Face the Music Alumni

Kaufman Music Center's Face the Music is the country's first youth ensemble dedicated to studying and performing music by living composers.

Called "a force in the New York new-music world" by the New York Times, Face the Music is a unique youth orchestra made up of nearly 100 adventurous, energetic and creative young musicians and composers who perform all over NYC in a collection of ensembles including chamber orchestras, a jazz big-band, an improvisation collective, string quartets and mixed chamber-groups.

Registration is always open to young musicians age 10-18! Get info.

Meet some of Face the Music's members & alumni:

Sam Boyce
A 12th grader at Avenues: The World School, Sam plays the cello and lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
“I love being able to collaborate with other musicians my age and meeting people working in the professional music field.”
 


Graeme Buehrer
A 9th grader at Pelham Middle School, Graeme plays the trumpet and lives in Pelham, NY.
“We have a lot of fun playing and improvising. Aside from playing jazz, we also compose. I love getting to play with other people who like what I do.”

 

Titus Daniels
A 10th grader at Kaufman Music Center’s Special Music School High School, Titus plays percussion and lives in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn.
“I joined because I wanted to be in a band and perform. With Face the Music, I can perform all over NYC.”
 


Nicholas Filanovsky
A 12th grader at LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Nicholas plays the trumpet and lives in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.
“Face the Music gives me the opportunity to play trumpet, which is my second instrument. My main instrument is the French horn.”


Maya Fortune
A 2018 graduate of Kaufman Music Center’s Special Music School High School, Maya plays the violin and lives on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
“Face the Music is a good experience because I had never been exposed to modern music. Working with composers and student composers – I never thought I’d be able to do that. I love it!”



David Hovanisyan
An 11th grader at Kaufman Music Center’s Special Music School High School, David plays the saxophone and lives in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.
“We have many opportunities to perform everywhere. Next week we’re performing at The Jazz Gallery, which is a big opportunity for me. It’s good for my future resumé.”
 

Arcinello Jocson
A 2018 graduate of Kaufman Music Center’s Special Music School High School, Arcinello plays the guitar and lives in Astoria, Queens.
“I love the pieces the big band is doing. In one I’m acting like a DJ, doing DJ scratches on the guitar. And the Maria Schneider piece – I just dig it.”



Gabo Lewis
A 2018 graduate of Kaufman Music Center’s Special Music School High School, Gabo plays the viola and violin and lives in Manhattan.
“I was excited to add contemporary classical music to my resumé and to my repertoire because it allows you to get this incredible sense of your instrument and your abilities as a musician. It pushes the limits of what’s known on your instrument as well as what’s known musically speaking.” Read a profile of Gabo.



Alma Zurita McKinnon
An 11th grader at Kaufman Music Center’s Special Music School High School, Alma plays the cello and lives in Chelsea.
“I get to play my friends’ pieces, which is pretty cool. I can ask them what they want from our work, which is not something you get from most situations.”

Photos by Jon Scarlet

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