American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults
Future Reflections Winter 2024 LEARNING AND TEACHING
Coupling Progressive Leadership with the Incredible Power of Music in Education: The Filomen M. D'Agostino Greenberg Music School
by Dalia M. Sakas
From the Editor: The Summer 2010 issue of Future Reflections included an article by Dalia M. Sakas about New York City's unique music school for blind and low-vision students. Over the past several years the school underwent major changes, but the commitment of the staff and the spirit of the students remain unquenchable. This article recounts what happened to the school and reaffirms the power of music education for all young people, including those who are blind. You can find the 2010 Future Reflections article at https://nfb.org/sites/nfb.org/files/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr29/3/fr290308.htm.
The last time The Filomen M. D'Agostino Greenberg Music School (the FMDG Music School) appeared in this publication was 2010. Much has transpired since that time! November 2023 marked an important milestone—our five-year anniversary of independence.
To sum up our recent history, the Music School moved twice between 2014 and 2017. With fourteen grand pianos, twenty thousand Braille music scores and books, and other miscellaneous instruments and supplies, each move took a Herculean effort. Ultimately the school closed at the conclusion of December 2018. Schools were no longer part of the strategic plan of the agency that had supported us for over one hundred years.
Rather than shutter the doors on a valuable and unique music school, my codirector Leslie Jones and I, along with Amanda Wheeler, decided to keep the school going. We formed a new not-for-profit community music school with the goal of continuing to provide music instruction to blind and low-vision students. The FMDG Music School established itself, also acquiring an affectionate nickname—"The Fil."
A Brave New Beginning
Classes opened in January 2019 in four different locations. The school will forever be grateful to the 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY), VISIONS, the Kaufman Music Center, and Funkadelic Studios—the four organizations and locations that welcomed the students of "The Fil" into their communities. They allowed the music instruction to continue unimpeded and uninterrupted.
Nevertheless, the three leaders and the Board of Directors were not totally convinced that we were doing the right thing. Did New York City really need another music school? An arts organization needs constant financial support. Where would the funding come from? How could we make the program work better? Would the students support the school? Did they have the mobility skills they needed to navigate to the new locations? Was it even a viable option to keep the school open?
Efforts were made, classes reassembled and restructured, and everything began from scratch. But we were still unsure. The ultimate encouragement and convincing sign to continue with our endeavors came from the students of the Music School themselves.
A Resounding Affirmation
The Music School had held an event called a Performathon for many years. The Performathon was an opportunity for students to raise funds to help the school sustain its programming. The first Performathon of our newly formed entity was held in March of 2019 at the new Steinway Hall in New York City. The heralded and lofty location was empowering, and the students rose to the occasion. Many students participated, and they raised more money than had ever been raised in previous years. This success was the sign we needed! We knew we had the full and unconditional commitment and endorsement of the students. The musicians who made up the music school were wholeheartedly grateful and committed to this new entity, and they trusted us as directors in our decisions.
The record-breaking turnout for this event propelled things to move forward. The school was able to sustain itself and function as an independent music school.
Five-year Anniversary Celebration
Several events and initiatives were organized to mark our important five-year milestone, including a benefit concert by alumnus Matthew Whitaker at Symphony Space in New York City. The concert also featured some of our current students, who got the chance to perform with Matthew. Fourteen-year-old percussionist Mathew Vargas as well as the teen vocal group, The GuavaTones, were featured in the concert. A short documentary film was shown during the event to highlight the history of the school. The film featured students, faculty, parents, a board member, and the directors. It showcased the school's work and its positive outcomes, and it portrayed the incredible community spirit of FMDG Music School.
The same month also saw the launch of a new project initiative, a partnership with the New York Public Library. Our physical collection of 2,500 music scores is now available to the general public through the library. We were also thrilled to make public our searchable database of music in accessible formats. Approximately eight thousand files of Braille or large-print music are available on this database. Music that currently is not available in these formats can be obtained through our transcription department.
