INSTRUMENTAL
Mission and History
INSTRUMENTAL STUDIO MISSION
The Instrumental Music Department at Brooklyn High School of the Arts is dedicated to the highest performance standards in music. Students graduate prepared for a Liberal Arts or Conservatory College program. Students pursue a rigorous curriculum of solo and ensemble playing as well as studying music theory and music history. Students have the opportunity to work closely with top professional musicians in the New York scene through our various partnerships. Since its inception, the instrumental department at BHSA has performed high-quality and challenging music. Grounded in the classics, the bands and orchestra have performed music by many major European and American composers from the Baroque to the modern eras. Contemporary and “pop” literature, as well as world music, is also studied and performed.
PROGRAM HISTORY
In June 2004, just the third year of its existence, the Brooklyn High School of the Arts band entered the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Ratings Festival, at Level 6 (most difficult). The Symphonic Band received the silver award that year and the gold the following year, with the Concert Band receiving the silver. The instrumental program has maintained that level of excellence, with a band or orchestra bringing home the gold in every year since.
Beginning in 2000 with a band of 12 students, we gave 10 concerts the first year and traveled to Washington, D.C., at the invitation of our congressman, Adolphus Towns, to perform on the West Steps of the U.S. Capitol. Each year since then, the music program has grown and now includes Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, String Orchestra, and several chamber ensembles. The bands and orchestra give several full-length concerts each year as well as performing in the community and at junior high and elementary schools in the area. The concert schedule provides many opportunities for the chamber groups to perform.
We have had groups perform before Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) concerts in the lobby of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), with the BPO in a performance of Pied Piper Fantasy by John Corigliano, at the rededication of Floyd Bennett Field, annually at Lincoln Center‘s Young Music Makers Concert series, and regularly at the Regional Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Festival in Greenwich, Connecticut. Perhaps our most memorable performance was at the New York Wind Band Festival at Carnegie Hall in March 2008.
In June 2004, just the thi
The Instrumental Music Department at Brooklyn High School of the Arts is dedicated to the highest performance standards in music. Students graduate prepared for a Liberal Arts or Conservatory College program. Students pursue a rigorous curriculum of solo and ensemble playing as well as studying music theory and music history. Students have the opportunity to work closely with top professional musicians in the New York scene through our various partnerships. Since its inception, the instrumental department at BHSA has performed high-quality and challenging music. Grounded in the classics, the bands and orchestra have performed music by many major European and American composers from the Baroque to the modern eras. Contemporary and “pop” literature, as well as world music, is also studied and performed.
PROGRAM HISTORY
In June 2004, just the third year of its existence, the Brooklyn High School of the Arts band entered the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Ratings Festival, at Level 6 (most difficult). The Symphonic Band received the silver award that year and the gold the following year, with the Concert Band receiving the silver. The instrumental program has maintained that level of excellence, with a band or orchestra bringing home the gold in every year since.
Beginning in 2000 with a band of 12 students, we gave 10 concerts the first year and traveled to Washington, D.C., at the invitation of our congressman, Adolphus Towns, to perform on the West Steps of the U.S. Capitol. Each year since then, the music program has grown and now includes Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, String Orchestra, and several chamber ensembles. The bands and orchestra give several full-length concerts each year as well as performing in the community and at junior high and elementary schools in the area. The concert schedule provides many opportunities for the chamber groups to perform.
We have had groups perform before Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) concerts in the lobby of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), with the BPO in a performance of Pied Piper Fantasy by John Corigliano, at the rededication of Floyd Bennett Field, annually at Lincoln Center‘s Young Music Makers Concert series, and regularly at the Regional Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Festival in Greenwich, Connecticut. Perhaps our most memorable performance was at the New York Wind Band Festival at Carnegie Hall in March 2008.
In June 2004, just the thi
Curriculum
Jazz Ensemble
The Brooklyn Arts Jazz Ensemble has established itself as one of the top jazz groups in the state of New York since its inception in 2009. During this time the ensemble has received the top honors at the New York State Music Association’s Annual Festival, “Gold “and “Gold with Distinction”.
