords. Here at Longy, we see our role as guiding and facilitating experiences that nudge you towards finding your voice and how you will use it in the world.

Think of this viewbook as a window into a unique community that is exploring new ways to shape musical artistry. We invite you to be a part of this place, where musicians are actively choosing how we can— individually and collectively—have impact in the world around us.

Judith Bose, Dean of the Conservatory

THE LONGY DIFFERENCE

Musicians have a superpower: they illuminate different perspectives to create a deeper understanding of the world and bring about change. We’re training musicians to be catalysts—artists who know how to create change and make things happen. That’s why we’ve turned our graduate education on its head with a different kind of curriculum, customized for you. It pairs musical excellence with a focus on the skills you’ll need to be a musician: the ability to design experiences, produce projects, and engage audiences with exceptional musical encounters. With faculty as your facilitators, you’ll take the lead in your own education, exploring, experimenting, and following your passion. You’ll learn how to create your own opportunities for work and, ultimately, discover who you want to become as a musician.

BECOME THE MUSICIAN THE WORLD NEEDS YOU TO BE

At Longy, our mission is to train musicians to make a difference in their world. To do that, you need the ability to identify human needs and the vision to find ways to address it through music. Musical excellence alone is not enough to make a living in this world—let alone make a difference. Our Catalyst Curriculum will teach you how to create your own opportunities, how to find new audiences, and how to make a living in unexpected ways.

WATCH VIDEO: Become the Musician

the World Needs

You to Be

“I know firsthand the importance of access and opportunity—how it gives one the audacity to have dreams. That’s what Longy has done for me.”

Arson Fahim ’23 Composition

YOUR MUSIC MATTERS

By weaving artistry and service together as an integral part of the curriculum, Longy is shaping a new future for classical music. Whether you’re passionate about performing, teaching, or both, Longy will help you explore, define, and amplify your talents, helping you discover new ways to change lives and impact communities through music.

TEACHING ARTISTRY

Begin your Longy journey alongside new classmates in this three-day intensive focused on engaging and interacting with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. You’ll learn to think more broadly about music, its role in society, and how to integrate yourself more fully into the community.

MUSIC AS A HEALING ART

Through art and science, explore the human response to music and its therapeutic capabilities. In this hands-on course, learn from seasoned professionals how to provide a healing environment for those who need it most. After some practice, you’ll put your new skills to work in local hospitals and care facilities.

LONGY SIDE-BY-SIDE

Bolster your teaching and mentorship skills through this innovative community program, where Longy students work side-by-side with children from local schools and community music programs. Through private instruction, small group work, and ensembles, you’ll enrich the lives of aspiring young musicians who may not otherwise have access to a quality music education.

WATCH VIDEO: Your Music Matters

STUDY WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU

There’s no one way to be a musician. At Longy, you’ll uncover and explore new ways to make a living in music. Our innovative Catalyst Curriculum pairs musical excellence with a focus on the skills you’ll need to be a musician: the ability to design experiences, produce projects, and engage audiences with exceptional music encounters. And with support from our Career Coaches, you’ll identify values, set goals, and craft a path forward that gets you where you want to be.

Our Catalyst Curriculum is different:

NO JURIES. NO BUSY WORK.

With fewer core requirements overall, you’ll have time to deeply explore your own artistry.

REAL-WORLD SKILLS.

At Longy, real-life skills aren’t part of a single class or a one -off workshop— they’re baked into your classes.

IT’S CUSTOMIZED.

You can choose the subjects that truly interest you as a musician.

YOU TAKE CHARGE.

Under this paradigm, faculty are facilitators, helping you to become a leader in your own education and career, and putting you in situations where you’re in charge.

WATCH VIDEO: Study What’s Important to You

CATALYST CURRICULUM

YOU CHOOSE:

The core components of the Catalyst Curriculum focus on real-world skills. You’ll learn...

How to Make Your Music Matter: Starting with our Artist Statement Workshops and Career Coaching Program, we will help you articulate a vision for your career. Then we’ll help you identify the skills, training, and classes you’ll need to reach your goals.

How to Create: In our Custom Commission Program, you’ll collaborate in a laboratory setting, where performers join forces with composers to create custom pieces.

How to Curate: As you program your FirstYear and Graduate Recitals, you’ll develop performances that display your unique artistic perspective, share meaningful repertoire, and explore the pathways in which you communicate with the audience.

How to Engage: In Teaching Artistry, you’ll develop the skills to engage audiences in any setting—essential skills for bringing music to new audiences everywhere.

How to Build Your Brand: In Musician’s Portfolio, you’ll build your website; gather the headshot, résumé, video, and audio samples you’ll need to find work; and learn how to distinguish and talk about your artistry.

For the Engagement element, you’ll choose one of these options to develop skills to bring your music into the community:

Advanced Teaching Artistry: Apply the audience engagement skills of Teaching Artistry to events and programs at Longy and beyond, working independently or in small groups.

Music as a Healing Art: Learn how your music can bring healing to healthcare settings.

