Every alumnus has a story to tell about that special day.
Here's a few examples:
Here's a few examples:
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Nanette Schwersenz Jacobson - '79
My M&A story is this: I LOVED my four years of high school. I auditioned for M&A with classical guitar, not knowing that the school didn't offer guitar as an instrument. So the Chairman of the music department asked me to choose on the spot what I wanted to pursue - an orchestral instrument or voice? Since I also played folk guitar and sang, I said "Voice"! My fondest memories were of the chorus and the concerts we gave with Ms. Del Valle. Verdi's Requiem was my absolute favorite. When the opportunity to audition for Fame came up, I asked my parents if they thought I could miss the first few days of my freshman year at Barnard.
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They were quite strict so I expected them to say 'no' but they surprised me by saying "This could be a memory that lasts your whole life!" Boy, were they prescient!I performed in Fame in 1979. My name then was Nanette Schwersenz. I sang in the Body Electric Chorus and also recorded another song but I can't remember the name of it.
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Julia Fittanto-Frenza - '83
My name is Julia Fittanto. I'm also known as Frenza, but I'm divorced. I graduated in 1983. I went to Catholic Schools before I entered M&A. I was always active in the choir and acting in plays from as early as I can remember speaking. My parents always took us to Broadway shows and musicals, which sparked my interest in theater and Music and singing all sorts of styles of music from contemporary, standards, to jazz to church music- I was in love with belting out a tune! I was attending St. Catharine Academy for girls and my music teacher, Miss Eve Rand, inspired me to audition for her alma mater, Music & Art High School! I immediately looked into it and auditioned, singing You Light Up My Life, which was awesome.
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Time passed and one afternoon I received notice that I was accepted! I actually made it! I had dreams that I'd be a famous singer and I was ecstatic. Going home to convince my parents was another thing. Id be traveling and stepping outside of the small enclave of a sheltered neighborhood to get involved with young men and women like me- with talent and a burning desire to make a life out of Music! I ran with it, and found a great deal of pleasure when I arrived, and experienced many different people from different walks of life. In retrospect, the Solo Voice, Opera Workshop, Theory classes, Music History classes, were a great way to peak anyone’s interest and develop a finely tuned ear for quality. Our voices were raw talent and we appreciated God's gift. We were studying the master's, Bach, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Handel, Rachmaninoff, Schubert, plus, we sang our hearts out in various languages- songs of love, in Italian and Spanish, and Latin, and German, to name a few. This was all training " of a kind," but we had no sense of what was awaiting us after we graduated.
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Kristen Synder - Class of '82
Before entering M&A in 1979 I spent many days and evenings in long conversation with family and close friends weighing the pros and cons of M&A over a more ”academic oriented” school. The bottom line came down to following my heart and values, both in music and care for humans and the human spirit. I decided to take this same attitude in to my audition, knowing it might be ”risky business”. As a flutist, there was a standard repertoire which is bound to be expected. However, I was bored with the ”good ’ol standards" and decided that if I was going to audition, and do it well, then I needed to play music that spoke to me.
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I entered the room on the fifth floor and met Dr. Chernoff, who greeted me with an open hand and a long beard. To my right was a grungy blackboard with the musical staff, a piano in the middle of the room, and spread all over the place in what I suppose was a neat chaos, was a bunch of chairs. To me it was just chaos. And at the same time, that chaos said to me ”it might be o.k. to take risks”. I set my music on the piano (there was no music stand) and began to present myself: ”Hi, my name is Kristen Snyder and I have been playing flute for four years. I want to go to M&A because of its focus on the arts and its belief in diversity. And if it’s o.k. with you, I would like to perform Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik on flute (reading off a piano score of course).” And so I began to play and smiled as the melody came out of my flute and my soul. I was so glad I chose to play something that made me happy and decided if they didn’t like it, then it wasn’t a school for me. Apparently they liked my choice and my playing. I had four fantastic years at M&A graduating in 1982 with experiences in senior band and orchestra as well as the musicals. It pays to take chances and follow your heart!
