Student and community engagement, and partner collaboration was exceptionally high as NBOE high school students energized the Newark Museum during the opening reception of Teen Arts Annual 2019 on March 28th at the Newark Museum
The exhibit remains open through April 4th and we encourage a second look. Admission is free to all Newark students and residents with ID.
[NEWARK, NJ – November 28, 2018] The Thelonious Monk Institute has selected Arts High School senior Jalin Shiver for the 2018 National Peer-to-Peer All Star Jazz performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The performance will be held on Monday, December 3. Jalin is an Instrumental Music major at Arts H.S.
Jalin, along with students from around the country, will be on the same performance bill as jazz greats; Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ambrose Akinmusire, Melissa Aldana, Jimmy Heath, Jason Moran, Dee Bridgewater, and Danilo Perez, to name a few.
“The Arts High School Jazz Band continues to be an exemplary group of student scholars and musicians,” said Superintendent of Newark Schools Roger León. “I continue to be extraordinarily proud of our students and Arts High School leadership who continue to make the Jazz and Latin Bands an exciting, engaging and educational opportunity for our students.
According to Arts High School Band Director Lawrence Liggins, “Jalin is a humble, yet extraordinarily talented senior instrumental music major. He added, “Jalin’s passion for music serves as a model for other students. While he plays alto and tenor saxophones, (and also beginning to learn the flute and clarinet), his favorite and special talents lie in the alto saxophone.
Jazz band students from Arts High School have been selected to participate in special events hosted by the Thelonious Monk Institute on several occasions. In 2011, the jazz band was invited to perform at United Nations by Dr. J.B. Dyas, Vice President, Education and Curriculum Development, from the Thelonious Monk Institute for the 1st Inaugural International Jazz Day celebration. In 2014, drummer Derek Fykes was selected to perform with an All-Star High School Sextet at The Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competiton and an All-Star Gala in Hollywood. The jazz band has also performed several times in Washington, D.C. at the Department of Education, for A Jazz Informance, hosted by the Monk Institute. The Monk Institute has played an integral role in developing and sustaining jazz education at Arts High School for several years.
Jalin’s early introduction to jazz can be attributed to his elementary school music teacher at Maple Ave. School, Thaddeus Expose, a jazz bassist of note. In addition to Arts High School, Jalin has supplemented his education in jazz through participation in jazz programs at NJPAC Jazz for Teens, Jazz House Kids and Berklee School of Music Summer Program.
Jalin will be joined by his family for the performance at The Kennedy Center on Dec. 3rd.
Students from Arts High School’s music department recently attended Berklee’s City Music Summit in Nashville, Tennessee. City Music is a network of music schools around the country that partner with Berklee College of Music to provide students in their community with high quality contemporary music education. Students from the Jazz Band, Latin Band, and the vocal department were invited by City Music to observe and participate in masterclasses with world class musicians, engage in meaningful discussions with professional songwriters and performers in the field, and to connect with other students from City Music through improvised musical jam sessions. Arts High School students were given the opportunity to perform on the final day of the summit as a culminating farewell performance.
Interim Superintendent of Schools Robert Gregory said, “Art and culture play an important role in Newark and in any city. Bringing youth together around the arts is essential. Today is a special day because our bands performing together marks a new era of focusing on the arts in Newark Public Schools. I want to thank Margaret El, Special Assistant for the Arts, for creating a bridge from Malcolm X Shabazz and Weequahic High Schools to the Newark Museum. We have a longstanding relationship with the Museum and we look forward to furthering it even more.”
Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said, “Today is a special day, not just because of the opening of the front doors of this beautiful edifice, but also because this is the first time I have seen the Shabazz and Weequahic marching bands perform together. Thank you to all of the students.”
Various Newark Public School marching bands will also perform at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 16 from 1 – 3 p.m.
[Newark, NJ – June 28, 2017] The Weequahic High School Marching Band was presented with the 1st Place High School Parade Band, Class A Award in Orlando, Florida in May. The award recognizes the best high school marching bands in the nation. The marching band has received national honors in the past, winning 1st, 2nd and 3rd place honors in the same national competition over the last several years. This year’s performance was at ORLANDOFEST, the annual national high school marching band competition.
NPS Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf said, “The Weequahic High School Marching Band continues to represent their high school, Newark Public Schools and the city of Newark with distinction and honor, with their dedication to their craft and their high performance ability. They continue to carry the torch as one of the best marching bands in this nation. We are proud of their achievements.”
Board Chairman Marquis Aquil-Lewis said, “I am so proud of the student band members. They practice the Core Beliefs of the high school; namely, Every Student Can Achieve; Every Student Achieves when they develop self-esteem and self-advocacy skills; and Every Student Achieves in an environment that fosters high expectations.”
In addition to recognizing the band at the Board Meeting, board members also recognized the dedicated leadership of Band Director Michael Page, who this year is celebrating 20 years as Director; along with volunteer alumni Darryl Taylor, who has volunteered for 30 years, his son Maurice Taylor, who has volunteered for 10 years as drum line instructor and Jamal Littles, who has volunteered for 15 years as horn line instructor. Also recognized was Principal Lisa McDonald and the staff whose continuous support, guidance, mentorship and encouragement have allowed band members to achieve national recognition as one of the best bands in the nation.
[NEWARK, NJ – June 27, 2017] Nearly 2,000 Newark Public Schools (NPS) 4th and 5th grade students recently performed at NJPAC as part of the Recorder Arts for Musical Pathways Program; a partnership between NPS and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. This participation more than doubled the 739 students who participated last year.
“Thank you to NJPAC and Margaret El for their dedication to this important program that brings the arts to our students and allows them to play in the best concert hall in this country,” noted Superintendent of Newark Public Schools Christopher D. Cerf. “We must continue to grow programs like this because the arts are a vital part of our students’ education.”
The partnership includes 20 schools and teachers, who participated in a two day professional development program. As part of the program, NJPAC’s Recorder Arts master teacher conducted two site visits at each school during the first and second semester of the school year for in class support. In addition, NPS teachers from each of the 20 schools made nominations for the All-Star Recorder Choir, who performed on stage during the concert. The concert was held on June 15 at NJPAC’s Prudential Hall.
“I absolutely got chills looking out over the orchestra and all the way up to the third tier in Prudential Theater, seeing and hearing over 1900 third and fourth graders from Newark Public Schools performing in unison,” Added Margaret El, Director of Arts Education at NPS. “We are so excited about the work NPS music students and teachers have accomplished, and look forward to many students pursuing an instrument of choice in the future.”
Click here to listen to the concert.
Participating schools included:
