NEW YORK (PIX11) — Imagine being a high school student who is a serious classical musician and you get a chance to play alongside members of the New York Philharmonic.
That was the thrill for dozens of young Juilliard pre-college students playing in a concert featuring Black and Latinx composers. It was also the first time that members of the Juilliard Music Advancement Program orchestra for students, ages 10 to 18, got to play their instruments alongside some of the world-famous players of the New York Philharmonic.
The American Composers Forum was also the creative partner for the world premieres of pieces by Jordyn Davis, James Diaz, and Trevor Weston. This is also a two-year program started by the head of Juilliard’s Preparatory Division director Weston Sprott.
“I think it gives our students in MAP an opportunity to understand what it’s like to be a professional musician. This is a life-changing opportunity for students to feel like they have ownership of a space like David Geffen Hall,” said Sprott, who is also the Dean and Director of the Juilliard Preparatory Division.
For female, Black composer Jordyn Davis, whose piece called “As I Am” had its world premiere, this was a dream come true.
“We’re here we’ve always been here and listen to music please,” Davis told PIX11 News. “Continue to go after what you dream of.”
For 16-year-old clarinetist Bianca Quddus from Bronx High School of Science, and 17-year-old violinist Emma Hong from Syosset High School, words could barely describe this experience.
“This is just a gift,” Emma Hong, a Juilliard MAP orchestra member, told PIX11 News. “It’s amazing all the support we are getting from New York Phil members.”
“It’s exhilarating,” Bianca Quddus, a Juilliard MAP clarinetist, told PIX11 News. “It’s surreal, looking up at the audience and seeing all the seats now.”