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Félíçía Mack El-Amin - Class of '81
In 1977 I took the A train to 135th Street and looked up and saw what seemed to be a million stairs! I had my audition that day and I had prepared and studied and I was READY! I was honored to coach with the infamous Theresa Merritt from Broadway and "That's My Mama,"and she whipped me into shape so I would be guaranteed a spot in this prestigious High School I had always heard so much about! My Junior High School Music Teacher Anne-Marie Hudley rehearsed me for the entire week leading up to the audition date; she seemed just as anxious as me!
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After tackling the 200+ steps up the hill, I finally reached my destination and I just stood there for a moment looking at the building. I finally reached my destination and I just stood there for a moment looking at the building. Once inside, a feeling of "home" and a total sense of peace flooded my entire body and I knew that's where I belonged! I was auditioned by Mrs. Edith DelValle and she said I had a beautiful instrument and she enjoyed my audition. She said she was impressed at how prepared I was! I said thank you and that it would be an honor for me to learn and grow at this school! The rest is history! I was in Solo Voice Class, I was in the Movie "FAME" and I was honored to be selected to sing the National Anthem at our Class of 1981 graduation! Nothing but wonderful times at M&A and life-long Friends!
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Laura Green - Class of '78
I auditioned for M&A in 1974 because I wanted to play the oboe after hearing someone play it at my grade school when they were starting up a music program. My parents said taking lessons through the school was too expensive (they were putting both me and my brother through private schools at the time), but they found out about M&A, and they told me that if I got in, I could study oboe there. I had to wait a year, but I auditioned on piano (I had taken lessons from age 6-12) and got in!
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I was nervous, and I had to demonstrate other abilities like tapping out rhythms, but I remember how friendly the auditioners were and how they put me at ease. I loved it there from the first day. I used the school oboes until I got my own, and progressed through the bands and orchestras to playing principle in senior orchestra (I think it was Orchestra 8 at the time). I'll never forget our performance of the Verdi Requiem my senior year! I went to the University of Akron (Ohio) as a Music Performance major on a full scholarship, had the great good fortune to also study with the Cleveland Orchestra oboists (John Mack and Betty Camus) and was accepted into both Julliard and Manhattan School of Music as a grad student and chose MSOM (although I finished my Masters back at U of A as a graduate assistant due to financial reasons). I have been playing professionally ever since, both here and abroad. Music and Art and the wonderful, wonderful teachers and playing opportunities there made this all possible. It was a magic time in my life that I'll never forget.
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Lindsey Nicholson - Class of '76
I arrived early and uncommonly relaxed for my audition. I sat and waited patiently for my turn to come. I waited for hours before I realized that the people conducting the auditions had gone to lunch and had overlooked me. When it came to their attention, I was called and completed my audition. I was a little thrown off my game, but I still felt at ease and ended up performing well. When I found out that I had been accepted, I was happy, but my parents and teachers were ecstatic. I was very proud to have not let them down.
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Joseph Margone - Class of '60
That 1957 morning of the audition I awoke with a high fever and planned to skip it. My Mother grabbed me and my Accordion and hailed a cab in Washington Heights and off we went to M & A. I was late for the morning Music Aptitude Test but was admitted for the afternoon test. Mid morning I met with Mr. Kosokoff who rapped out a "pencil rhythm" on the Piano Keyboard Cover then handed me the pencil. After 6 different patterns his rendition was extreme enough for me to suggest he try it again for confirmation.
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I then played a piece on my Accordion to which he replied, the Tuba or the Violin was a new instrument of choice here. I picked Tuba. The afternoon test consisted of 3 tones played on a psuedo Xylophone where 3 tones were played with additional tones between them. "Same or Different" was the Q&A as they were played. Upon the announcement of acceptance months later, my excitement was shared with two other classmates from Stitt JHS as we traveled home that day.