Longy Side-by-Side: Experience the power of El Sistema in Longy’s music for social change program, as you mentor and perform alongside young musicians. Music and Civic Engagement: Identify social needs that can be addressed through music.

Take at least one of these courses to develop the practical skills to be able to produce your own projects: Entrepreneurship: Learn practical skills to get any project—or organization—off the ground.

Project-Based Classes: Get hands- on experience designing and producing projects and building audiences.

EVERYBODY DOES THESE:

START YOUR CAREER NOW

When you arrive at Longy, you are treated like a professional, performing and working alongside our faculty and artistic partners. Get hands-on, real-world experience while you build your network with an extensive community of musicians and organizations. Boston isn’t merely a backdrop—it’s the stage for your artistic pursuits and an integral part of the Longy experience. Be immersed in a vibrant, artistic city with hundreds of ensembles, opera companies, theaters, orchestras, dance troupes and museums for you to enjoy. We create extraordinary performing, teaching, and career opportunities for our students through our partnerships—over 40 artistic and educational partners, artists- and ensembles-inresidence, and Music as a Healing Art partners. Some recent artistic collaborators have included:

PARTNER HIGHLIGHT: THE IMAGINE ORCHESTRA

Led by Dr. William C. Banfield, the Imagine Orchestra is a dynamic chamber ensemble that plays with traditional notions of jazz through imaginative composition. As an ensemble-in-residence, they invite Longy students to play side-by-side with Boston’s brightest musical talents, offering professional performance experience under the leadership of a renowned composer.

Playing in a style entirely their own, the Imagine Orchestra blurs lines between fully orchestrated standards, original compositions, and improvised music, flashing between—and sometimes merging— genres and musical eras. Flowing gracefully from one musical idea to the next, their arrangements welcome listeners into a rich musical world without boundaries.

In Dr. Banfield’s own words: “Think Ornette Coleman; think Ellington meets Charles Mingus; think Frank Zappa and Miles Davis meet Gil Evans.”

Boston Early Music Festival

Boston Opera Collaborative

Castle of Our Skins

Celebrity Series of Boston

Du Bois Orchestra

Horszowski Trio

The Boston Camerata

The Imagine Orchestra

MassOpera

New England Jazz Collaborative

SENIOR SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE WILLIAM C. BANFIELD

Award -winning composer, conductor, and author William C. Banfield is one of the most performed and recorded composers of his generation, and his music curriculum is taught throughout the country.

Dr. Banfield has written extensively about Black musicians and composers and has actively elevated important musical voices through his contemporary jazz art recording label and orchestra, JazzUrbane. At Longy, he provides professional development for faculty and staff, teaches signature courses for students, and conducts the Imagine Orchestra.

WATCH VIDEO: Start Your Career Now

New Gallery Concert Series

Palaver Strings

Radius Ensemble

PROGRAMS OF STUDY YOU BELONG AT LONGY

Longy is a place where all sorts of backgrounds are welcome and where all kinds of musicians succeed. We don’t care if you found music at age 2 or 22—we’ll meet you where you are and build on your lived experience. We’re constantly expanding our vision of the type of musicians who might make a life in music.

Longy is often described as a big family. Join us and become part of a community where “collaborative” isn’t just how we make music, but how we live and learn together.

“Longy is the right fit for me because of the intimate conservatory environment it provides, the noticeable kindness amongst its students and administration, and the quality of Longy’s faculty.”

Tyler James ’23 Cello Performance, Artist Diploma

Graduate Degrees and Diplomas

MASTER OF MUSIC

Take a deep dive academically and artistically in this two-year Master of Music program. Longy’s innovative Catalyst Curriculum pairs musical excellence with a focus on the skills you’ll need to become a professional musician: the ability to design experiences, produce projects, and engage audiences with exceptional musical encounters. Dedicated career coaching will help guide your studies and prepare you for what comes after graduation.

MASTER OF MUSIC IN MUSIC EDUCATION

Culturally responsive teaching is not just a concept taught at Longy—it is the philosophical current that runs through our Teacher Education Programs. Longy is leading a sea change in the music education field, training teachers in this holistic approach that gives students the tools to take ownership of their learning.

GRADUATE PERFORMANCE DIPLOMA / GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN COMPOSITION

This two -year program was created so you can focus intensively on training, performance, and professional opportunities. The GPD/GD program usually comes after the completion of a Master of Music degree. Compared to the Master of Music, it requires fewer academic courses and is focused on your skills and interests. If you want to dig in deeper before launching your career, this program is perfect for you.

PROGRAMS OF STUDY

Chamber Music

Composition

Historical Performance

Instrumental Studies

Jazz & Contemporary Music

Keyboard Studies

Music Education

Vocal Studies

Vocal Studies

Guided by an exceptional faculty, students in Longy’s Vocal Studies Department learn and perform across multiple styles and genres—from fully staged operas, staged art songs, and newly composed works, to cantatas, oratorios, and contemporary improvisation. Longy singers have worked with notable organizations, including The Boston Camerata, Emmanuel Music, MassOpera, Boston Opera Collaborative, and Castle of our Skins.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

Gender Benders and Trend-Disruptors

Perform nineteenth -century lieder that would traditionally be off-limits to your voice type, gender, or sexuality. Separate lieder from its cis-heteronormative, male -centric worldview and bring it into the twenty-first century with alternative character perspectives.

