Information on this page is arranged in ascending year order for this decade. It includes Manhattan School of Music historical facts and images from the School's archives, as well as items and quotes submitted by alumni. Each section also includes some Other Highlights of New York City's music history.
John C. Borden Auditorium dedication concert is held on January 31.
A special event introduces alumni to the new building.
May – The newly-named John Brownlee Opera Theater presents a production of L’Amico Fritz by Pietro Mascagni. Catherine Malfitano (pictured), a junior undergraduate voice student, sings the female lead, Suzel. The New York Times writes: “[Miss Malfitano has] a warm vocal quality and even, considering the present state of her training, a good deal of command… she sounded a bit like the young Albanese.” The Daily News calls it an "impressive debut."
Classes are suspended as the MSM community grapples with the aftermath of the Kent State shootings that occured on May 4. Vincent Belford (BM ’69 / MM ’70) writes: “The gatherings of students, faculty and administrators were convened to find a way to mount a peaceful protest through music. The results were a school wide strike as part of the national student peace strike and a full-scale memorial concert…”
October 14 — The School sponsors "Salute to Jack Benny" at the Waldorf-Astoria. Dick Cavett is master of ceremonies for a program which features members of the School’s Orchestra conducted by Anton Coppola.
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A group of alumni organize an effort to reclaim the stone seal from the old building (pictured) by contracting stone cutters working on the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. (The seal goes into storage until it is installed in the current building main lobby in 2004.)
The first Alumni Award is announced at Commencement.
Alumna Catherine Malfitano ’71 returns to her alma mater as a guest artist with the John Brownlee Opera Theatre singing in the fiendishly difficult role of Manon Lescaut in the New York Premiere of Hans Werner Henze’s Boulevard of Solitude. Anton Coppola conducts.
Dorothy Maynor, soprano and head of the Harlem School of the Arts, gives the commencement address at the June exercises.
Margaret Hoswell joins the voice faculty where she teaches until her death in 1987.
An interesting double-bill is presented in February, when Mavra by Igor Stavinsky is paired with Puccini’s Suor Angelica (both sung in English).
Amendment to the charter authorizes the granting of the doctor of musical arts degree.
An alumni event is held celebrating violin faculty member Raphael Bronstein and featuring his student Elmar Oliveira, the first and only American violinist to win the Gold Medal at Moscow's Tchaikovsky International Competition.
Class of 1975 refurbish lounge in John C. Borden Auditorium.
The Opera Theater mounts a production of Kurt Weill's Street Scene (pictured are Judy Blazer as Rose and Michael Philip Davis as Sam). Anton Coppola conducts, James Lucas directs. Lotte Lenya, the late Weill's wife, attends opening night. Michael Philip Davis (MM 1976) writes: "Portraying Sam Kaplan in the 1976 production of Street Scene was my most memorable and important experience at MSM. It was a role with which I strongly identified. Moreover, the unforgettable production afforded me the guidance of conductor Maestro Anton Coppola, stage director James Lucas, and technical director M. M. Streicher — memories I carry with me to this day."
Master classes are given by Jean-Pierre Rampal, Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Gina Bachauer, Arthur Rubinstein, Abby Simon, Dame Eva Turner, Vladimar Spivakov, and Bidu Sayao.
Janet Schenck, founder, former director, and member of the Board of Trustees, dies at age 93.
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John Crosby becomes president, a position he holds until 1986.
Soprano Johanna Meier (BM 1960) gives a concert at Alice Tully Hall to benefit the MSM Alumni Association.
A Jazz Workshop is held in January featuring pianist Dick Hyman, bassist Milt Hinton, and percussionist Bob Rosengarten.
John Crosby conducts his first opera at Manhattan School of Music: Nino Rota’s Italian Straw Hat.
Auditions are held at MSM for the film musical Fame. On-screen parts go to Prep students Anne-Marie McDermott, Maureen McDermott, and Kerry McDermott, as well as alumnus Jonathan Strasser '70.
March — John Brownlee Opera Theater gives the New York Premiere of Hindemith’s News of the Day. The New York Times wrote: “… a production and performance that deserved nothing but praise …”
Jazz pianist Marian McPartland appears in concert with the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Band.
Master classes are given by Arnold Steinhardt, John Mack, Raymond Lewenthal, Ezio Flagello (Class of 1953), Nico Castel, Jon Vickers, and Magda Tagliaferro.
Josephine Whitford, pictured c. 1960, is given the School's first-ever honorary doctorate for her almost 50 years of service to the School.
Composer Ezra Laderman is the commencement speaker at the May graduation ceremony.
If you can identify the time, place, and people in these photos, please let us know.
Mrs. Whitford (pictured, right) speaks with two mystery individuals at an unknown event. Any guesses?
Do you have a photo with unknown people in it or are you just not sure when or where the photo was taken? Send us a copy and we'll help you find out.
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