The band performs the highest quality musical literature in the big band tradition of American greats such as “Duke“ Ellington and “Count” Basie. Dedicated to the preservation of the American jazz idiom, students also study music of bebop, cool, rock, funk, and Latin styles. Students, selected from the larger ensembles by audition, take this course daily for credit. The group performs regularly and has taken part in the regional Essentially Ellington High School Band Festival at Greenwich High School in Connecticut, the Long Island University Downtown Jazz Festival, and Lincoln Center’s Young Music Makers. Students from the Brooklyn Arts Jazz Ensemble have gone on to be accepted to the top jazz programs at Berkley College of Music, Mannes New School, Long Island University, and others.
Partnerships include Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington High School Band Program which allows the students to perform previously unreleased compositions by “Duke” Ellington, and the opportunity to attend rehearsals by Winton Marsalis’ Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Concert Band, and Wind Ensemble
Our Concert Band and Wind Ensemble are made up of woodwind, brass, and percussion students and meet daily. The ensembles perform standard American band literature in the tradition of John Philip Sousa, Richard Franko Goldman, and other band masters of the early twentieth century. Also in that tradition, we explore the contemporary music of the day. Over their four years students learn to read and compose music while preparing for college.
The Brooklyn Arts Concert Bands and Wind Ensembles have distinguished themselves since their inception in 2000. In that very first year the band gave a twelve concerts and was invited to perform at the West Steps of the United States Capitol by our Congressman, Adolphus Towns. Since then the bands at Brooklyn Arts have an unbroken record of Gold Awards at the festival.
Students are required to practice both in school and at home each day, to achieve excellence and develop habits and disciplines that will influence all aspects of their school achievement. Students are lent professional-quality instruments and are expected to keep them in good working order. Full-length concerts, as well as performances in the community are given each year by the bands.
Members of the Wind Ensemble, our elite band, are selected by audition, usually after training in the Concert Band.
String Orchestras
The Brooklyn Arts String Orchestra is made up of violin, viola, cello, and bass students and meets daily.
The members of the group receive solid technique training as part of their curriculum and perform the music of the great Baroque composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frederic Handel, and Antonio Vivaldi. Contemporary composer’s music is also studied as well as American “pop.” Students are expected to practice daily and to perform at a high level. High-quality instruments are available on loan to those who do not have their own.
Orchestra members perform several full-length concerts during the year, as well as performing at various events and festivals such as New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) where the orchestra has received high honors, including the Gold Award, for the last four years. Students perform annually at the Young Music Makers at Lincoln Center Festival.
We are honored to be one of a select group of schools to be part of Ensemble Connect, a program of Carnegie Hall, The Julliard School, and The Weill Music Institute in collaboration with the New York City Department of Education.. For Further information about this program and our teaching artist, Rebecca Anderson, go to https://www.carnegiehall.org/Education/Ensemble-Connect. In the video, watch for our alumni, Elijah Herring and Aaron Stokes, as well as past fellows Yves Dharamraj and Caleb van der Swaagh.
Music Theory and Advanced Music Theory
Music theory is the study of the practices and possibilities of music. ... Music theory is concerned with describing how musicians and composers make music, including tuning systems and composition methods among other topics.
