MANNY ’ S MONTHLY MANNY’S MONTHLY
Things and it’s cultural impact
BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN NYC
February 2026 marks the 100 Anniversary of Black History Celebrations in America Read for events details and community activities th
Goodbye 2025 HELLO 2026! Reminisce on pop culture highlights with Joshua Eugene Smith (BM ‘27)
Flip the pages for MSM Briefing’s FIRST Crossword puzzle! Test your knowledge with iconic MSM names and places
Take a peak behind the curtain to meet the faces of those who keep MSM running daily. Next time you see them in the halls, make sure to say hello!
Find all upcoming performances for the month of February in one convenient place. For updated information, visit: msmnyc.edu
Read about highlights from recent Vocal Performance Faculty Showcase! Covered by Luis Vega-Torres (BM ‘27)
See the people behind the first edition of 2025! Contact msmbriefing@msmnyc edu to get involved, and follow our instagram @msm briefing for updates!
StrangerThings:ACulturalPhenomenonanditsImpact onourHealth
ByAnisahLaPlante(VocalPerformance,BM‘27)
Sincetheinternetwasborn,everygenerationhas experiencedsignificantmomentsinpopculturethat willgodowninthezeitgeistasimmortallyiconic.Pop Culturehighlightsincludethereleaseofthenow belovedTVshow Friends inthe1990s,Britney Spears'shavedheadinthe2000s,JustinBieber’srise tofamewiththeBabymusicvideointhe2010s,and somanymore.Withinthosemoments,FilmandTV havehadtheirfairshareofimpact.Inthe1980s,itwas the“BratPack”.
MollyRingwald,AnthonyMichaelHall,RobLowe, AndrewMcCarthy,DemiMoore,JuddNelson,and AllySheedyweretheepicenterofteenagefixationand dominatedtheJohnHughesfilmgenre.Theywere coinedthe“BratPack”byNewYorkMagazinewriter DavidBlumwho,inthesummerof1985,wrotean articleabouttheirseeminglyhaughtyandwildlives. Moreimportantthantheirstardom,however,istheir effectonthegenerationthattheybelongto.When The Breakfast Club premiered,itwasamajorboxoffice hit,andtheconversationsthatfollowedaboutAlly Sheedy’squintessentialmakeoversceneorEmilio Estevez’sglass-breakingon-screendancedidmore thanentertain.Itunitedteensacrosstheglobe.Over40 yearslater,GenerationXcanstillrecallwhen The Breakfast Club cameout,stilllisteningto“Don’tYou (ForgetAboutMe)”bySimpleMindswithyouthful endearment.We’recurrentlywitnessinganewcultural phenomenonemerge, Stranger Things. Thoseofuswhofallunderthecategoryof“GenZ”, wegrewupwiththeshow.Foranyonebornin2005, likemyself,wegrewuprightalongsidecharacterslike Eleven,MikeandWill,andthechildstarswhoplayed them.Inaspecialway, Stranger Things hasunitedour generationfromsixthgradetoourtwenties.We watchedas“RunningUpThatHill”byKateBushtook overouralgorithmsfollowingthereleaseofseason
four,asMillieBobbyBrownturnedintoamemeafter herrenditionofImaginebyJohnLennonwentviral, andfellinlovewithcharacterslikeSteve“thehair” Harrington.Furthermore,therewereover31.5million viewsofthelastseasonwithinthefirstweekofits release,propellingtheseasontobecomeNetflix's9th most-watchedEnglishseriesever. Stranger Things isn’ttheonlysignificantTVshowinourgeneration: Euphoria, 13 Reasons Why,and Riverdale alsohad theirmemorablepop-culturemoments,butnoother showhasfollowedusthroughtheyearsquitelike Stranger Things,whetherwewatcheditornot.
