Interview: Pamela Martinez, Composer
I definitely think that having a team of Brooklyn creators and women creators working on original content for children is pretty awesome…
by Rachel Wilson
On Saturday June 23, the Brooklyn Music School’s Music Theatre Program will present the performance of “To Dream a World”. This unique performance features an original tale of how William Shakespeare imagined the characters for his works. As a boy, his dreams take him to magical worlds where he meets the characters that eventually end up in his plays.
Pamela Martinez is a voice, piano, violin, guitar, and harp instructor at Brooklyn Music School. I spoke with Pamela, who is one of the composers and lyricists for “To Dream a World,” and asked her about her work with the show and why it is unique and worth seeing.
Q: What do you think makes this production unique?
A: I definitely think that having a team of Brooklyn creators and women creators working on original content for children is pretty awesome. I feel like that can only happen in Brooklyn because there are so many creators here. Also, I think having this particular play is unique because it’s a Shakespearean focused play for children. It’s not one of his plays, so it’s not a watered-down version of his art, it’s a new piece that introduces children to the art and work of Shakespeare. Creating Will as a child so children will be interested in it, it’s a fictional biography of Will Shakespeare as a kid, which I can tell the children were connecting to.
Q: What was the inspiration behind the show/music?
A: We begin with a concept worth writing about and teaching about. We thought it was worth teaching about Shakespeare, we thought it was worth writing about the seasons. We usually base it on a myth, a fable, another opera or a character, a fictional or real life character. But we start with a teachable concept or concept we feel is worth teaching about, in this case it was William Shakespeare. In other cases, Greek or Roman mythology, or another composer we can teach about that inspired the work that we can completely recreate music for based on a character or myth.
Q: What is the overall process for putting together a show like this?
A: It’s a lot, a lot of work. Opera is the Italian word for WORK and they’re not kidding. The original intention was to create an original piece of art that was all of us together. I like working on this team, I like building a team that has like a lexicon, a library of experience to draw on. We’re growing together, it’s not 3 months at a time, it’s not a semester at a time, it’s growing over years. I’ve worked at BMS for 8 years and I’ve been writing for this project for two years.
Q: What is it like working with the students?
A: This season I didn’t work with the students directly. I have before. The best I can say is it’s best that the students work up to the task. We have professional, high level expectations. It’s not baby stuff. This is one that is pre-conservatory training, we have pretty high expectations for our performers. Not every student continues their studies but the ones that do, they flower and they blossom and they learn, so it’s the students growing as well as the writing and directing team. I’ve been writing music for like, 20 years, I started when I was a kid. I’ve mostly been seeing myself as a songwriter than a composer. I have a lot of experience recording, and I think this is the next step, taking the children into the studio, and teaching how music is passed along. I think that’s a big part of being a performer, learning how to share your work.
I have another project I work with called Whisper Lodge. It’s immersive theatre, it’s seasonal. We’ve had NY Times reviews, Buzz feed News reviews. A Netflix Documentary for the project comes out in July. That one I direct as well and work with the teens. I think there are very talented young people in Brooklyn. I mean all over, but luckily, they hear about Brooklyn Music School because we are at the heart of Brooklyn and we’ve been around for 100 years. We have a mentoring program for students who are under 18 who want to work for the school. I feel like that program has been centered towards rock students, for some reason. I would love to see more mentors brought in through the musical theater and dance programs. I don’t have a lot of harp students, there’s harp in the play and I‘m the harp instructor. I have two piano students that I’ve converted to harp, but I would love to find more harp students. I teach a lot of things but I would love more harp students!
Q: What do you think makes this show worth seeing?
A: The costumes are phenomenal! It’s worth seeing, it’s a very photographical play. Something unique about the costuming, which was done by Deborah Houston, is she used to run a Shakespeare company, so the costumes come from an authentic company. I would throw out the idea as far as parents who are looking for projects for their children. We’re studying content that is important and essential for a budding artist, studying some sort of literature or art.
Interview: Danielle Carroll, Playwright
Danielle Carroll is one of the playwrights for “To Dream a World”, and we spoke with her about what makes this show unique, the process behind it, and why you should attend the show …
by Rachel Wilson
On Saturday, June 23, the Brooklyn Music School’s Musical Theatre Program will present the performance of “To Dream a World”. This unique performance features an original, fictional tale of a young William Shakespeare and how he imagined the characters for his works. As a boy, his dreams take him to four magical worlds, which are represented by the four seasons. In these worlds, he meets the characters who will eventually end up in his famous plays.
Danielle Carroll is an actor, writer, and producer who has worked on original shows with BMS in the past. I spoke with Danielle, one of the playwrights for “To Dream a World”, and spoke with her about what makes this show unique, the process behind it, and why people should attend it.
Q: What do you think makes this production unique?
