Conductor and MSM alumnus Malcolm J. Merriweather (DMA ‘15) stepped in with only a few days notice to lead the London Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Singers in two sold-out world premiere performances of David Önaç’s Atlantic Requiem on Sunday, October 11 earning widespread enthusiastic praise for his conducting.
Merriweather joined an extraordinary lineup of soloists, including MSM alumna J’Nai Bridges (BM ‘09), Brittany Renee, and tenor Orson Van Gay II for these highly anticipated concerts.
Atlantic Requiem draws on research by Johns Hopkins University into the historic involvement of Lloyd’s of London in providing insurance for ships involved in the transatlantic trade in enslaved africans—along with liturgical ritual, biblical texts and documents from the Lloyd’s archives.
The performances were also recorded for LSO Live, with a release expected in October 2027.
Mr. Zukerman chairs the Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program at MSM, where he pioneered the use of distance-learning technology in the arts over two decades ago. The violinist, violist and conductor is the focus of Pinchas Zukerman: Here to Make Music, a feature-length documentary offering an intimate look at the formative years of the artist, whose international career has spanned more than fifty years.
The documentary premieres on Friday 16 October at 10pm ET on PBS with streaming on PBS.org and the PBS app. The remastered film brings together rare recordings, concert footage and candid moments to chart Pinchas Zukerman’s rise from young prodigy to internationally acclaimed violinist, violist and conductor.
Learn more here.
Current MSM Jazz Voice student Anouk Chemla (MM ’28) and Joie Bianco, who studied at MSM in 2025–26, are among the eleven semifinalists in the Herbie Hancock Institute International Jazz Vocals Competition competition taking place Oct 10 and 11 in Paris. Hundreds of outstanding young jazz vocalists from all over the world submitted applications.
The semifinalists will perform on October 10 before a judging panel of internationally acclaimed jazz vocalists including Patti Austin, Dee Dee Bridgewater, former MSM Jazz Arts faculty member Gretchen Parlato, and Gregory Porter. Each semifinalist will perform for 15 minutes, presenting three songs, including one non-jazz work, accompanied by a stellar rhythm section featuring Carmen Staaf on piano, Ben Williams on bass and MSM Jazz Arts faculty member Kendrick Scott on drums.
Three finalists will be selected and compete on October 11 for more than $100,000 in scholarships and prizes.
MSM alumnus Gordon Gerrard (MM ‘03) became the new artistic director of Manitoba Opera based in Winnipeg on September 1, after leading City Opera Vancouver for three years. A Manitoba-born conductor, pianist, and educator, Gordon is bringing a wealth of artistic and administrative experience to his new role. He is also well known as a proponent of innovative and inclusionary programming that explores social change and community engagement.
In this online interview with Opera Canada, Gordon speaks about his professional journey to his new position, what he wants to protect with Manitoba Opera, what he wants to change, and what he’s excited to try next.
Listen to the interview here.
MSM alumnus Bernie Williams (BM ’16), who is also a MSM Board of Trustees member, will be joining the band of the Broadway production of Buona Vista Social Club this fall for six weeks from Oct. 22 to Nov. 29. The Latin Grammy–nominated guitarist and Yankee legend will perform alongside José Iglesias at the Schoenfeld Theatre.
“I am excited about the opportunity to join Buena Vista Social Club because the music was part of my childhood growing up,” says Bernie.
At the prestigious competition held in Tel Aviv in early September, MSM alumnus Dmitry Yudin (BM ’23, MM ’25) won the Arthur Rubinstein Award and Gold Medal and $40,000 in prize money. He was also awarded the Chamber Music Prize (donated by Lady Annabelle Weidenfeld in memory of Menachem Pressler) of $6,000, the Israel Philharmonic Players’ Prize of $3,000, the Audience Favorite Prize of $3,000 USD, and the Junior Jury Prize of $3,000.
Founded in 1974, the competition is held every three years for pianists aged 18-32. Dmitry Yudin studied at MSM with Horacio Gutierrez. He won the school’s Eisenberg-Freid Concerto Competition in February 2022. Earlier this year Dimitry was awarded one of four 2026 Avery Fisher Career Grants, and in early September was featured on the respected PBS program Great Performances.
Violinist Koshiro Takeuchi (BM ’28), who studies at MSM with Lucie Robert and Koichiro Harada, is one of six awardees of the prestigious Salon De Virtuosi grant. Earlier this year, he was the first prize winner of the esteemed Montreal International Violin Competition. In 2025, he won first place at the Ion Voicu International Violin Competition in Bucharest.
Founded in 1989, the Salon De Virtuosi (SDV) provides support and performance opportunities to emerging classical musicians, and since 1995, has endowed over $600,000 through its annual Career Grants to selected artists.