Attheriskofseemingfar-fetched,Iposethat culturalmomentsthatconnectusaremore importantthantheymayseem,especiallyfora generationlikeours.Welosttwoyearsofin-person connectiontoaglobalpandemicwhichleftmostofus scramblingfortogetherness.Althoughwe’reoutofthe Covid-19lockdown,thepolarizationanddisconnect weexperiencedisstillpresentinourdaytodaylives. TheWorldHealthOrganizationreportedthat“As lockdownsforcedphysicalseparation,thehumanneed forconnectionbecameunmistakable–andsodidthe costsofitsabsence…Socialhealthisnotaluxury.Itis ahumanneed.Andnow,morethaneveritmustbea politicalpriority.”Weoweittoourselvestocelebrate socialconnectioninanywayitmaycome.Thiscanbe developedinmajorwayssuchastheintegrationof socialconnectionintonationalpolicies,butitcanalso happeninsmallwayssuchasprioritizingcommunity. Becauseofourgeneration’slongingforconnection, topicspopularizedbytheinternetarealready morphingintoreal-lifeevents.InNewYorkCity, drovesofpeopleflocktoWashingtonSquareParkjust towitnessthecrowningofcelebritylook-alikes rangingfrompeoplelikeTimotheeChalametto JeremyAllenWhite.Soalthoughtheymayseem trivial,pop-culturemoments,likethereleaseofthelast seasonof Stranger Things,arenotonlyconversation topicsbutessentialforouroverallhealth.
Black History Month
100 years
2026marksthe 100 anniversary of thefirstobservanceof Black History Week, establishedas Black History Month intheU.S.in1976.Acenturyofwork,whichneeds supportnowmorethanever.Listedbelowareeventsandcommunityactivities!
New York Public Library: Throughout February, attend multitudes of events rooted in the deep culture of Black History Month Join for panels with special guests, movie screenings, book discussions, kids activities, and more. FULL NYPL EVENT CALENDAR
Apollo Theater Tour *FREE*
Join DAILY from 10 am to 6 pm for a free informational tour of the world famous Apollo Theater
Address: 233 W 125th St 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10027
GOT TO BE THERE: THE APOLLO, ITS PEOPLE, AND ITS STORIES
Black History Month: A Century of National Commemorations of Black History
Date: Monday, Feb 9 from 6 pm to 7:30 pm
Address: The David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building (1 Centre Street, Mezzanine New York, NY 10007) EVENT RSVP
Black History Month: Flushing Freedom Mile *FREE*
Date: Sunday, February 15, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Address: Daniel Carter Beard Mall Queens (Northern Blvd. bet. Main St. and Linden Pl.)
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION!
Black Future Festival
Dates: February 15–21, 2026
Address: Brooklyn Children’s Museum (145 Brooklyn Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11213)
A weeklong celebration focused on Black futures, creativity, and joy through performances, storytelling, and interactive art experiences.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION!
Still We Smile Photography Exhibition
Dates: February 14 – March 9, 2026
Opening Night: February 14, 2026 | 6:00 PM
Location: AM:PM Gallery (108 Marcy Ave, Brooklyn, NY)
Still We Smile is a photography exhibition celebrating Black joy, resistance, and everyday life Curated by Julius Mark, Monika Anne, and Iman Abdul, the show features over 30 Black-identifying photographers sharing deeply personal and communal narratives. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION!
Seneca Village Walking Tour *Student ticket: $8.50*
Dates: February 17 – March 23, 2026
Address: Central Park West & W 81st St, Manhattan
This 90 min guided walking tour explores the history of Seneca Village, a 19thcentury community of predominantly Black landowners displaced during the creation of Central Park. The tour offers critical context on Black land ownership, displacement, and resilience in New York City
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION!
MSM Black Student Union Concert:
Date: Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 from 7:30 to 9:30 pm
Address: Neidorff-Karpati Hall (130 Claremont Ave, New York, NY 10027)
To learn more about the origins of Black History Month, visit https://blackhistory100.org/
A Love letter to 2025
ByJoshuaSmith(MusicalTheatre,BM‘27)
Oh2025,whatcanIsay?Honestly,notmyworst year!Sure,Americamightbeinslight politicalturmoil…andyeah,globalwarmingmight becausingthemostdramatictemperature shiftswe’veeverseeninourlifetime—buthey,we got Wicked 2!
