The School of Jazz and Contemporary Music

Professor Marlon Saunders brought the community together for Black Broadway, celebrating musical theater and the contributions of Black artists, performers, and composers.

Performances by Wanyana Njuki, Maya Price, Chloe Robinson, Dakota Mack, Keishona Weekes, Jazmine James, Harper Jones, Donnie T. Smith, and the amazing Broadway actor/singer Rashidra Scott.

Stream the entire performance on our YouTube channel!

Black Broadway Professor Marlon Saunders and singers from the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music and the School of Drama celebrate musical theater and the contributions ...

The College of Performing Arts is thrilled to host a wonderful event tomorrow at the New School's John L. Tishman Auditorium: A Celebration of Black History Month, Curated by Charlotte Small.

Friday, February 23, 2024, 7:30PM

This special event will feature performers, artists, and activists, including Keynote speaker Dr. Cornel West, Arturo O’Farrill, the Buster Williams Trio, Ethel Calhoun, Mannes Orchestra performing Alvin Singleton, Charlotte Small, and more!

This event is open to the public and free with registration!

RSVP: https://event.newschool.edu/acelebrationofblackhistorymont

Earlier this month, Professor Fay Victor and alum Samantha Kochis organized the Performer-Composer Alumni and Student Showcase. MMPC community members showcased innovative projects pushing the boundaries of tradition and small group improvisation.

We're excited to share that Marlon Saunders has received a one-year appointment as Assistant Professor of Jazz!

Composer, Singer, Producer, and Playwright Marlon Saunders has worked with artists, including Michael Bublé, Sting, Angelique Kidjo, Graham Nash, Elvis Costello, Kesha, Cynthia Erivo, Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill, Javier Colon, Billy Joel, Bobby McFerrin, Joe Henderson, Ron Carter, Shawn Colvin, Nine Inch Nails, Jane Siberry, Shania Twain and Martha Wash.

Saunders composed the musical work, “ISAAC: A Musical Journey,” based on the published autobiographical narrative “Life of Isaac Mason as a Slave.” This new work is part of a partnership between the Kent Cultural Alliance and Chesapeake Heartland: An African American Humanities Project at Washington College’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience. In May 2023, Saunders and the cast of “ISAAC: A Musical Journey” headed to The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for an invited workshop residency through the REACH Social Impact Theater development project.

Marlon is the CEO and founder of The Seamless Voice, a vocal coaching and artist consulting company whose clients include Broadway actress, singer, producer, and Tony-nominated actor LaChanze, “The Color Purple,” “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,” and “Trouble In Mind,” Tony Award Nominee, Jaquel Spivey: “A Strange Loop,” Kimberly Marable: “Sister Act,” “The Lion King” and “Hadestown,” Rashidra Scott: “Company,” “Ain’t Too Proud-The Life And Times Of The Temptations,” and “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” Tony Award Nominee Celia Gooding: “Jagged Little Pill,” Dyllon Burnside: “Thoughts Of A Colored Man”, the tv series “Pose” and pop recording artist, Elle Winter. Marlon is the voice coach and vocal consultant for the animated Netflix series, “Spirit Rangers.”

From 2015 to 2017, Marlon toured with Stevie Wonder on The Songs In The Key of Life Tour as choir director. He has served as a vocal contractor for Sam Smith, Bastille, Logic, Mondo Cozmo, and Andrea Bocelli.

Marlon appears in the film Enchanted as The Calypso Singer who sings the Academy Award-nominated song "How You Know" with Amy Adams.

Photo by Rinako Sakamaki

Congratulations to the faculty and alumni from the Mannes School of Music and the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music for their 2024 Grammy Award nominations!

Cécile McLorin Salvant, JoAnn Falletta, Robert Glasper, Julian Lage, Dave Glasser, Lakecia Benjamin, David T. Little, Emilio Solla, Darcy James Argue, Toyin Spellman-Diaz, Bobby Sanabria

https://blogs.newschool.edu/news/2023/11/faculty-and-alumni-from-the-college-of-performing-arts-mannes-jazz-drama-earn-variety-of-2024-grammy-nominations/

Students performed at The New School's inaugural City Visionary Awards this week.✨ The event celebrated visionaries who strive to make New York City more equitable, sustainable, and joyful through their high-impact work.