VOCAL STUDIES FACULTY

Corrine Byrne, chair

Anne Azéma

Pamela Dellal

Tyler Duncan

Sandra Piques Eddy

Angela Gooch

Ana Guigui

Carol Mastrodomenico

Tyler Reece

Karyl Ryczek

Christopher Sierra

David Small

Jane Struss*

Dana Varga

Jayne West

Broadway: Agent of Change

Consider how Musical Theater has created social change through its composition, production, and societal reach. Survey three musicals whose impact can still be felt today: The Color Purple, Next to Normal, and Fun House.

FACULTY PROFILE: TYLER DUNCAN

Tyler Duncan, baritone, has lived and performed all over the world, often with his wife, renowned pianist Erika Switzer. Knowing that no musician gets anywhere on their own, he believes in the power of trust, support, and joy to foster a life in music.

Longy is a place where you can come at any point in your ability and you will grow. There’s a real passion for the work here. It’s hard enough to do anything these days—if you can’t find the joy, what else is there? So, we remind students that technique is important, foundation is important, but the goal is finding the connection as singers. Connection to the music we’re performing, connection to the poetry and artistry of the experience, and connection to the audience.

My wife Erika and I once performed over the sounds of a coughing audience member at a care facility in Germany. Not wanting to single anyone out, we pushed on through the song as best we could. Only after the show did we learn that those coughs were the first utterances from someone who had been silent for four years, attempting to sing along with us. That moment reaffirmed that music is a powerful force. Music can change lives. Music can heal.

VOCAL COACHES

Libor Dudas*

Brian Moll*

Noriko Yasuda*, opera coach

*no private studio

WATCH VIDEO: Isabel Randall (GPD ‘23), performs “Dream Variation” by Margaret Bonds

FACULTY PROFILE: JESSICA OSBORNE

A classical pianist, Jessica Osborne created a course at Longy titled “Music as Memoir,” helping students create programs that reflect who they are across a narrative arc. Her own musical journey has taught her that music has so much more to give when we expand our repertoire and understanding of the world.

There’s a conservatory mindset that many young musicians share: ‘so many great musicians and so few spots.’ At Longy, we’re about creating enough spots for everyone. It’s not about competition. It’s about supporting one another and finding your unique artistic voice.

The idea of music as social justice is an amazing way to reflect the world around us—the current, actual world. It underscores how important it is for artists and musicians to be the catalysts for change. I find that Longy is unique in this because they give students the tools; when I got here, I was amazed at how much practical study is available to students and faculty. This is not a stagnant music education: it offers a fresh take on music in exchange for your own perspective and asks questions about the world that all musicians and artists should be asking.

WATCH VIDEO:

Wayman Chin, faculty, performs selections from Kinderszenen by Robert Schumann

Keyboard Studies

KEYBOARD STUDIES FACULTY

Donald Berman, chair

Rieko Aizawa‡~

Wayman Chin‡

Libor Dudas, organ

Gila Goldstein‡

Adam Golka

Renana Gutman‡

Hugh Hinton‡

John McKean, harpsichord

Brian Moll‡

Vivian Montgomery, harpsichord

Eri Nakamura†

Esther Ning Yau‡

Jessica Osborne ‡

Matt Savage†

Noriko Yasuda*

Andrius Zlabys

Karen Zorn, President

‡piano and collaborative piano faculty

~2023-24 leave of absence

†collaborative piano faculty

*no private studio

Working with a roster of active performers on the faculty, students develop their artistry as soloists, chamber musicians, and enthusiastic collaborators. Students focus not only on technique and performance practice, but also on how to create compelling and innovative programs that engage a variety of audiences. Students have the opportunity to work with artistic partners like the Horszowski Trio, Castle of our Skins, and the New Gallery Concert Series.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

All-Embracing: Solo and Chamber Music

from 1972-2022

Engaging with new music is an essential skill for all musicians. Survey music written in the last fifty years, which charted a path towards more inclusive and eclectic music-making and drew inspiration from far outside the mainstream of the Western Classical genre.

Diverse and Eclectic Collaborative Skills

Step outside of classical accompanying and bolster your collaborative skills in musical theatre, pop, rhythm and blues, gospel, a capella and choir rep, dance studio classes, and other varied genres.

Strings

Longy string players learn from a faculty full of active performers, dedicated teachers, and leaders of innovative organizations. We emphasize individual attention from faculty mentors, playing in ensembles, small classes, cross-departmental collaboration, and frequent performance opportunities to create a uniquely inspiring learning environment. Students have the opportunity to work with groundbreaking artistic partners like A Far Cry, the Horszowski Trio, Palaver Strings, and the Du Bois Orchestra.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

String Quartet Seminar: The Imperfect Story of the Perfect Instrument

Dive deep into string quartet repertoire in this active performance lab. Survey the classics, work alongside Longy composers on custom pieces, and explore works by historically underrepresented composers and luminaries in the field.