Speakingofwhich,whatdidyouguysthink?In myopinion,Ithoughttherewerealotofgreat momentsthatshowedofftheactorsandwhattheydo best.Imean,thesecondactof Wicked isverystrong materialonitsown,andwhenyouhavetheright peopleplayingtherole,youdon’thavetodomuch. AlthoughIdidthinktherewereacoupleofmoments thatweakenedtheplotabit.Iwasn’tthebiggestfan ofthenewsongsthattheyadded.Theyfeltabit redundantandIdidn’tthinktheyservedtheplotas bestastheycouldhave.“NoGoodDeed”wasgreat rightupuntiltheveryend.Ithoughtthatthered lightningandthemonkeyswereabitoverkill.I absolutelyLOVEDthewaytheyre-orchestrated“As LongasYou’reMine”,though.Ithinktherockedge wastheperfectlittlesomethingtomakeitmore palatableforawideraudience.ButFORTHELOVE OFALLTHATISGOODANDRIGHTEOUSIN THISWORLD,whywasittreatedlikeamusic videofrom2005?WhywereweADDINGclothes? Elphabasexcardigan,anyone?I’msorry—Iknow thatI’mbeingovercritical.Butthosearemyfavorite songsinthesecondactandIhadparticular expectations.
Trulythough,thankgoodnessforCynthiaErivo andArianaGrande.Ithoughttheyhadbeautiful chemistrybothonandoffscreen.Theirrelationship —regardlessofromanticorplatonic—wasprobably myfavoritetofollowthisyear Yes,morethan TaylorSwiftandTravisKelce,morethanKatyPerry andJustinTrudeau(BTW,ifyouwouldhavetoldme KatyPerrywouldhookupwiththeex-Prime MinisterofCanadaeventwoyearsago,Iwould’ve laughedinyourface),and—dareIsay—Nicolandria.
Isthatcontroversial???Ohwell.Iknoweveryonehas theiropinions,butIdon’tknowthelasttimeI’veseen twopublicfigurescareforeachotherthe waythattheydo:unabashedandsogenuine,despite theborderlinemicro-aggressivejokesthat everyonethoughtweresofunny Youknowwhatwas funnythough?TheCardiB.lawsuit.Every daymygirlcametocourt,nailsdone,hairdid,and readytofight!Notwithherhands,butwith wit,charm,andfacts.Thoseprosecutorstriedher, evengoingsofarastouseherhairasaployto convincethejurythatshewasanunreliabledefendant. AttorneyRonRosenquestionedCardi,saying “Yesterdayyouhadblackhair,shorthair.Todayit’s blondandlong.Whichoneisyourreal hair,oraretheybothreal?”Imightbealonehere,but Idon’tevenseetherelevanceofaskingsomeone abouttheirhairinacivilassaultcase…butI’llleaveit atthat.
Circlingbacktocinemablockbusters,canweGIVE. IT.UP.for SINNERS???Easilyoneofthebestmovies of2025.Thecastwasphenomenal,thestorywas excellentlycrafted,andthemusicwasgreat!Imean, MilesCaton’s(Sammie)voicealonewasenoughto earnthosefiveGrammynominations.Asidefromhim, obviously,MichaelB.Jordandidphenomenally.I’m sureit’shardenoughtotakeononecharacterfora movie,butTWINS…andIdidn’tevenbataneyelash. Like,you’retellingmehedidn’ttakehisequally talented,secrettwinoutofhidingfromthebunker beneathhishouse?Mostofall,Ilovedthechemistry betweenhischaracter,Smoke,andWunmiMosaku’s characterAnnie.
