This program is going virtual!
We present this project with gratitude to BAVPA principal Jody Covington, Arts Coordinator Chris George, the dedicated music staff at the school and the Buffalo Public School District. We also thank Ryder Shelley for his assistance in editing the project videos.
Our annual side-by-side concert with the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts is an incredible opportunity for the students of BAVPA to work with and learn from the professional musicians of the BPO. Each year, BPO musicians come into the schools to work with the music students in-depth on a variety of repertoire. The project typically culminates in a concert at Kleinhans Music Hall with the music students embedded in the BPO, with students from the dance, theatre and media arts programs participating in a multi-media production.
This year we committed to continuing this program through a virtual format. Throughout the year, the music students worked virtually with BPO musicians, a local WNY composer Caroline Mallonee, and both of our conductors, Jaman E. Dunn and JoAnn Falletta to gain inspiration and expertise. Please enjoy the following culminating video projects that were created by the students, with inspiration and assistance from members of the BPO.
BAVPA Strings
BAVPA Instructor:
Ana Vafai
BPO Coaches:
Amy Glidden, violin (upper strings)
Jonathan Borden, bass (lower strings)
This year the string students worked with Ana, Amy and Jonathan on Anna’s Minuet by J.S. Bach in a series of virtual coachings. The final product is this culminating video featuring a virtual side-by-side performance.
BAVPA Woodwinds
BAVPA Instructors:
Tim Buckley
Jaime Pitnell
BPO Coaches:
Patti DiLutis, clarinet
Christine Davis, flute
The woodwind students worked with Patti DiLutis in virtual coachings, and both Patti and Christine provided individual lessons to each as well.
In the final project video, students are each performing their own version of a piece written in 1670 called Les Folies d’Espagne. It allows the performer to play either a simple version of the piece or to improvise unlimitedly according to their desires. In this video you will get to know each performer through their playing as well as the pictures they chose to represent who they are.
BAVPA Brass
BAVPA Instructors:
Tim Buckley
Jaime Pitnell
BPO Coaches:
Sheryl Hadeka, French horn
Caroline Mallonee, composition
The brass students worked with Sheryl Hadeka and also local composer Caroline Mallonee in order to create their very own composition, titled B(b)AVPA.
BAVPA Percussion
BAVPA Instructors:
Tim Buckley
Jaime Pitnell
BPO Coach:
Dinesh Joseph, percussion
The percussion students worked with Dinesh Joseph in a series of coaching sessions to create a brand new composition using found objects in their own homes. The final project video includes Dinesh and the students, as well as BPO percussionists Matt Bassett and Mark Hodges.
BAVPA Guitars
BAVPA Instructor:
Jared Tinkham
BPO Coaches:
JoAnn Falletta, conductor and guitar
Caroline Mallonee, composition
The guitar students received inspiration from BPO music director and guitarist JoAnn Falletta in a virtual session. They also worked with local composer Caroline Mallonee on composition techniques, in order to create this video, featuring their own creative processes.
BAVPA Vocalists
BAVPA Instructors:
Jennie Knight
Lauriann Stephan
BPO Coaches:
Jaman E. Dunn, conductor and vocalist
The choral students worked with Jaman E. Dunn in a series of virtual workshops, and the 7th and 8th grade students also received an in-person masterclass held in the Black Box at BAVPA. Some of the students created some performances after these inspirational sessions, and you can hear these and learn more about the project in this video.