Koshiro Takeuchi and two other 2026 grant winners will perform in SDV’s Gala Award Concert on October 8, 2026. This is the second time a MSM student has won a SDV grant: Risa Hokamura (BM ’24, MM ’26), also a student of Lucie Robert and Koichiro Harada, was a recipient in 2025.
Adeline Baban (MM ’26), second from left in photo, is assuming the position in the esteemed Ivalas Quartet as it begins its 10th anniversary season, making this a significant moment in the ensemble’s evolution. Adeline studied classical violin at MSM with Nicholas Mann and is a Filipina-American violinist, arts leader, and advocate for community-building through music.
MSM Classical Piano alumnus Dmitry Yudin (BM ’23, MM ’25), who earlier this year was awarded one of four 2026 Avery Fisher Career Grants, is featured on the respected PBS program Great Performances premiering Friday, September 2 at 9/8c on PBS, pbs.org/gperf, the PBS app and on YouTube.
Playing two pieces by Rachmaninoff in the program, Dimitry Yudin draws comparisons between both his and Rachmaninoff’s journey of American migration.
The episode is part of Great Performances: Taking Note, a digital series spotlighting rising instrumental artists who have received Career Grant Awards from the Avery Fisher Artist Program. Each year, the Program awards up to five grants of $25,000 to instrumentalists and chamber ensembles in support of their emerging careers.
Pipedreams, the only nationally syndicated, weekly organ-exclusive radio broadcast in the US, aired MSM alumnus Justin Bischof’s (BM ’90, MM ’92, DMA ’98) recording of his transcription of Wagner’s March to the Holy Grail from Parsifal.
The recording took place at St. James the Less in Scarsdale, New York on a Klais organ built in Bonn, Germany. Dr. Bischof had the privilege of designing the organ in collaboration with his friend and colleague Philipp Klais.
Dr. Bischof’s performance begins at the 68:10 mark: Click here to listen. Click here to learn more about Dr. Bischof.
MSM Musical Theatre student Ishita Bansal (BM ’27) is among the cast of a new Netflix musical teen drama Don’t Say Good Luck released on August 14. Adam Sandler and Jackie Sandler are among five producers of the film that stars their daughter, Sunny Sandler as Sophie; Ishita Bansal plays a supporting role as Chaundra, Sophie’s high school theatre teacher preparing her to perform in a production of Waitress. High-profile stars appearing in the film —that has been receiving positive reviews— include Bebe Neuwirth (HonDMA ’15), until recently a MSM Board of Trustee, as well as Steve Buscemi, Melanie Lynskey, Max Greenfield, and Jon Lovitz.
Watch the trailer here.
Imani Winds, the Grammy Award-winning American wind quintet based in New York City, have been recognized by Chamber Music America as the 2026 Michael Jaffee Visionary Award recipients. Chamber Music America is a respected American non-profit organization that provides small ensemble professionals with access to a variety of professional development, networking, and funding resources.
Imani Winds includes the MSM alumni Brandon Patrick George (MM ‘10), flute, and Mark Dover (MM ’12), clarinet, as well as Monica Ellis (PS ’98), bassoon, and Kevin Newton (MM ‘20), horn, who are both MSM faculty members.
Imani Winds’ latest album, Rise, was released this year on Imani Winds Media.
Listen to Imani Winds’ award acceptance speech here.
Dr. Yi Wang (MM ’18, PS ’19) released her debut album which shares the title of her doctoral thesis (University of Iowa), Breaking My Silence. The work explores solo piano compositions by female composers Ethel Smyth, Henriëtte Bosmans, Jennifer Higdon, Eve Beglarian, and Annea Lockwood.
Spanning more than a century of musical innovation, Breaking My Silence brings together composers whose works challenge convention, redefine artistic expression, and offer powerful perspectives that have too often remained at the margins of classical music history.
Click here to learn more about Dr. Wang and her project.
MSM alum and Conductor Marlon Daniel (BM ‘93) has been awarded the Honor Medal for Overseas Commitment (Médaille d’honneur de l’engagement ultramarin), a distinguished French honor recognizing exceptional service and dedication to France’s overseas territories.
This prestigious recognition acknowledges Daniel’s longstanding commitment to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of France and the French Caribbean. As Founder and Artistic & Music Director of the Festival International de Musique Saint-Georges and the Joseph Bologne International Violin Competition, he has established internationally respected platforms dedicated to celebrating the life, music, and legacy of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, while advancing performance, education, scholarship, and cultural exchange.
Musical Theater alumna Alysia Velez (BM ’22) (pictured on left above) was named one of the 18 winners of the 2026 Princess Grace Awards. Nominated by MSM, Velez will receive the John Gore Theater Honor as one of five winners in the Theatre category. Established in 1982 by Prince Rainier III of Monaco to honor the legacy of Princess Grace (née Grace Kelly), the award includes a $15,000 unrestricted cash grant.