RightsbelongtoWarnerBros.Pictures
Lastonmylist,butmostcertainlynottheleastof 2025’sgreatestmoments… Cowboy Carter.Now,I knowwhatyou’rethinking.“Joshua,didn’t Cowboy Carter comeoutin2024?!?!”AndtothatIsay—yes. ButshewontheGrammyin2025,soitcounts!AsI wassaying,CowboyCarter,thealbumthatwon BeyoncéherlongawaitedAlbumoftheYear Grammy Thealbumthatrevolutionizedmodern Americanaculture.Thealbumthatmadecountry “cool”. Cowboy Carter wasaculturalphenomenon tosaytheleast.Withhitslike“16Carriages,”“Texas Hold‘Em,”and“YaYa”,aswellasreimagined coversofheartfeltclassicslike“Blackbird”and “Jolene.”Personally,myfavoritesongsare
“Bodyguard”and“IIMostWanted.”Ifyouaskme,this albumperfectlyencapsulates2025:thepain,thebeauty, theheartache,thecomfort—allwrappedupinto oneingeniousalbum.Usingthegenreofcountrymusic astheperfectmediumtosetthetonefortheAmerica we’vecometoknowasofrecent;Beyoncécreateda masterpiecethatsweptthenation.
So,2025,Iwouldliketothankyou,becausethrough itallIcanconfidentlysayyou’vemademestronger.A strongerartist,human,andfriend,andIhopethat othersfeelthesame.We’veexperiencedgovernment likeneverbeforeinourlifetimeandculturalmoments thatwillmoldageneration.Aswecontinueintothe newyear,mayweallrememberthattocreateabetter world,itstartswithcommunityandunderstanding.
Photos courtesy of Joshua Smith (BM ‘27)
themanyfacesofmsm
Dean of Students
Monica Coen Christensen
Contact information: email: mchristensen@msmnyc.edu phone number: 917-493-4036
Admissions
Melissa Cocco-Fernandes Vice President of Enrollment Management
Emma Davis Assistant Vice President for Admission
Charles Williamson Associate Director of Admission
Kameron Ghanavati Interim Associate Director of Admission
Taylor Trentham Assistant Director of Admission
Contact information: email: admissions@msmnyc.edu phone number: 917-493-4436
Financial Aid
Ellen Segarra Director of Financial Aid
Denise Gift Assistant Director of Financial Aid
Contact information: email: finaid@msmnyc.edu phone number: 917-493-4809
Title
IX Team
Carol Matos Title IX Coordinator & Vice President for Administration & Human Relations
Hannah DeBlock Deputy Title IX Coordinator
Jacob Poulos Assistant Deputy Title IX Coordinator
Contact information: email: titleIXcoordinator@msmnyc.edu
Student Engagement
Jesse Goldberg Director of Student Engagement
Ha Young Synn Student Engagement Coordinator
Zhongyang Ling - Graduate Assistant
Contact information: email: studentengagement@msmnyc.edu phone number: 917-493-4525
CCRCI Office
*Center for Career Readiness & Community Impact
Chris Vaughn Director, Center for Career Readiness & Community Impact
Rebecca Charnow Dean of Youth Education & Community-Career Connections (related leadership)
Contact information: email: centerforimpact@msmnyc.edu phone number: 917-493-4502
Residence Life
April Jenkins Director of Residence Life
Makila Redick - Kirchner Assistant Director of Residence Life
Contact information: email: residencelife@msmnyc.edu
SES Office
*ESL: English as Second Language
Hannah DeBlock Director of ESL (SES program)
Contact information: email: esl@msmnyc.edu
L’elisir d’amore: Aninterviewwith GraceChristensen
ByJamesHo–ClassicalHarp,BM’28
GraceChristensen(MM’26)isaClassicalVoice majorandstudentofJoanPatenaudeYarnell.Lastfall, shesangthedemandingroleofAdinainMSM’s productionofDonizetti’s L’elisir d’amore.Theopera wasconductedbyMichaelSakiranddirectedby KatherineCarter.
JH: How did you prepare for this performance? Do you have a pre-show tradition?