Baroque String Playing for Modern Instrumentalists

Imagine yourself in 17th -Century Europe looking forward, rather than looking backwards from today. Through hands- on interaction with early instruments, study of treatises and source materials, and engagement with a significant selection of repertoire, you’ll broaden your knowledge and skillset with early music.

STRINGS FACULTY

Andy Kozar, chair

VIOLIN

Gabriela Diaz

Josh Henderson

Solomiya Ivakhiv

Mark Lakirovich

Paula Majerfeld

Jesse Mills

Karla Donehew Pérez

Alexander Velinzon

Anna Marie Williams

VIOLA

Sarah Darling

Ralph Farris

Mario Gotoh

Mark Lakirovich

Paula Majerfeld

CELLO

Ole Akahoshi

Christine Lamprea

Mikhail Veselov

DOUBLE BASS

Pascale Delache -Feldman

Peter Seymour

Bebo Shiu

GUITAR

Will Riley

FACULTY PROFILE: KARLA DONEHEW PÉREZ

Karla Donehew Pérez is a violinist in the Catalyst Quartet, a touring string ensemble that believes unity can be achieved through music. Committed to diversity in music and passionate about performing contemporary works, the Catalyst Quartet is reimagining the classical performance experience. As a longtime member, Karla knows firsthand how to embody change through music.

When I moved to California as a tween, I was fortunate to meet this incredible woman who directed the music school I attended. Eventually, she became my violin teacher. She was so generous with her time and energy, always encouraging me to think creatively about what my musical journey could be. That creative spirit led me to the Catalyst Quartet, where I’ve learned that there is always a way to put your ideas into action, no matter how big or bold they may be—even if the path forward takes you in new and surprising directions.

Longy advocates for a different path and gives you the life skills to follow it. Here, I have witnessed some truly incredible humans transform and stretch to their potential.

WATCH VIDEO: Palaver Strings, ensemble-inresidence, performs part of their 2023 concert “Joy”

FACULTY PROFILE: CHLOE SWINDLER

Specializing in trumpet, Dr. Chloe Swindler is also a vocalist, guitarist, and singersongwriter. With a close-up view of the music industry, she believes that the way we teach must also reflect what real life will be like after school. Knowing that no two musical careers are identical, Chloe is excited to help her students get creative in building their portfolios.

We’re at an exciting point where we are asking, “What are we investing time and energy into?” That question paves the way for our students, who will be leading this industry soon, if they aren’t already. We want them to build a music industry that they see themselves in. That mindset is baked into the Longy curriculum.

It’s part of a growing trend I’m seeing in music. There’s something about an artist’s individual experience that we attach to—not for the sake of doing it, but to learn about a different identity, a different story. Anyone looking to explore that theme and then imagine how music can move forward will get that opportunity at Longy. If I could go back, I would enroll myself here, so I could have that experience earlier.

WATCH VIDEO:

nexbloom (Jubilee Chen, MM ‘23; Noah Perkins, MM ‘23; and Tessa Shune, MM ‘23) performs “A Thousand Tongues” by Missy Mazzoli

Brass & Woodwinds

Guided by Longy’s experienced faculty mentors, brass and woodwind students build upon technical training to diversify and expand skillsets that will enable them to navigate the professional world. Students participate in solo, chamber, and orchestral performances, from classical repertoire to contemporary music, gaining experiences that better prepare them to change the face of classical music—and the world around them. Students have the opportunity to work with thrilling ensembles like the Imagine Orchestra, the Horszowski Trio, Castle of our Skins, and the Du Bois Orchestra.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

Create Your Own Gigs

Go get your gig. Seriously, go get one. Anywhere except on Longy property. In this Project-Based Learning course, you’ll be guided systematically through the process of creating a concert from beginning to end.

BRASS & WOODWINDS FACULTY

FLUTE

Sooyun Kim

Vanessa Breault Mulvey

Allison Parramore

OBOE

Kemp Jernigan

Keisuke Wakao

BASSOON

Rachael Elliott

CLARINET

Jonathan Cohler

Rane Moore

TRUMPET

Andy Kozar, chair

Edward Carroll

Chloe Swindler

TROMBONE

William Lang

Achilles Liarmakopoulos

Angel Subero

SAXOPHONE

Seychelle Dunn-Corbin

Thomas Giles

Ensemble Uncaged

Longy’s premier contemporary music ensemble will perform a wide variety of 20th- and 21st-century works by a diverse array of living and (recently) dead composers.

HORN

Rachel Childers

Hazel Dean Davis

TUBA

Kenneth Amis

Sasha Johnson

Composition

Longy composers work in a vibrant, artistic environment where they collaborate actively with performers to bring their music to life. Composition students benefit from experienced mentors in a supportive new music community dedicated to high standards and academic inquiry. Occasions to write music for soloists, chamber groups, orchestras, and contemporary ensembles abound! The Custom Commission component of Longy’s Catalyst Curriculum fosters extensive collaboration between performance and composition students. Composers have the opportunity to work with dynamic partners like Radius Ensemble, the New England Jazz Collaborative, and the New Gallery Concert Series.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

In the Manner Of

One of the time -honored ways of learning to compose has been the imitation of existing styles. Choose an inspirational composer, immerse yourself in their music, and try your hand at composing pieces in their style to be performed by classmates.