A: I think that this production is unique in that it incorporates Shakespeare’s greatest and lesser-known plays and sonnets into a cohesive tale. It is a fun look into the imagination of one of our greatest playwrights.
Q: What was the inspiration behind the show/music?
A: I remember being little and having this little pile of dirt right outside my bedroom window. I kept imagining a flower growing out of this pile. I would go to sleep looking out the window and imagine this beautiful flower. And I remember waking up one day and actually seeing a flower growing from this pile, almost as if I had willed it to happen. I still don’t know if I made it up or it was part of my dream. This image returns to me time and time again, and when we began exploring Shakespeare’s plays, I remembered this flower. I thought it would be a fun and imaginative way into Shakespeare’s worlds. The rest grew from that image.
Q: Why do you believe people should attend this show?
A: Shakespeare remains the greatest playwright because the themes he explores are timeless and his characters reflect human nature in its many forms. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is especially relevant in today’s climate, and to see something like this allows us to examine ourselves. I think we could all use the theater to guide us into worlds not so unlike our own. Sometimes our imaginations are more powerful than we know.
Q: What is the overall process for putting together a show like this?
A: Collaboration, collaboration, collaboration. It always starts with a small seed. The more you work with others, the more a concept grows and changes. Each layer adds something new to the story, and before you know it, the story has turned into something you could never have imagined. Working with Deborah on the text and her deep knowledge and love for Shakespeare was so essential in boiling down the key themes and creating this world. It comes from passion, and when you get so many talented people together who all bring something different to the table, magic can happen.
Q: What is it like working with the students?
A: Getting a group of 5-13-year-olds working on the same production is not an easy feat, but it is amazing to see the excitement and interest that they have and how they work together. Having the opportunity to introduce Shakespeare to a young group of students is so exciting and important, and these students really stepped up to take on the challenge. The language in the play isn’t easy, as a lot of it is taken straight from Shakespeare’s works, and they have done an excellent job of bringing that language to life.
Q: What was your favorite part of working on this production?
A: Seeing the students discover Shakespeare and these new worlds for the first time reminded me why I love the theater. I’m from a small town and the summer stock theater saved my life. I couldn’t believe that all of these different worlds could exist right down the street from me. This is why I moved to New York and continue to do what I do.
Q: Do you have any final thoughts or anything else you would like to add about the show?
A: I hope you enjoy it!
SOLD OUT! Jimi Hendrix Tribute, ft Nels Cline
Nels Cline, Artistic Advisory Board Member for BMS, takes the stage on February 24 to pay homage to Jimi Hendrix. This cross-generational show celebrates the musical genius of Jimi Hendrix that goes beyond boundaries of time and space.
“Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.” -- Jimi Hendrix
Nels Cline, Artistic Advisory Board Member for Brooklyn Music School, takes the stage on February 24 to pay homage to Jimi Hendrix. This cross-generational show celebrates the musical genius of Jimi Hendrix that goes beyond boundaries of time and space. Student bands from Brooklyn Music School will also be joining in for some of the classic Jimi Hendrix songs. Expect to hear a wide array of classic Jimi Hendrix songs from Foxy Lady to Jam Back at the House and everything in between. The show will also feature light projections by DRIPPY EYE.
Line-Up:
Nels Cline - guitar, vocals
Trevor Dunn - bass
Donald McKenzie - drums
John Medeski - keyboard
Featuring Light Projections by DRIPPY EYE
Photos Credit: Nathan West
February 10: Songs Full of Heart
Come join us in celebration of love and music at our annual Valentine’s Day Concert.
Come join us in celebration of love and music!
February 10th @ 5:00 p.m. at the Brooklyn Music School | 126 St. Felix Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217
The Brooklyn Music School is proud to present the 5th annual Valentine's Day concert entitled "Songs full of Heart". Produced by the Vocal Department, the concert will feature our talented BMS vocalists and ensembles performing songs that speak of the power of love and human connections. Beyond words, the program will feature tunes that melt hearts and inspire bonds.
Jan 13: MLK Jr. Tribute ft. Lester Lynch
Brooklyn Music School is honored to present the 16th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute concert hosted by renowned baritone and BMS advisory board member Lester Lynch.
Brooklyn Music School presents
Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute: Spirit of Hope
Featuring Lester Lynch
Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 5 p.m.
Brooklyn Music School (BMS) presents Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute: Spirit of Hope on January 13th, 2018 at 5pm. BMS is located at 126 Saint Felix Street, Brooklyn.
"Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of Hope" – Dr. King
Brooklyn Music School is honored to present the 16th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute concert hosted by renowned baritone and BMS advisory board member Lester Lynch. Inspired by Dr. King's legacy and message, the program will feature selections from Mr. Lynch's recent recording On My Journey Now: Spirituals & Hymns as well as performances by BMS faculty and students.