Freshmen-
Orchestra 1 & 2 (2 Credits)
Concert Band 1 & 2 (2 Credits)
Music Theory 1 & 2 (2 Credits)
Sophomores –
String Orchestra 1 & 2 (2 Credits)
Concert Band 1 & 2 (2 Credits)
Wind Ensemble 1 & 2 (2 Credits)
Music Theory 3 & 4 (2 Credits)
Juniors –
String Orchestra 3 & 4 (2 Credits)
Wind Ensemble 3 & 4 (2 Credits)
Seniors –
String Orchestra 5 & 6 (2 Credits)
Wind Ensemble 5 & 6 (2 Credits)
Advanced Instrumental Electives
Jazz Ensemble 1, 2, 3, & 4 (4 Credits)
String Quartet 1 & 2 (2 Credits)
Brass Lab
String Lab
Wind Lab
Percussion Lab
Guitar 1 & 2 (2 Credits)
Partnerships
Ensemble Connect:
Ensemble Connect is a program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute in partnership with the New York City Department of Education. As part of the program, a teaching artist, called a Fellow, is paired with a classroom teacher for twenty-five sessions that focus on developing each student’s individual technique, ensemble playing, and understanding of the creative process. In additional to working with students in instrumental classrooms, Fellows perform both individually and with other Ensemble Connect musicians in chamber ensemble concerts at our school. Another component of our partnership is the opportunity for students and their families to attend concerts at Carnegie Hall and the Juilliard School for free. For more information follow this link: http:www.carnegiehall.org/ensembleconnect
Jazz at Lincoln Center:
For the past nine years, the Jazz program at Brooklyn High School of the Arts has partnered with Wynton Marsalis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center program. Top clinicians have visited BHSA to mentor our young jazz performers and we have had the privilege to visit JALC to hear a rehearsal of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. BHSA is a member of JALC’s Essentially Ellington High School Band program and performs regularly at the Regional EE Festival. For further information contact: http://jazz.org./ee
Staff: hhhhhhhhhhh Frank Proudfoot, AP Mr. Hands, Instructor Mr. Lawrence, Instructor Mr. Scandone, Director Staff Bios: Mr. Scandone: Born in Washington, D.C., John Scandone earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Music Education from Duquesne University, where he studied French horn with David Mairs, Associate Principal Horn of the Pittsburgh Symphony. Subsequently, John came to New York City to pursue a performing career, working with such luminaries as Count Basie, Tony Bennett, Jon Faddis, The Heath Brothers, and others. He earned his Master’s in Music Performance, summa cum laude, from Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music, where he studied the operatic literature with Howard T. Howard, Principal Horn with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. John has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and Merkin Concert Hall in symphony and opera orchestras and remains active on the New York music scene,recording and performing with various orchestras and chamber groups. A New York City music teacher for the last twenty-nine years, John founded the instrumental music department at the Brooklyn High School of the Arts, which opened in 2000. During this time his concert bands, jazz bands, and string orchestras have excelled, receiving top awards at the annual NYSSMA festivals since 2004. His students have been accepted into top music programs at leading universities, including Berklee College of Music, The New School, The Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, Tuskeegee Institute,Howard University, Hampton University ,as well as SUNY music programs throughout New York State. Mr. Scandone has taught Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, String Orchestra, and A.P. Music Theory, and continues to work to improve the musical opportunities for the children of Brooklyn. Mr. Hands: Steve Hands is a professional oboist and educator from Brooklyn, NY. He holds degrees in music education and performance from Brooklyn College and a Master's in music performance from the University of New Mexico. Mr. Hands has studied oboe with Rob Botti (NY Philharmonic), Robert Ingliss (NJ Symphony) and Kevin Vigneau (NM Philharmonic). While in New Mexico, he was a regular performer with the Las Cruces Symphony and the New Mexico Philharmonic as well as Music Director at 21 st Century Public Academy. As a freelance musician in the NY tri-state area, he has performed as principal oboe with professional groups such as the Bergen Symphony, Garden State Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra of the Bronx and many more. Mr. Hands joined Brooklyn High School of the Arts in 2013 and currently teaches Band and Music Theory. Mr. Lawrence: Beavin Lawrence is a music teacher and the Director of the Jazz Ensemble of Brooklyn High School of the Arts. Beavin is a graduate of the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz Studies, Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford, where he received a BA in Jazz Studies. He continued his studies at CUNY Brooklyn College where he received a Masters Degree in education. He currently co-conducts the New York High School All-City Jazz Ensemble, where he has partnered with institutions such as Jazz at Lincoln Center. As a Saxophonist he continues to play with some of the most notable ensembles and musicians in and around New York City. His musical compositions have been featured in film. |
Audition Requirements |
For more information about our Instrumental Studio see our featured page "Blues from the Basement."