Kingston music school is stepping out with a zoo-tible showcase
By: Jillian Kalonick
A few weeks before their own recitals, students at the New School for Music Study in Kingston get the opportunity to see their instructors perform. It’s an experience that students never fail to find amazing, says Scott Donald, the school’s administrative director.
"I’ve often seen recitals where students come up afterward they’re so adorable and say ‘Oh my gosh, that’s my teacher,’" says Mr. Donald. "It’s neat to see their faces light up … They get a wonderful opportunity to see us in action; rather than us being their teachers, we’re performers."
This year’s faculty performances will be a historic event, says Mr. Donald. The New School for Music Study’s Parents Advisory Council has helped to organize a public performance of Saint-Saens’ "Carnival of the Animals," a family-oriented, multimedia event which will take place Sunday at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart in Princeton. Guest artists will include Jill Crawford (flute) and Chris Clark (double bass). Joshua Worby, former executive director of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, will narrate the accompanying light verse by Ogden Nash.
"We decided to do something bigger, and involve more students as well," says Mr. Donald. "We wanted to keep it very family- and kid-friendly, and go with a theme they could relate to. ‘Carnival of the Animals’ is great music, really fun, and kids identify with it."
Students at the New School for Music Study have been asked to create artwork inspired by the movements in the piece, which will accompany the performance in a slide presentation.
The Saint-Saens piece is also serving as inspiration for the school’s annual composition contest; the children’s entries will be based on the "Carnival of the Animals" theme.
The event is also a way to get the community involved and spread the word about the school, says Sharon Hoffman-Manning, who is president of the New School for Music Study’s Parents Advisory Council. "The talent of the teachers is incredible," she says. "It goes back to core of why the school exists to share music with the community and students."
The New School for Music Study was founded in 1960 by Frances Clark and Louise Goss, and is unique in that it focuses solely on piano instruction. It serves as the laboratory school for the Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy, which describes itself as the nation’s only independent research facility devoted to keyboard music and keyboard education. Funds raised from Sunday’s concert will go toward the school, which is nonprofit, and benefit programs such as tuition assistance for students.
The school, which has around 250 students age 5 through adult, encourages performing on a regular basis, "not in a competitive nature, but getting out and sharing music," says Mr. Donald. "All students are involved in private study and group study, and they perform for each other during class. We try to get them comfortable sharing music in front of other people … This program is an opportunity for them to see live music if they go to live music, it’s usually an orchestra event on a large scale."
"It’s wonderful how (instructors) work with their kids," says Ms. Hoffman-Manning, whose daughter has been taking lessons at the New School for Music Study for six years. "I think the kids play from their heart. When you hear a recital you can really tell how they engage the students in a meaningful way. They see the bigger picture for the students it’s part of their whole education.
It’s impressive for students to have the opportunity to see their instructors perform, but Mr. Donald says musicians of all ages have similar experiences when they are in the spotlight. "We all get nervous," says Mr. Donald "It’s all the same thing. The only difference is we play more notes."
The New School for Music Study will present a performance of "Carnival of the Animals," composed by Camille Saint-Saens with verse by Ogden Nash, at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, 1200 Stuart Road, Princeton, on Sunday at 2 p.m. Performers will include Jill Crawford (flute), Chris Clark (double bass), Joshua Worby (narrator) and New School for Music Study faculty. Tickets cost $15, $8 children. For tickets, call the New School for Music Study at (609) 921-2900. On the Web: www.nsmspiano.org.