Alumna Mary Prescott (MM ’05) (pictured on right above), who was a 2024 Princess Grace Award winner, received one of eight 2026 Special Project Grants. The Princess Grace Foundation supports and nurtures Princess Grace Award winners and Honoraria throughout their artistic journey, offering exclusive grants for significant projects that advance their artistic development.
Composer-songwriter Matt Siffert (MM ’15) opened for Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash at Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder, Colorado in July, 2026, performing songs from his latest EP, Magic of the New. Matt studied classical composition with Richard Danielpour at MSM.
Matt is also the Director of External Affairs at Musical Mentors Collaborative (MMC), an organization he joined in 2020 which received a $2 million charitable donation from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in July of 2026. The foundation serves under-resourced students across the United States. The collaborative includes musicians, educators, and university students; homeless shelters, supportive housing networks, and low-income Title I schools. MMC volunteers and teachers come from professions ranging from law and finance, to social work and arts-management.
Click here to learn more about Matt. Click here to learn more about MMC.
Composer Robert Sirota‘s latest CD 212: Symphony No. 1, recorded at Manhattan School of Music, is now out on Azica Records. “I am so thankful to the incredible conductor George Manahan and Manhattan School of Music Symphony Orchestra for bringing this work to life. The album was recorded in MSM’s Neidorff-Karpati Hall in 2024 and was premiered by the Manhattan School of Music Symphony in 2007,” explains Robert Sirota, who was President of MSM from 2005–2012.
The CD can be purchased here.
Baritone Gerardo de la Torre (MM ’21) —posing here with MSM President Jim Gandre while a student at MSM— performed the lead role in Verdi’s Falstaff in Monterrey, Mexico on July 17 and 18 at the Teatro de la Ciudad presented by the Mexico Opera Studio (MOS). Dr. de la Torre was a visiting voice professor at MOS during the 2025-2026 season and this was his debut performing a title role in his hometown.
Learn more about Gerardo de la Torre here.
Violinist Elizabeth Faidley has been a faculty member of MSM Precollege for the past 20 years. In an interview, she tells Violinist.com why teaching is important to her, calling it her “life’s work.”
“What I love is that every age gives you something different. A six-year-old teaches you patience and imagination. A teenager teaches you honesty and empathy. An adult beginner teaches you courage,” she tells the publication. “Every student keeps you thinking, and after all these years I still come home from lessons with new ideas.”
On August 2, Elizabeth is holding her fifth annual Pedagogy Day, an all-day Zoom workshop with sessions on teaching technique, a session on child psychology, studio management tips, and more.
For more information and the full interview, read the Violinist.com article here.
MSM alumni mezzo-soprano Hannah Jones (MM ’24) and countertenor Haolun Zhang (MM ’24) have been selected as finalists in the Operalia competition taking place October 26 to November 1, hosted by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the Shangyin Opera House.
Operalia —defined as “The World Opera Competition” by the organization— was founded in 1993 by Plácido Domingo who presides over the competion’s jury, to “discover and help launch the careers of the most promising young opera singers of today…” writes Operalia on their website. “Since the jury is comprised, for the most part, of international opera managers and casting directors, these distinguished jurors often invite and engage some of the singers to perform in productions that are being scheduled in their respective theatres.”
Click here to view the Operalia finalists roster.
On July 13, MSM alumna Dr. Elizabeth Janzen (MM ’03, DMA ’10) will become the inaugural director of the East Texas A&M University School of Music. Dr. Janzen is the first to hold the director position since the program’s elevation from a Department of Music to the School of Music in 2024.
At MSM, Dr. Janzen studied Classical Flute with Linda Chesis.
East Texas A&M President Dr. Mark Rudin expressed confidence in Janzen’s leadership and the future direction of the School of Music.
“Our School of Music just took a major step forward with the hiring of Dr. Janzen,” Rudin said. “I am excited for the vision she brings to Commerce and am confident she will lead us forward in our efforts to train and inspire the next generation of performers and music educators.”
Dr. Deborah Simpkin King, the Director of Choirs at MSM, is one of a series of hosts of the program Sounds Choral which airs on the WWFM The Classical Network, a classical music network serving New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania and portions of Delaware and Maryland. Mostly listener funded, The Classical Network can be heard online at www.wwfm.org.
Dr. King’s most recent episode hosting Sounds Choral on June 15 focused on Raphael Fusco’s choral compositional style and process, and included an excerpt of the MSM Chamber Choir performing the American Premiere of Raphael Fusco’s An American Requiem earlier this year at Merkin Hall at the Kaufman Music Centre in New York City.
In 2024, Sounds Choral was the recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award for Broadcasting.
Listen to the broadcast of Dr. King’s podcasts here.