GC:Adiligentpracticeroutineiswhateventuallyhelpsme feelcomfortableandhavefunonstage.Aroleofthissize feelsdauntingatfirst,butovertimeitbecomessucha wonderfulgrowthexperience OncemycolleaguesandI haveputthetimeandcareintopreparingourroles,wecan reallyenjoytheartthatwearecreatingtogether.BeforeIgo onstage,Iliketodosomephysicalstretchestowakeupmy bodyandgivemyselfsomepositivewordsofaffirmation.I makesuremytrustywaterbottleisfullbackstage,andI waitformyentrancewithmyfirstnotesinmind!
JH: What did you think of the toy theme and the setting we used?
GC:Iwasn'tsurewhattothinkofthetoythemeatfirst,but nowIthinkitwasagreatfit!Theplotissofullofjoyand whimsythatthesettingfeltnatural.Alltheprincipal charactershaveadistinctpersonalitythatmakesalotof sensewiththetoysthatourdirector,KatherineCarter,chose forus Adinaisthequeenbeeandtheidolofeveryonein town,soshebecameachild'scherishedmusicbox ballerina.Nemorino,whoisquiteemotionalandmopeyat times,wasimaginedasRaggedyAndy!Ifoundittobevery cleverandwilllookbackonthisthemefondly.
JH: How did performing this role differ from other roles you have sung before, either vocally or emotionally?
JH: Throughout the whole production, was there a scene that you liked the most?
GC:IlovedAdina'ssecondaria,"Prendipermeseilibero", andthediscussionthatNemorinoandAdinahavebetween thearia'sAandBsections Inthisscene,thetwocharacters arefinallybeinghonestabouttheirfeelingsandhavean incrediblyvulnerablemomentonstage.Thismusicis thrillingtosing,andtheemotionalexchangebetween myselfandmyfellowsinger,CarterGu,wasgenuine
GC:Thestoryof L'elisir d'amore isnotnecessarily emotionallytaxing,butIdidhavetoworkonbuildinga connectionwiththecharacterandmakingheractionsseem genuinebasedonwhatshewasfeelingatthetime.Iwould say,however,thatithasbeenmymostvocallychallenging rolethusfar Adinahasmanyscenesthatcontinuetobuild invocalintensity,andthestoryrevolvesaroundheractions andreactionstotheothercharacters.Learningthisrolewas amasterclassinexcellentsinging.Iwasthrilledtoperform inmyfirstbelcantoopera,andIcannotwaittocontinueto pursuetheseopportunitiesinthecomingyears Iam thankfulformywonderfulteacherandmyteamofcoaches whohelpedmeeachstepalongthejourneytowards creatingasuccessfulperformance.
JH: What message or feeling did you hope the audience would take away?
GC:Ihopethattheaudiencefeltconnectedtothe charactersthattheysawonstageandfeltthatoperacanbe funandapproachable!Thisstoryissociallyapplicable even200yearslater,andtherawemotionalqualityof Donizetti'smusiccantouchanysoul Itwasacompletejoy tocreatethisart,andIhopeitwaswellreceived!
JH: I’msogratefultohavebeenpartofthisproduction It wasmyfirsttimeperforminginanoperaandplayinginthe pit,andtheexperiencewasbothchallengingand rewarding.WorkingwithMaestroSakir,thecast,and everyoneinvolvedintheproductionwastrulyinspiring Oneofthebiggestchallengeswasensuringtheorchestra stayedperfectlyalignedwiththesingersonstage.This requiredmetogobeyondmyownpartandstudythe singers’lines,whichgavemeadeeperunderstandingof howthemusiccomestogetherasawhole andintheend, wemadeit!
PhotocourtesyofSandyWilder
CourtesyofManhattanSchoolofMusic
GraceChristensenas Adina
A VERY MSM CROSSWORD
by Faith Potter (BM ‘27)
HighlightsfromtheMSMVoice FacultyShowcase
ByLuisVega-Torres(BM‘27)
OntheeveningofJanuary22ndattheManhattan SchoolofMusic,GreenfieldHallwasbustlingwith energyasstudents,faculty,andcommunitymembers waitedeagerlytoheartheirbelovedteachersputtheir craftondisplay.Thenightbeganwithanearnest missionstatementasProfessorChristòpherenNomura announcedtheirrecitalwould‘reversetheroles’that usuallyareassumedinaclassroomsetting.“Welove seeingyouperform,”hesaid,“andwehopetonight givesyoualittletasteofwhatwedo”.