📸 by MacKenna Lewis

The acclaimed a ca****la brass quartet, The Westerlies, became Ensemble-in-Residence in 2021, and now they’re set for their debut concert at The New School, "Taking Shape," on November 9 at 7:30pm in Ernst C. Stiefel Hall.

Join us: https://event.newschool.edu/thewesterliestakingshape

Learn more about our Ensemble-in-Residence: https://blogs.newschool.edu/news/2023/10/the-westerlies-ensemble-in-residence-at-the-school-of-jazz-and-contemporary-music-develop-community-at-the-new-school/

In this article for TIDAL, faculty member Bobby Sanabria reflects on the life and legacy of Tito Puente, the Latin-jazz giant who always aimed to give the audience something extraordinary.

Dance Mania: Tito Puente @ 100 Drummer Bobby Sanabria looks back on the Latin-jazz giant who never tired of playing for dancers and always aimed to give the audience something extraordinary.

Faculty member Elsa Nilsson was awarded a New Jazz Works Grant from Chamber Music America for her piece “Pulses”, a suite inspired by the Maya Angelou poem “On the Pulse of Morning.” It will be released on October 6, with a concert at National Sawdust.

https://blogs.newschool.edu/news/2023/09/elsa-nilsson-school-of-jazz-and-contemporary-music-faculty-member-wins-chamber-music-americas-new-jazz-works-grant/

The Psychedelic Rock and Soul Ensemble explores Psychedelic music from its origins in the late 1960s through the 1970s. The group will perform and record music by artists including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Pink Floyd, Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament Funkadelic, Isaac Hayes, and others.

Join us in-person! https://event.newschool.edu/psychedelicrocksoulensemble922

Watch the livestream on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpYjAdwqLKI

Congratulations to Lakecia Benjamin (SJCM '05) for being named the Monterey Jazz Festival's 2023 Artist-in-Residence! Lakecia will engage with MJF's education programs, providing young musicians unique performance and clinic opportunities. She'll also be a featured artist, showcasing her incredible talents with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra at the Monterey Jazz Festival weekend.

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE – Education Each year, the Monterey Jazz Festival names an internationally-renowned Artist-in-Residence (AIR) who works year-round with MJF’s education programs, providing young musicians with unique performance and clinic opportunities. During the Monterey Jazz Festival weekend, the AIR performs with the Nex...

Summer in the Square is back at Union Square Park and students from the College of Performing Arts’ School of Jazz and Contemporary Music are joining in the summer fun. On Thursdays throughout July, find them in the Triangle Park Seating Area from Noon through 2:00 pm for live performances.

See upcoming performances at the link!

Mannes School of Music The School of Jazz and Contemporary Music The School of Drama The New School

Join the College of Performing Arts this Summer in Union Square Park Summer in the Square is back at Union Square Park and students from the College of Performing Arts’ School of Jazz and Contemporary Music are joining in the summer fun. […]

School of Jazz and Contemporary Music students will perform at Union Square Partnership's Summer in the Square every Thursday through August 3! ☀️🎺

Mannes School of Music The School of Drama The New School

We're thrilled to host the Opening Ceremony for the 2023 Anti Social Camp - "the largest songwriting camp in the world."

ASC takes place from June 12-17 in New York City with 100 recording sessions, shows and celebrations around the city, featuring WALK THE MOON, MOBY, GRACE VANDERWAAL and many more.

Mannes School of Music The School of Drama The School of Jazz and Contemporary Music The New School

Anti Social Camp Partners With 150 Artists for 100 Songwriting Sessions The NYC camp announces partners including YouTube Music, SESAC, Amazon Music, BMI, Spotify, Hipgnosis and the Recording Academy.

This week we are celebrating the College of Performing Arts Class of 2023! 🎓

The College of Performing Arts recognition ceremony will begin tonight at 6:30 pm EDT and is available via a livestream at https://event.newschool.edu/CoPArecognition2023. Join us as we celebrate our incredible graduating students!