Computer Composition and Sound Design

Dive into the world of sound design for music and multimedia projects. Create new timbres and electroacoustic compositions using digital synthesis, sampling, and signal processing.

COMPOSITION FACULTY

Alexandra du Bois, chair

Peter Aldins

Pablo Santiago Chin

Peter Evans*

Gonzalo Grau

John Morrison

Matthew Evan Taylor

Jeremy Van Buskirk

Ruth Mendelson*

Niloufar Nourbakhsh

Joel Roston*

Garo Saraydarian*

Tony Solitro*

*no private studio

WATCH VIDEO:

Matthew

FACULTY PROFILE NILOUFAR NOURBAKHSH

Composer Niloufar

Nourbakhsh knows that music empowers us to take chances. Born in Iran, she grew up in the New York and Baltimore areas, where she studied piano performance before making the leap into composition. Studying and teaching in group settings showed her the power of music to connect us in ways we can’t see until much later.

When I started teaching piano, it was a sidetrack for me. But there was something so joyful about working from scratch with young learners—encouraging them to experiment with composition and improvisation. I think about that now because it feels like the essence of good teaching. I realized that the level of dialogue and energy that I saw in that group of children belongs in every classroom. It was precious and personal to them, but it was also a collective experience.

I see that here at Longy. We encourage students to find their own music, no matter how different. And faculty members are encouraged to devise classes and repertoires that haven’t been taught before. In all this exploration, Longy students will find the most wonderful collaborators who will stay forever in their lives.

Evan Taylor, faculty, presents “Postcard to Longy”

FACULTY PROFILE: PAMELA DELLAL

Pamela Dellal is a mezzo-soprano with an interest in language, translation, and the context behind the music she sings. Her performance repertoire covers twelve centuries, including nearly every sacred work composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. At Longy, she teaches students to communicate with their audiences and find their niche in the world of music.

As performers, our emotions advocate for the piece, and we have the privilege of communicating those emotions through our unique, individual sound.

One of the amazing things about teaching historical performance—as well as one of the challenges of it—is that there’s a different technique for each performance system or tradition. That revelation transformed my technique, as I found all sorts of different colors I could use in each repertoire. I’m interested in helping my students discover what their bodies and voices can do, which gives them a more sophisticated suite of skills than most vocalists study. We don’t throw away technique; we work to free rather than constrict ourselves.

I’m so happy to teach at a school where we encourage students to be passionate, learn with curiosity, and figure out what they’re capable of doing.

WATCH VIDEO:

Shea Brown (MM ‘23) and Guinevere Connor (MM ‘24) perform “Two Songs for Soprano, Double Bass, and Piano” by Giovanni Bottesini with Vivian Montgomery, faculty

Historical Performance

Historically informed performance plays a central role in Longy’s artistic and academic life. Featuring some of the most unique and thorough course offerings in early music in the United States, the curriculum focuses on both repertoire and research in its approach to music composed before 1800. Students can look forward to working with partners like The Boston Camerata and the Boston Early Music Festival.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

Hildegard

von Bingen: A Feminine Universe

Hildegard von Bingen had a powerful vision of the role of the feminine in the divine plan. Learn about women’s participation in worship, in salvation, and in the world through her theology, poetry, and music in original notation.

HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE FACULTY

Anne Azéma, voice

Danilo Bonina*, music history

Phoebe Carrai, baroque cello

Sarah Darling, baroque violin, viola

Pamela Dellal, voice

Libor Dudas, harpsichord , organ

Douglas Freundlich, lute

Stephen Hammer, baroque oboe

Jane Hershey, viola da gamba

Sonja Lindblad, recorder

Na’ama Lion, baroque flute

Dana Maiben, baroque violin, viola

John McKean, harpsichord, music history

Digging

for Songs in the Ground: Crossing Centuries with Ground Bass Improvisation and Compositions

This interdepartmental course covers a wide range of eras, styles, and ethnicities that share a common denominator: ground bass improvisation. From Byrd and Monteverdi to Ellington and Winehouse, students curate a program that spans centuries.

Vivian Montgomery, harpsichord

Kathryn Montoya, baroque oboe, recorder

Ken Pierce, period dance

Andrew Schwartz, baroque bassoon

Anne Trout, baroque bass/violone

*no private studio

Jazz & Contemporary Music

Longy’s Jazz & Contemporary Music program provides an open environment where students experiment and create to find their artistic voice. Engaging in improvisation, composition, and performance practices untethered to any one discipline or genre, students will build off the foundations of jazz and explore beyond—to modern contemporary, global folk traditions, bluegrass, rock, hip hop, as well as other popular idioms—to define the music of the now and of the future. Students can experience working with visionary partners like the New England Jazz Collaborative and our ensemble -inresidence the Imagine Orchestra.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

River of Blues: Flowing from the Margins to the Mainstream

From West Africa to the Mississippi Delta, the Blues has long been the foundation of Black musical culture. Follow the artists who developed this style and influenced American mainstream music forever.