TheVocalArtsFacultyShowcasefeaturedthree studioprofessorsfromthevocalartsdepartmentand oneprofessorfromthedictiondepartment.Thestudio professorsfeaturedwereDimitriPittas,Christòpheren Nomura,andJackLiVigni.KatherineLernerLeeisa professorofFrenchdictionandjoinedthefacultyjust thisyear.ThenightalsofeaturedstaffpianistsEric Sedgwick,PelayoCiria,anddoctoralstudentAnnie Cao.
AfterapeppyintroductionfeaturingProfessor LearnerLeeandProfessorPittasperformingthe LibiamoduetfromLaTraviata,ProfessorNomura beganthenightshowcasinghisexpertiseinGerman lieder.Havingstudiedwiththegreatrecitalistsofhis time,suchasFischer-DieskauandSouzay,itwasclear fromtheonsetthatthiswashispassion.Alongside PelayoCiria,ProfessorNomuraperformedfour selectionsfromSchubert’sDieSchöneMüllerin. Amongthemostnotablethingsintheperformance werehisstorytellingskills.Whenoneperforms Schubert,onemustbeveryintentionalandcommitted totellingacompletestory(inthewordsofFischerDieskau,ofcourse).Laterinthenight,
ProfessorNomurawouldalsoperformaselectionfrom Allegiance:aBroadwayshowwhichhewasapartofand whichtoldastoryofJapaneseinternmentcampsinthe UnitedStates.
FrenchdictionteacherKatherineLearnerLee performedadeeplypersonal(youguessedit)Frenchset. Debussy’s3ChansondeBilitis,withEricSedgwickat thepiano,wasanexceptionaldisplayofeverythingthat stylisticallydefinestheFrenchmélodie.Herstudents, myselfincluded,havespentthelastsemesterlearningthe fundamentalsofFrenchdiction,andit’salways impressiveandinspirationaltohearaprofessorpracticing whattheypreach.
DressedinafullYankees-PolarBearsbaseball uniform,completewithtraditionalpinstripedknee-length pantsandamatchingMSMshirt,ProfessorPittaswasnot playingaround.PerformingBatter’sBox,anAmerican songcyclebyRobertPatterson—whowasinattendance! —,itwasclearthatthefullcostumewasessentiallya requirementforthenatureofthesongs.Thecyclewasan amalgamationofnostalgicbaseballsituations,ranging fromthefunnythoughtsthatrunthroughourmindsatthe platetotheirmoreseriousimplicationsandthecultural weightofAmerica’spastime.Notably,AnnieCao deliveredonastrikinglydifficultpianopartwith virtuosityandpassion.ProfessorPittaswasexceptionally suitedforthedifficultvocallineandrangeofemotions throughoutthenarrative.
Finally,ProfessorJackLiVigniclosedoutthesoloist partofthenightwithaSiciliantourdeforce.Acollection ofNeapolitansongsincollaborationwithEricSedgwick provedtobeoneofthemosttechnicallyimpressivefeats oftherecital.Defyingagethatdeterminesthevoiceofso manytenors,ProfessorLiVignishowedanimpressive dramaticandvocalrange.Imustadmitbias,since ProfessorLiVigniisactuallymyteacher.Regardless,I feelIcanspeakbroadlyinsayingthathisconnectionto themusicandhiscandidnessinexplainingtheconnection hehastotheItalianvocaltraditionwasadeeplytouching moment.
Theconcertclosedoutwithaperformanceof“WhenI haveSungmySongstoYou,”inwhichthefour performerseachtooktheirownvocallines.IbelieveI canspeakforallofusintheaudiencewhenIsaythatwe hopethevocalartsfacultyrecitalscanbecomeapartof thetraditionhereatMSM.Weareremindedthat greatnesscanreallybefoundatanyandalllevelsofthis school!