The year was also rich in other events to celebrate our five-year mark and our emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic. Our students performed at the Explorers Club, telling our story through words and music. We held a live-streamed Performathon, the creation of the FiLOrk (a group that makes music in real time through the use of computer code). We returned to the Metropolitan Museum after five years, and we gave external concerts on Bargemusic and at St. Francis Cabrini Shrine.
Reaping the Results of Early Commitments to Youth and Music Education
The 2010 Future Reflections article described the efforts we put into the extended curriculum of our Comprehensive Music Program for Young People, and it explored why we thought music was critical for a child's development. It featured photos of our students in a variety of settings—performances, field trips, and enrichment programming. These components have always been an integral part of the Comprehensive Music Program for Young People (CMPYP). Attendance at concerts and museums bolsters the instruction the students receive. It teaches them to appreciate the work and dedication needed to achieve a high level of artistry. Not only do these trips enhance the music instruction that the students receive in their lessons and classes; the trips and sessions also serve to educate the general public. In museums, concert halls, and at other schools, our students help educate the public about the need to rethink some of the pedagogy when it comes to working with students who have vision loss. Often our students are extremely well-prepared, better trained, and more enthusiastic than their sighted peers. The real need is for materials to be presented in formats that are accessible to them.
Though the school has faced many hardships and challenges, we now can share the results of those early investments in our students. As youngsters and adolescents enrolled in music lessons and classes, our students learned to stand tall and perform in recitals. They learned to listen attentively and with appreciation at concerts. Today those young students have become employed young adults who have now assumed a new leadership role in support of the school's visibility, recruitment efforts, and fundraising. The graduates of our CMPYP are now working adults. They have careers in a wide array of disciplines, from education, accounting, and library work to management and administration. They are valued members of the workforce, contributing members of society. They have retained their love of music and are still involved in the Music School as members of the adult chorus and as students pursuing their love of music through individual study.
Through their involvement they have become members of society who want to give back to the organization that gave them structure and guidance as young people. They learned specific skills that have helped them in their current careers, and they forged lasting friendships as well. They learned to support one another through the trials and tribulations of getting a job, finding an apartment, and earning a living.
Our former students are now at a point in their lives where they understand the huge challenges of running a not-for-profit institution. They appreciate what was done to help them achieve positive outcomes and developments, and they are now looking out for those who follow them. They have formed a Junior Advisory Board (JAB) and are working with the administration to promote the school and propel it forward. We are so proud of them and grateful for their support!
The tenet of promoting and fostering music education for young people is vital, and countless studies have underscored this need. Students who have devoted their young years to the discipline of learning an instrument, who have participated in a chorus or an instrumental ensemble, and who often sacrifice relaxing weekends for the rigorous and dedicated pursuit of music, develop very strong work ethics and learning habits. A minority of our students have pursued music as a career choice, but many who have pursued other vocational opportunities choose to supplement their work lives with music as a strong pastime to rely upon when times get rough and they face new challenges.
"The Fil" Today
The FMDG Music School now operates primarily at 92NY, a storied and respected New York cultural and community center. This proudly Jewish organization uses the arts to enrich and enlighten lives and draws upon the power of community to repair the world. President Alyse Myers and Yana Stotland, Executive Director School of Music and School Engagement in the Arts, welcomed us and have continued their support of the school. 92NY staff, the personnel of that organization, learned to guide our students properly when necessary and figured out what measures were needed to ensure their access. We are very grateful for their unwavering support and assistance.
In 2018 we wondered whether to keep the school going or not. In our eyes that question has been answered with a thousand affirmatives. We see constant proof of the power of music to lift people up, to strengthen resolve, to boost self-esteem, or just to enliven the mood of the day with some fine singing. We are very grateful to all of our supporters, to everyone who has put their faith and trust in our teachers and our organization, The Filomen M. D'Agostino Greenberg Music School.