Sound and Style: Rulebreakers

Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Jimi Hendrix, and J Dilla challenged the status quo. Take an in -depth look at how they changed the way their instruments were played, invented novel improvisational and compositional languages, and forever altered the course of modern music.

JAZZ & CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FACULTY

Eric Hofbauer, chair, guitar

Naseem Alatrash, folk traditions ensemble

Sara Bielanski, voice

Leo Blanco, piano, composition, ensembles

Dave Bryant*, ensembles

Peter Cassino, piano, improvisation, ensembles

Peter Evans, composition

Ana Guigui, voice

Chris Klaxton, trumpet

Charlie Kohlhase*, ensembles

John Lockwood, upright/electric bass, ensembles

Nando Michelin*, ensembles

Anastassiya Petrova, piano

Randall Pingrey, trombone

Robbie Pate, voice ensembles

Noah Preminger, saxophone

Matt Savage, piano

Ben Schwendener, composition

Neal Smith, drums

Hayley Thompson -King, voice

Nikola Tomić, trumpet

Sylvie Zakarian, percussion

*no private studio

FACULTY PROFILE: MATT SAVAGE

Matt Savage is a jazz and classical pianist who has been performing professionally since childhood. He teaches in the Collaborative Piano and Jazz & Contemporary Music departments at Longy.

One thing I really enjoy about Longy’s teaching and learning community is how closely everything is intertwined. There’s a lot of conversation between different courses and departments, which can help students navigate the changing and diverse musical landscape of today. As both a classical and jazz pianist, I’ve seen how there are more and more opportunities to create an interplay between different aesthetics in today’s music scene. There’s something so special about Longy’s environment, especially how tight-knit our community is.

This academic setting allows students to build long-lasting musical relationships, and to find their artistic voices. Longy doesn’t just give students the seeds of creative ideas, but also the roots— and the right kind of soil for growing.

WATCH VIDEO: Get to know our artistic partner, the New England Jazz Collaborative

FACULTY PROFILE: GARO SARAYDARIAN

Garo Saraydarian hopes to foster a new generation of music educators who reflect on their experiences and take action to promote equity and understanding through their work. Garo’s musical interests span genres and cultures, playing jazz trombone and the Oud.

Longy is so unique in how it structures its curriculum, on both the practical side and the theory side of things. It’s one of the few places that is de-centering the classical Western canon and rethinking music theory at the conservatory level. And there’s a commitment to actually getting messy with that, because that’s how we continually improve.

The MM/ME program, whether online or in-person, is structured to embrace that messiness. Students learn in ways that are relevant to them, as well as how to teach in ways that are culturally relevant to their students. We want students to connect what they learn to their lives outside the classroom. When we’re aware of where our students come from, we have a greater impact on their lives.

It goes back to one of Longy’s central questions: How are you going to live a meaningful life in music? I love that question

Teacher Education

MASTER OF MUSIC IN MUSIC EDUCATION (IN-PERSON)

Established in the cultural hub of Boston, Longy’s in-person program was built for musicians who want a graduate program rooted in equity and culturally responsive teaching. Through this program, you’ll put theory into practice working with our strong community partners. Plus, you’ll have full access to the robust resources of Longy’s conservatory campus—including studio lessons, ensembles, and performance opportunities in a musically rich, supportive environment. In just one year, graduate with your Master’s and be prepared to earn your initial teaching license for Massachusetts public schools.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

Identity and Culture in the Classroom

Examine laws surrounding special education, classroom terminology, and the latest methods in adapting lessons for students with disabilities. Learn how to make content accessible for all students by studying the impact various disabilities have on hearing, reading, and making music.

Technology in Music Education

Technology can elevate interactivity, projectbased learning, and differentiation as we gain confidence and proficiency, moving beyond being consumers of the latest “app” to creators of our own resources. Explore tools we can use to increase accessibility, foster equity, improve understanding, and reach all learners.

MASTER OF MUSIC IN MUSIC EDUCATION (IN-PERSON) FACULTY

Jamie Gunther

Jared Cassedy

Michael Coelho

Heather Cote

Sarah Fard

Gonzalo Grau

Garo Saraydarian

Chris Schroeder

Christopher Sierra

Sylvie Zakarian

WATCH VIDEO: Culturally Responsive Teaching in the Classroom

Teacher Education

MASTER OF MUSIC IN MUSIC EDUCATION (ONLINE)

Designed with the working teacher in mind, Longy’s asynchronous classes allow you to pursue an advanced degree in as little as one year without taking time off. Graduates will be prepared to amplify the voices of students from all backgrounds, create and make music from diverse cultures, and approach teaching from a holistic and equity-based perspective. This affordable program is uniquely designed to integrate practices of social change into the music classroom.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

Non-Traditional Ensemble Arranging and Composing

Learn nontraditional approaches to ensembles in a K-12 classroom to ensure access and inclusion for students who wish to pursue performance opportunities beyond standard offerings. Focus on arranging music for the students in your room, while ensuring a high-quality, standards- driven ensemble experience in rehearsal and performance.