CourtesyofManhattanSchoolofMusic(msmnyc.edu)
February
peformance Schedule
Feb 2, 2026 · Feb 2–6: Eisenberg-Fried Concerto Competition
Feb 2, 2026 · 10:00 am: Distance Learning Master Class: Patinka Kopec, violin & viola
Feb 2, 2026 · 7:30 pm: MSM Composers’ Concert
Feb 2, 2026 · 7:30 pm: Independent Study Presentation: The Scott Robert Jazz Orchestra Presents: A Celebration of Cornelius Eady
Feb 3, 2026 · 9:30 am: Global Conservatoire Live Lab: Yoràn Vroom, jazz drums
Feb 3, 2026 · 7:30 pm: MSM Faculty Recital: Paul Cohen, Daniel Epstein, Yoon Lee, Elena Lisitsian, Chloé Kiffer, & Xiao Wang
Feb 6, 2026 · 10:00 am: Orchestral Performance Master Class: Amos Miller, low brass
Feb 6, 2026 · 7:30 pm: Vocal Arts Department Recital
Feb 6–8, 2026 · MSM Musical Theatre Freshman Pops
Feb 7, 2026 · 10:00 am: MSM Precollege Performances
Feb 8, 2026 · 2:00 pm: MSM Camerata Nova Brass Ensemble
Feb 9–11, 2026 · The Augustine Foundation Master Class Residency: Jason Vieaux
Feb 9, 2026 · 7:30 pm: MSM Faculty: Create!
Feb 10, 2026 · 7:30 pm: MSM Faculty Recital: David Cossin, percussion – Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians
Feb 11, 2026 · 7:30 pm: MSM Symphony Orchestra, conducted by George Manahan
Feb 12, 2026 · 7:30 pm: Lives of the Piano Part II: Zodiac Animals Vol. III (25th Anniversary Season)
Feb 13, 2026 · 1:00 pm: Drum Set Master Class: Kendrick Scott
February peformance Schedule
Feb 13, 2026 · 7:30 pm: Celebrating Black History Month (Presented by MSM Black Student Union)
Feb 14, 2026 · 7:00 pm: Special Student Project: Lyra Society: Music, Light, and the Universe
Feb 17, 2026 · 4:00 pm: Distance Learning Master Class: Joanna G’froerer, flute
Feb 17, 2026 · 7:30 pm: MSM Jazz Composers’ Orchestra
Feb 18, 2026 · 7:30 pm: MSM Consulate Series: Year of the Horse – A Lunar New Year Celebration
Feb 19, 2026 · 11:30 am: Violin Master Class: Leonidas Kavakos
Feb 20, 2026 · 7:30 pm: Contemporary Performance Ensemble: Tactus
Feb 20–22, 2026 · MSM Musical Theatre: Violet
Feb 21, 2026 · 10:00 am: MSM Precollege Performances
Feb 23, 2026 · 1:00 pm: Collaborative Piano Master Class: Kyung-A Yoo
Feb 23, 2026 · 7:30 pm: String Miniatures
Feb 23, 2026 · 7:30 pm: MSM Composers’ Concert
Feb 24, 2026 · 7:30 pm: MSM Faculty Recital: Wael Farouk, Joanne Polk, & William Wolfram
Feb 25, 2026 · 12:30 pm: Violin Master Class: Carol Lieberman
Feb 25–26, 2026 · 7:30 pm: MSM Symphony Orchestra and MSM Opera Theatre: Opera in Concert
Feb 26, 2026 · 2:30 pm: Orchestral Performance Master Class: Herman van Kogelenberg, flute
Feb 26, 2026 · 4:00 pm: Viola Master Class: Teng Li
Feb 28, 2026 · 10:00 am: MSM Precollege Performances
MEET THE BRIEFING TEAM
MatthewPichler Editor-in-Chief
Laila Leguillow Photographer
Anisah Social Me
James Ho Writer / Interviewer
Joshua Eugene Smith Columnist
Luis Vega-Torres Managing Editor