Panel Discussions / Coaching Sessions

Objective: To develop interactive learning opportunities between students and entertainment professionals

Total Students Reached: 300

Notable Achievements: Arranged panel discussions with Cyndi Lauper; the Academy Award-winning songwriters behind Disney’s Frozen; and the Tony Award-wining songwriters behind Les Misérables

In any industry, one of the most beneficial experiences is the opportunity to learn directly from working professionals.

I have facilitated panel discussions between The New York Pops’ music students and Cyndi Lauper; Kristen & Bobby Lopez (the two-time Academy Award-winning songwriting team behind Disney’s Frozen and Pixar’s Coco); Tony Award-winning stage director Bartlett Sher; Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (the Tony Award-winning songwriting team behind Les Misérables); Diana Byer (founder and artistic director of New York Theatre Ballet); Broadway actors Rob McClure and Julia Murney; and New York Pops principal trumpet player Neil Balm.

In 2018, The New York Pops established a musical theatre residency at The Benjamin Franklin School in The Bronx. That spring, the students began rehearsing a production of Disney’s Aladdin. In preparation for their first performance, I coordinated a masterclass with Adam Jacobs, so he could share his experience originating the role of Aladdin on Broadway (see photo below).

I have also drawn on my industry connections to create unique auction packages, allowing musical theatre students to work one-on-one with leading professionals, including two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster, Tony Award nominee Tony Yazbeck, and Betsy Wolfe. All proceeds from these auction packages have supported The New York Pops’ broader arts education initiatives, enabling the organization to reach even more children across New York City.