Advanced General Music Pedagogy

Explore a spectrum of alternative and traditional music pedagogies within a culturally responsive teaching framework to meet the needs of your students. You’ll study methods like OrffSchulwerk, Dalcroze, Kodaly/Feierabend, informal music learning, world music pedagogy, and hip hop through songwriting.

MASTER OF MUSIC IN MUSIC EDUCATION (ONLINE) FACULTY

Erin Zaffini

Ashleigh Cicconi

Michael Coelho

Nicole Collins

Heather Cote

Kellori Dower

Sarah Fard

Lorrie Heagy

Eben Fernando Heldreth

Garo Saraydarian

Monique Van Willingh

Ryan Zellner

FACULTY PROFILE: HEATHER COTE

Heather Cote serves as the K-12 Director of Performing Arts for the Westwood Public Schools in Westwood, Massachusetts. A woodwind doubler, she has experience with all the woodwind instruments, which has served her well as a band director.

Longy students come from all walks of life—all different undergraduate degrees and programs. And that makes for a really interesting cohort of people, with different knowledge bases and different cultural contexts coming together to learn and share. I’ve learned as much from the students as I feel they’ve learned from me.

I try to teach from a player’s perspective. As an undergraduate education major, I was told I would never play professionally. That wasn’t true, and I don’t want my students to ever believe that about themselves. In fact, my perspective as a professional musician is the key to my teaching.

Ultimately, students are getting real world experience here. They learn from people who are doing it, who have done it for a while, and who are grounded in the realities of modern education. And I think that is such a strong part of the program.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS & INFORMATION

Teacher Education Professional Development

CHANGEMAKERS IN THE MUSIC CLASSROOM

longy.edu/changemakers

What is Culturally Responsive Teaching, and how can you use it to improve student outcomes? Find out at Changemakers, a free online interactive workshop series hosted by the Longy School of Music. These forty-minute sessions facilitated by leaders in music education are designed to give you the tools to engage your students through cross-cultural exchange by centering their lived experience, strengthening their investment in their own learning, and nourishing a greater sense of connection in the classroom.

SUMMER COURSES

longy.edu/study/teacher-education-summer

Longy’s teacher education summer courses are focused on music and social change to enable music teachers to build inclusive curricula and deliver outstanding musical instruction. Take one of these summer courses for graduate credits, for professional development hours, or to simply strengthen your skillset.

SAMPLE SUMMER OFFERINGS*

Culturally Responsive Teaching: Learning Made Equitable Music Program Reboot: Growing Your Program from the Inside Out!

Adaptive Music: Teaching Towards Accessibility and Inclusion

*Check the Longy website for up-to-date Summer 2024 course offerings.

Longy’s Divergent Studio

NEW MUSIC WORKSHOP FOR PERFORMERS AND COMPOSERS

This summer, join us for a 13 -day immersive new music experience focused on interdisciplinary tools and holistic creative practices for contemporary musicians. Performers will have the opportunity to study and perform works by some of the most exciting composers of our time, while composers will have the chance to write for one of our ensembles of new music specialists, including loadbang and the Divergent Trio. This energizing experience is packed with concerts, community, and an endless lineup of world premieres.

DIVERGENT ALUMNI VOICES

“Divergent Studio was amazing! The coachings were intense and extremely supportive. The program was individualized, and it fostered a camaraderie that I haven’t experienced elsewhere.”

“Divergent Studio provided me with a family of inspiring, supportive, and loving musicians from all stages of their careers. I am excited to continue growing and collaborating with my new lifelong friends.”

Aaron P., Composition

PAST GUEST COMPOSERS HAVE INCLUDED:

2023-24 Artistic Season: It’s Personal

WATCH VIDEO: Arshia Samsaminia, “Micro-Moments VI” performed by loadbang

Balún founding member and one of NPR’s “Top 100 Composers Under 40”

WATCH VIDEO: Alex Temple, “Dragonflies”

Each year, Longy curates its entire artistic season around one central theme. This year, join us for a very personal season centered around storytelling and self-expression. Memoir, travelogue, conversation, argument—each performance takes its own form, each story, its own vantage point.

A performance is a snapshot that develops in real-time. Stepping into the light, an artist may reveal a memory, a feeling, a slice of life. What do we see when the picture comes into focus? It has everything to do with our perspective.

Along the way, hear new music alongside the familiar; revisit long-held beliefs with fresh eyes; feel new connections crackle to life. The one constant: we have to show up to experience it; every good story needs a listener or two.

EXPLORE: A full list of this season’s events

Telling our own story is a potent act, capable of unlocking something new in artist and audience alike. That’s true on any stage, in any room—from grand concert halls to cabaret clubs to the makeshift theaters we build in our living rooms, furniture pushed against the wall.

LEARN MORE: Divergent Studio

Ciera C., Soprano

Angélica Negrón

Raven Chacon

first Native American winner of Pulitzer Prize for Music

Lei Liang Grawemeyer Award winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

ISABEL RANDALL

Immediately after Isabel’s graduation from Longy, she received invitations to audition for Slovakia National Theatre, Opera National de Paris, and was a part of the first workshop performance for a commissioned opera based on the historic US Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia. Isabel is a civically engaged mezzo -soprano who has performed with Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Opera Collaborative, Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera unMet, and Virginia Opera.

