School of Music Feature Days

High School musicians are invited to attend the School of Music’s Feature Days where you can work with our faculty, guest artists, and current students in a series of master classes, recitals, and workshops. Each Feature Day is tailored to a specific instrument and takes place in our state-of-the-art performance venues. Feature days are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.

*All dates listed are currently tentative and subject to change.

Bassoon Day

Kim Laskowsky, guest artist

Kim Laskowski joined the New York Philharmonic in September 2003 as associate principal bassoon. Born in Brooklyn, she attended the High School of Music and Art and The Juilliard School where she won the Walter and Elsie Naumburg Award for Orchestral Excellence. She completed a master’s degree at Juilliard while playing in the National Orchestral Association, and has also participated in the Tanglewood and Spoleto festivals. As an active player on the New York musical scene, Ms. Laskowski has appeared with ensembles such as the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, American Symphony Orchestra, and Eos Orchestra. She can be heard on numerous television, radio, and film scores, and holds two platinum records for CDs recorded with the rock group 10,000 Maniacs. Before joining the Philharmonic, Ms. Laskowski played second bassoon in the New York City Ballet Orchestra. Learn more.

Tentative Date*

Sunday, November 15, 2020

Location

Hahn Hall and Music Instruction Building (MI-229)

Schedule of Events TBA

Questions?

Contact Keith Sweger

Cello Day

Avi Friedlander, guest artist

Avi Friedlander is director of the Barston Suzuki Center and on the chamber music faculty at the Music Institute of Chicago. Mr. Friedlander was a former member of The New World Symphony and served as the assistant principal cellist of the Atlanta Opera. He also served as an adjunct professor at Emory University and is the founder and former director of the Suzuki Talent Education Program of Birmingham. Mr. Friedlander has taught at workshops and festivals throughout the country and has performed throughout the United States, Japan, and Italy. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan (BM and MM) and the Cleveland Institute of Music (professional studies certificate). Learn more.

Tentative Date*

Saturday, September 26, 2020

Location

Sursa Hall and Hahn Hall

Schedule of Events

TBA

Questions?

Contact Peter Opie

Flute Day

Guest Artist TBA

Date TBA

Location

Music Instruction Building

Schedule of Events TBA

Questions?

Contact Mihoko Watanabe

Oboe Marathon

Sherry Sylar, guest artist

Sherry Sylar is associate principal oboe of the New York Philharmonic and has served as acting principal oboe during the last two years. She has also served as guest principal oboe for other major orchestras including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and the St. Louis Symphony. Ms. Sylar gives master classes for oboists internationally and was invited to China as a judge for the Beijing National Orchestra’s first-ever auditions. A native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, she earned her bachelor’s degree at Indiana University and her master’s degree from Northwestern University. She formerly taught at the University of Evansville in Indiana and since 2005 has served on the oboe faculty at Mannes College's The New School for Music in New York City. Learn more.

Tentative Date*

Sunday, December 6, 2020

Location

Hahn Hall

Schedule of Events

TBA

Questions?

Contact Lisa Kozenko

Saxtemberfest

Guest Artists TBA

Dates TBA

Questions?

Contact Nathan Bogert

Trombone Day

James Nova, guest artist

James Nova was appointed second/utility trombone of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) in 2009 after previously serving as the assistant principal/second trombonist of the Utah Symphony Orchestra for eight seasons. He studied at the Curtis Institute of Music (BM) with Glenn Dotson and the New England Conservatory (MM) with Norman Bolter. From 2003 to 2007 he enjoyed playing at the Grand Tetons Music Festival, and played and taught at the Brevard Music Center in the summer of 2013. Since 2012, Jim has found a new passion using recording technology to explore multi-track recording, also known as "overdubbing” (or, as he calls it, “Novadubbing”), and has created numerous recordings of challenging new transcriptions and arrangements for trombone choir. Most recently, in December 2017, Jim released a new overdub album for trombone choir, A Fall from Light to Dark. Through the chosen moments of John Williams’ masterful scores, this album musically chronicles the rise and descent of Anakin Skywalker as he transforms into Darth Vader. Truly a one-man show, this album’s transcriptions, playing, recording, editing, mixing, and mastering were all done by Jim Nova himself. Learn more.

Tentative Date*

Sunday, February 28, 2020

Location

Sursa Hall

Schedule of Events

TBA

Questions?

Contact Chris Van Hof

Trumpet Festival

Michael Sachs, guest artist

Michael Sachs joined The Cleveland Orchestra as principal trumpet in 1988. Praised by critics for his “spectacular chops,” and “radiant tone,” he is recognized internationally as a leading soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, teacher, author, and clinician. Along with his active performance schedule, Mr. Sachs serves as head of the trumpet department at the Cleveland Institute of Music and also is on faculty at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music. In addition to serving on the faculty of leading summer festivals, Mr. Sachs regularly presents master classes and workshops at conservatories and major universities throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia as a clinician for Conn-Selmer, Inc. Learn more.