LESTER LYNCH, an established dramatic baritone, is making his mark in some of the world’s leading opera houses. Known for his charismatic portrayals and commanding voice, he is receiving rave reviews as he masters some of the most important baritone roles from Scarpia to Rigoletto to Count di Luna. Opera Today recently enthused, “It was booming baritone Lester Lynch who served notice that he is now in consideration for admittance to the Scarpia Preferred Pantheon - when he needed to pour it on he had the Puccinian fire power and the dramatic heat to raise the hair on the back of your neck.” The Cincinnati Enquirer wrote, “Lester Lynch made a superb Macbeth, delivering an authoritative performance with a firm, powerful voice and wonderfully communicating both tragedy and madness.”
His most recent performances include Lescaut in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle with the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Crown in Porgy and Bess with the Opéra de Montréal, as Amonasro in Verdi’s Aida with Pittsburgh Opera, as Carbon in Cyrano de Begerac with San Francisco Opera, as Herald in Lohengrin with Lyric Opera of Chicago, as Gérald in Andrea Chénier with the Bregenzer Festspiele, as Nottingham in Roberto Devereaux and Count Di Luna in Il Trovatore with Minnesota Opera. His latest debuts include a back-to-back engagement with the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian in Portugal where he was featured as Iago in Verdi’s Otello and in the title role of Verdi’s Falstaff.
Upcoming performances include Nabucco with the Welsh National Opera, Amonasro with the Bergen National Opera in Norway, and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice with the Warsaw National Opera. Upcoming recordings include Iago in Verdi’s Otello, Porgy in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess and a Verissimo French Aria CD to be recorded by Pentatone Classics.
Mr. Lynch has worked with some of the world’s most renowned conductors and directors. Under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic, he has sung the role of Crown in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, and the Bauer in Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder. He has also appeared with conductors Sir Andrew Davis, Placido Domingo, Larry Foster, Ulf Schirmer, and John DeMain, and performed under eminent directors Sir Richard Eyre, Christopher Alden and Francesca Zambello.
His performance of Crown with San Francisco Opera ‘s production of Porgy and Bess was recently released on DVD. Pentatone Classics has released his recordings of two operas by the contemporary composer Gordon Getty – the title role in Plumpjack, and Cauchon in Joan and the Bells. Another important release is a recording of Mahler’s Symphony No.8 conducted by JoAnn Falletta.
Mr. Lynch’s regular repertoire includes Amonasro in Verdi’s Aida, Marcello in Puccini’s La Boheme, Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata, Count DiLuna in Trovatore, the tile role of Rigoletto, Iago in Otello, the tile role in Verdi’s Falstaff, Guglielmo in Puccini’s Le Villi, Paolo in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, Flint in Britten’s Billy Budd, Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera, Alfio in Cavalleria Rusticana, Tonio in I Pagliacci, Scarpia in Puccini’s Tosca and the title role in Verdi’s Macbeth.
An accomplished concert artist, Mr. Lynch has performed a wide and varied repertoire with orchestras across the world, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, the National Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, and the American Symphony Orchestra. His recent Carnegie Hall solo debut of Karl A. Hartmann’s Gesangsszene with the American Symphony Orchestra received rave reviews.
Mr. Lynch has received many distinguished awards, including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the George London Vocal Competition, and the Sullivan Awards. His work with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis earned him the Richard Gaddes Award.
His recent volunteer work includes two engagements with the Harare International Festival of Art in Zimbabwe in 2012 and 2013 where he produced a night of arias and ensembles with a group of his colleagues.
DECEMBER 15: Little Red Riding Hood
Presented by young musical theater performers, this imaginative production will feature the classic and original characters highlighting Little Red’s journey through the unfamiliar woods and her encounter with the clever trickster wolf.
Brooklyn Music School’s
Musical Theater Performance of
Little Red Riding Hood
Friday, December 15, 2017 at 7 p.m.
Tickets FREE for children ages 11 and under, $20 for adults
Brooklyn Music School (BMS) presents a Musical Theater Performance of Little Red Riding Hood on Friday, December 15, 2017 at 7 p.m. Tickets are FREE for children ages 11 and under, and $20 for adults ($10 for BMS students).
The classic transformative tale of Little Red Riding Hood will come alive in BMS Playhouse on December 15, 2017. Presented by young musical theater performers, this imaginative production will feature the classic and original characters highlighting Little Red’s journey through the unfamiliar woods and her encounter with the clever trickster wolf. As our young performers enact the evocative story and narrate the powerful lessons learned through their characters’ passage, audiences are reminded of the value of trust, kindness and the importance of community/family in times of hostility. In this exciting production, the creatures of the forest and trees come alive as the Mother's song echoes through the entire journey. Don't miss this original musical written and produced by the BMS faculty, proudly featuring the school’s youngest talent in music and theater.
Music and lyrics by Pamela Martinez, book by Danielle Carroll, stage direction and choreography by Marie Zvosec, costumes by Deborah Wright-Houston, lights and set design Ed Morrill.