Bliss Award

The Bliss Award in music is given each year to a senior who has demonstrated the highest commitment to music through enthusiasm for the creative process and also performing with excellence while on stage. Not only an incredible solo performer, this year's senior recipient of the Bliss Award in music also played exceptionally in several critical ensemble roles throughout his Upper School years. Shining during all of his concert band performances on the clarinet, he was also featured as a pianist at the Portledge Showcase during all four of his Upper School years. Both as a soloist and accompanist, his piano performances have always stood out musically for following the composer's intentions while also having his own personal touch on them. As a co-leader of Portledge School's first ever student-composed Rock Opera "Neither Here Nor There",

Tyler Wasserman was only expected to spend 90 hours finishing his Higher Level IB Music Assessment; yet he had already surpassed that time before Winter Break while designing, building, and programming the code for his own original instrument to be used in the performance. While spending hundreds of hours more painstakingly transcribing and notating the music for the opera along with fine-tuning his instrument, Tyler showed that he was fully committed to taking artistic risks and would only settle to achieve the highest quality product. Over four years in the Upper School, Tyler not only worked on all of his musical and academic assignments with passion, but he also took on personal projects and practiced them with the same intensity. Recently, he even brought in piano music after his IB exams were finished simply because, in his words, 'I wanted to learn a new piece.' There were many occasions when he was on campus by 7:00 a.m. in order to have a piano on which to compose, arrange, or just practice on. His dedication, commitment, passion, and drive have all fostered his musical talent. A curious composer, focused researcher, budding improviser, and passionate performer, Tyler Wasserman has shared his love of music with the entire Portledge community throughout every step of his Upper School journey, and the Music Department proudly awards him with the 2023 Bliss Award - Music. Congratulations Tyler!