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Ruth (Migdal) Taber – June '44
My piano teacher, Sara Teraspulsky told me about M&A and suggested an audition piece. It was 1940 and I was 11 years old at the time; my folks didn't think twice about me taking the subway from northwest Bronx to the High School. Miss Landecker (I think she was a voice teacher) auditioned me - we were in the "tower" room and I remember her asking me "wouldn't you like to study voice?" after she had me sight read some vocal passages.
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"Oh no" I said - I want to play a musical instrument in an orchestra! Three other students from my elementary school, P.S. 95 were accepted and I reveled in the most wonderful 4 years of school imaginable.I became a clarinetist and played in all the orchestras and the symphonic band - while continuing my piano lessons. My youth didn't matter since there were so many other kids my age! And what a group of kids and faculty! So many became famous in their music and art fields - (I switched to public health after graduate school - my undergraduate degree was in music education.) Now, sort of retired in El Paso TX, turning 90 this year, I still play the piano for pleasure. I continue to free lance as a journalist (covered arts, travel and food for the El Paso Times for 25 years and now write for El Paso Inc.) And whenever I read a glossy ad or hear a ridiculous commercial I'm reminded of my English teacher at M&A - Raymond Sayers who made his point when he asked us what we thought about the many billboards and ads touting "Anacin - Just Like a Doctor's Prescription - composed of many ingredients" We all looked blank until he gave us a penetrating look and said - "Oh yes, many ingredients - a little bit of cyanide, a little bit of arsenic....and more. To this day I can see him standing in front of the class saying this. I was sitting next to Ed Fisher, (he became a cartoonist for the New Yorker) and we just burst out laughing. But we never forgot the lesson and wish that more people could benefit from a bit of critical/analytical thinking these days!
So, when the time came to explore High Schools, Music & Art was amongst my choices. I was taken by the "Castle on the Hill" when I had my 1st audition. Yep....my 1st audition. Since I was currently a music student, I played my flute. I sang and I played the piano. I figured 1 out of 3 had to get me accepted. Much to my disappointment, no go. I didn't let that stop me. I found a determination I didn't know I had. Somehow I managed to get another audition date to prove I belonged there. I had an idea. I bought some art supplies and put together a portfolio even though I never had an art class before. Then......much to my surprise, I was accepted. ACCEPTED!!! I lived in what was called a 2 fare zone. Which was actually 3 fares for me. I had to ride a city bus to the subway. Then once off the subway, another city bus to school. It was sooooo worth it. That was one of the best 4 years of my life. So much more than high school. It was a great life experience. There were kids traveling from all of NY's 5 boros to Music & Art HS. And whenever I meet someone who went there, they feel the same way. "M & A all the way"
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Janet Gulotta - Class of '67
I desperately wanted to go to Music & Art. The name alone sounded like music. Of audition day I remember only the audition itself. It took place in a small room with an upright piano with 2 faculty members. One was Mrs. Landecker. They were both very kind to me. I played Chopin. I played Bach. I don’t think they let me play the pieces all the way through, which made me more nervous. Then I sang a song from “Oliver”. I hoped I was making a good impression. I was asked what instrument I would want to learn if admitted. I told them about a brief attempt in a grade school program to learn the violin.
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They went into the hallway to ask Mrs. Mandel how I might be slotted for a major. They asked me what I thought of being a voice student and I said I would really like that. For months afterward I waited anxiously to hear one way or the other. Finally an envelope came with the notification that I had been accepted! It was a dream come true! In my first year at M&A I was tapped to be a vocal/choral accompanist. I loved it and felt so lucky to be able to do it. But my time at M&A gave me so much more. The students were a diverse group from all over the City, all passionate about the making music and art. That goal transcended any differences we might have had, making it possible to get to know and appreciate students who were unlike us in what turned out to be unimportant ways. And that world-view has lasted throughout the many years since high school.