“Longy provided an incredibly supportive environment that catalyzed my development as a musician and allowed me to truly start my professional career.”

As artist faculty at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Jonathan works with undergraduate students on ear-training and improvisation. He regularly writes orchestral and chamber works for national and private commissions, but always has an eye (and ear) out for a librettist to collaborate with for his pet passion: opera. He serves his community as a répétiteur, improviser, recitalist, and concerto soloist, and feels that performing at the piano is central to his musical identity.

“Longy helped me realize my vision of serving my musical community to the best of my abilities, which clarified what my ikigai and purpose for all the coming years should and can be!”

NEXBLOOM TRIO

Alumni Jubilee Chen, Noah Perkins, and Tessa Shune founded nexbloom as part of a class project and were awarded Longy’s 2023 Innovation Award for their commitment to collaboration and the presentation of new and diverse works. Just this past year, nexbloom premiered seven compositions and numerous arrangements. The trio recently launched glade, a large-scale composerperformer project dedicated to the creation of multimedia concert experiences that celebrate space and foster peace within the constant motion of our lives.

“Thanks to Longy’s supportive faculty and community, we had many opportunities to perform and professionalize our ensemble, including going on tour and attending Divergent Studio!”

ANGELICA CORTEZ

The Executive Director of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, Angelica also teaches at the University of Southern California. She started her career at the LA Phil before becoming interim president and CEO for El Sistema USA. She is an alum of the Sphinx LEAD program, and on the Board of Directors for From the Top and Global Arts Los Angeles.

“Longy gave me a community of people committed to thinking creatively about the future of music education, and allowed me to embrace and lead with my most authentic self.”

JONATHAN SHIN

How to Apply Funding Opportunities

STEP 1: START YOUR FREE APPLICATION

STEP 2: GATHER YOUR MATERIALS

• Artistic Résumé

• Personal Statement

• Two letters of recommendation

• Transcripts

• International Student Requirements

STEP 3: AUDITION/INTERVIEW

FINANCIAL AID

QUICK STATS

Students receiving financial aid: 100% Scholarships awarded annually: $4.5 million

Applicants for Spring admission must audition by video recording. If you are applying Early Action for Fall—which guarantees an admissions decision and, if admitted, a scholarship package by the end of January—you will upload audition recordings to the online application. If you are applying Regular Action for Fall, you may choose to upload recordings or attend live auditions in February.

STEP 4: ATTEND A LONGY VISIT DAY

Join us on campus for a Longy Visit Day! We’ll curate an inspiring day on campus where you’ll explore our historic buildings, engage meaningfully with our community, and experience first-hand how Longy is changing the face of conservatory education.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

• Spring 2024: November 1, 2023

• Fall 2024 Early Action: December 1, 2023

• Fall 2024 Regular Action: January 5, 2024

• Fall 2024 Master of Music in Music Education (Online) Final Deadline: July 1, 2024 APPLY NOW!

PRESIDENTIAL AND LONGY SCHOLARSHIPS

Longy offers competitive scholarships based on merit and mission alignment. All applicants are automatically considered for institutional aid by submitting the standard online application.

TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS

Teaching Assistants receive up to a $10,000 yearly deduction from tuition and work at least 10 hours per week within the public school system and/or community music program sites that participate in Longy’s Side-by-Side program. Though primarily music mentors, Teaching Assistants also have the opportunity to lead sectionals, help plan lessons, and work collaboratively with expert instructors.

GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS

Graduate Fellowship opportunities offer real-world professional experience, enabling students to broaden their horizons while reducing tuition by up to $8,000 annually. Working at least 10 hours per week in academic or administrative departments, Longy’s Graduate Fellows receive training in valuable skills which will serve them well in the changing professional music world.

EQUITY SCHOLARSHIPS

As a part of Longy’s commitment to diversity, the Equity Scholarship program was developed to help students overcome

adversity and turn their educational pursuits into reality. Funded by donors, these scholarships cover the full cost of tuition for applicants from a population historically underrepresented in conservatory education, which include—but are not limited to— racial, cultural, religious, gender, and/or sexual minorities; first-generation students; individuals from low-income households; students from single-parent families; displaced individuals; or applicants who otherwise demonstrate having overcome significant adversity. Candidates must also display outstanding musicianship and work ethic, share a worldview that aligns with Longy’s mission, require significant financial assistance, and exhibit the potential to be ambassadors within the Longy community. Equity Scholarships are limited and are rarely awarded through the appeals process.

TEACHER EDUCATION FELLOWSHIP

Candidates who apply for Longy’s in-person Master of Music in Music Education program by December 1 will be considered for a fully funded fellowship. Recipients will receive full tuition remission to this one -year degree program leading to initial teaching licensure in Massachusetts. The award will be given to one qualified candidate who demonstrates a passion for working in underserved communities and the potential for leadership in the field through their application materials.