The American Piano Awards has named five finalists for its 2027 jazz competition, including pianist Brahm Sasner (BM ’26), an MSM alumnus who studied Jazz Piano with Ted Rosenthal (BM ’81, MM ’83). The finalists will compete in April 2027 for the Cole Porter Fellowship and more than $200,000 in prizes and career support.
Awarded every four years, the Cole Porter Fellowship is one of the most significant honors available to an emerging American jazz pianist. Each finalist will receive $25,000, and the winner will receive a prize package valued at more than $200,000. Past winners and finalists include Emmet Cohen (MM ’14), Sullivan Fortner (MM ’10), Aaron Diehl, Kris Bowers, and Isaiah J. Thompson.
Based in New York City, Brahm Sasner is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. He has performed throughout the United States and internationally, including appearances at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club. He is a recipient of awards from YoungArts and the Rubato International Piano Competition.
In early June, MSM Classical Percussion student Aaron Levine (BM ’29) from Tenefly, New Jersey won first prize in Division II for students 19 years of age and under, at the Modern Snare Drum Competition in Cleveland, Ohio. In photo: Aaron (on right) is presented a snare drum for winning the competition he also received a cash prize. Aaron previously studied in the MSM Precollege program.
The Competition, hosted by the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM), is open to ages 26 and under, and aims to promote snare drum literature. Students taking part in Division I of the competition performed a composition by MSM Percussion faculty member Duncan Patton.
More information about the competition here.
Tony-nominated and Drama Desk Award winner Jasmine Amy Rogers (’19), an alumna of MSM Musical Theatre program, will star as Maria von Trapp in a Lincoln Center Theater production of The Sound of Music next year, with previews beginning on March 23 and opening on April 15.
The production will be directed by Lear deBessonet and presented by Lincoln Center Theater — the team behind the revival of Ragtime that earlier this month won the Tony Award for best musical revival.
Jasmine Amy Rogers will perform the role of Maria, the singing governess whose arrival transforms a motherless family in Nazi-era Austria. Rogers burst onto Broadway in last year’s Boop! The Musical receiving a Tony nomination for her lead role in that production, and has been much in-demand since, starring in an Off Broadway production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; she also has a role in this falls Broadway revival of School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play.
More information about the revival of The Sound of Music here.
MSM alumna Jana McIntyre (MM ’16) is the featured “Rising Star Artist” in the August 2026 issue of the respected UK based Opera magazine that merged with New York’s Opera News publication.
The “Stage Door” full-page column highlights that the award-winning soprano received her master’s degree at Manhattan School of Music, studying with Joan Patenaude-Yarnell.
She is “graceful and elegant with a bright, flexible voice that has served her well” in a range of vocal roles, writes the magazine, highlighting her busy summer season with a return to the MET Opera in March 2027.
Read the article here.
MSM Classical Voice alumnus Adam Goldstein (BM ’19) (in photo, on right) has been awarded The Center for Korean Research (CKR) Manhae Prize which is given annually by by the Columbia University Department of East Asian Languages and Culture to two graduating seniors at Columbia University who have demonstrated excellence in the study of the Korean Language.
“I never learned Korean growing up, something that is unfortunately common among immigrant and mixed families, where fears of bullying and ostracization often inform such decisions, as they did in my case,” explains Adam in a LinkedIn post.
“This was one of many ways I grew up, as many Asian-Americans do, feeling completely disconnected from my cultural heritage. At Columbia, I set out to rectify this, taking courses in Korean language, history, and culture, gaining that connection I had always been missing. In all of this, finally learning to converse with my mom in our mother tongue has been one of the proudest accomplishments of my time at Columbia.”
Read Adam Goldstein’s post here.
MSM violin student Koshiro Takeuchi (BM ‘28), who studies at MSM with Lucie Robert and Koichiro Harada, won first prize on June 4 at the 2026 Concours Musical International de Montréal, winning a prize package of $70K Canadian dollars.
Violinist Madison Lee (BM’ 29) who studies at MSM with Lucie Robert is one of two winners of the 2026 Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra Young Artist Competition held in late April, 2026. Violist Jeremy Klein also won.
The two winners will perform with the Orchestra at the Syriac Community Hall in Paramus, New Jersey on March 20, 2027 under the baton of Maestro Timothy Cho.
Madison was also winner with distinction in the National Young Arts Competition this past January during the week long chamber music festival.
Learn more about the March 2027 concert here.
MSM Musical Theatre alumnus Galvin Yuan (BM ’23) recently joined the ensemble of the national tour of Beetlejuice the Musical. The tour is running from February 2026 through June 2027 and will be in Florida, Indiana, and Ohio in June; Washington, D.C. in July; Colorado in August, and Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, and New Jersey in September.
Learn about dates and more information about the production here. Learn more about Galvin Yuan here.
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