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NWSA is a Center of Excellence in the Visual and Performing Arts, at Miami Dade College
October 2015    

 

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Like us on Facebook A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE LAUNCHES THE THEATER SEASON
New World School of the Arts theater program kicks off the NWSA college theater season with Tennessee Williams' epic play A Streetcar Named Desire. Directed by NWSA alumus and acting professor Stuart Meltzer, the production features the NWSA college theater juniors and seniors in what will be for some, their last major production at NWSA. "The material is unbelievably rewarding and unbelievably demanding," said Meltzer. "There's a spark that happens in the rehearsal process when we're working with almost a perfect play, and the students are hungry to know more and to ask why and want to get into the psychology of these characters. It has been a tremendous experience in that regard."

In the role of Blanche DuBois, College theater senior Anissa Comonte explains,
"The process of becoming the coveted Blanche DuBois has been one that has taken a big part of me. She is a complex, emotional, and deeply broken woman that requires so much conscious effort to play on stage. But, in that same regard, playing her has only furthered my appreciation for who she is as a character and my respect for acting as a whole."

A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, Directed by Stuart Meltzer 
October 9, 10, 16, 17; 7:30 PM
October 11, 18; 2:00 PM
Louise O. Gerrits Theater
25 NE 2 Street; 8th floor, Miami
General admission is $12 / Students and seniors $5
Information at 305-237-3541
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Like us on Facebook NWSA HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ COMBO IS INVITED TO PERFORM AT THE 
TENTH ANNUAL KAGOSHIMA ASIAN ARTS FESTIVAL 
Invited by Hiroyuki Mori, Mayor of Kagoshima, Japan, and supported by City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, the NWSA High School Jazz Combo will travel to Japan this month to represent Miami and the United States during the Kagoshima Asian Youth Arts Festival. The event, which was founded in 2006, is an international music-centered arts festival that highlights youth from various countries and regions throughout Asia. The exchange will allow NWSA students to perform in Japan during the tenth-year celebration of the festival, while strengthening the cultural relationship between Miami-Kagoshima Sister Cities.

The six-member ensemble, directed by Jim Gasior, professor of Jazz Studies at NWSA, will participate in a variety of events, including performances, school visits and cultural exchange activities and will serve as ambassadors of the United States and of New World School of the Arts and the music they study regularly at NWSA - jazz. "The NWSA High School Jazz Combo's trip to Kagoshima will undoubtedly be memorable, said Daniel Andai, Dean of Music at NWSA. "I anticipate the performances, school programs and cultural exchanges to leave a lasting imprint on the lives of the students and to inspire their fellow classmates upon their return. It's exciting, and everyone in the music department at NWSA is feeling that thrill!"
 
The NWSA High School Jazz Combo performs a wide variety of jazz styles, specializing in mainstream and hard-bop. The musicians in the combo regularly receive national recognition and scholarship awards, including the Downbeat Student Music Award, and participate in ensembles such as the National Grammy Jazz Band and the Jazz Band of America. The combo was one of three high school jazz combos selected nationally to perform at the 2015 Jazz Education Network Conference in San Diego, California and has recorded multiple CD Albums, including their newest album entitled Crystal Blue, which will celebrate its release in Kagoshima Japan.
 
 
 
 
FROM VOICES TO INSTRUMENTS, CONCERTS THAT CANVAS THE CITY
The NWSA Music division offers a rich performance month with multiple ensemble performances, including the Voice Concert; NWSA Symphony and Jazz Ensemble; and Instrumental Ensembles.
 
Choir HIGH SCHOOL VOICE CONCERT: The concert will feature the individual talents of the voice students singing classic and contemporary art songs from the different voice studios. Some of the works include In uomini, in soldati from Mozart's Cosi fan tutte and Bel piacere from Handel's Agrippina, among many others.
 
October 9; 7:00 PM
First Presbyterian Church of Miami
609 Brickell Avenue, downtown Miami
General admission $10 / students and seniors $5
 
HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLES:
The NWSA High School Instrumental Ensembles, including the symphony orchestra and wind ensemble join forces under the batons of directors Alfred Gershfeld and Brent Mounger for an evening of compositional favorites! The NWSA Camerata String Orchestra will perform selected movements from Josef Suk's gorgeous String Serenade and the symphony orchestra will feature selected movements from Dvorak's Symphony from the "New World."

Another exciting part of the concert will feature the NWSA Camerata String Orchestra, without conductor, by cultivating the students' chamber music skills with the guidance of NWSA faculty to present their unique interpretation of selected movements from Edward Elgar's String Serenade.
 
October 27; 7:00 PM
Miami Dade College - Kendall Campus, McCarthy Theater
11011 SW 104 Street, Miami
General admission $10 / students and seniors $5
 
Information for both concerts at 305-237-3622

 
 
 
Like us on Facebook MAKE ART WORK (MAW): COMPOSING FOR OUR FUTURE  
New World School of the Arts' Make Art Work (MAW) turns to the world of music as world renowned Jazz composer Sammy Nestico embarks on a dialogue with the students of NWSA, MDC and the public at large.

Nestico will discuss his lifelong career as a composer and arranger for some of our world's most important artists and production giants in addition to a signature piece being performed by the NWSA music ensembles called Swingphonic.

Sammy Nestico has received numerous accolades, was a member of the US Air Force Band in Washington, D.C. that now sponsors a yearly award program entitled The Sammy Nestico Arranging Award, and has arranging credits with every major film studio in the industry, including   20th Century Fox, Universal, Paramount, Warner Brothers, MGM and Columbia. Nestico has published over 600 works and has collaborated with such artists as Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Patti Austin and countless others, in addition to having been the composer/arranger for the Count Basie Orchestra.

"His presence on campus will be unforgettable," expressed dean of music Daniel Andai. "The instrumentalists and directors are dancing to the tunes in rehearsals and our composition students are eagerly awaiting his arrival. What an honor for all involved!" 
 
October 22; 4:00 PM 
New World School of the Arts, Music Building
401 NE 2 Avenue, Room 4302, Miami
Free and open to the public

Information at 305-237-3622

 
 
 
SAMMY NESTICO SHARES THE STAGE WITH THE NWSA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND THE NWSA JAZZ ENSEMBLE
Directed by Jim Gasior and Alfred Gershfeld, the NWSA Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble will come together for an unforgettable evening of jazz arrangements, including the Florida premier of Swingphonic, by one of the most respected musical icons in the jazz industry, Sammy Nestico.

"Nestico composed and arranged the pieces that will be performed," said Dean Andai. "He is a powerhouse musician that inspires anyone in his presence. I'm confident that when he stands in front of our ensembles to direct and give insight on the style of his music, especially his arrangements of Swingphonic, Toni, Kiji Takes a Ride and so many others, that the students are going to have a blast!"

Andai added, "What makes this concert so unique, is the type of ensemble needed to successfully perform these works. In many cases, a jazz band is placed next to a symphony orchestra. However in this case, the jazz band is inside the symphony orchestra, playing the jazz and orchestral parts simultaneously. There aren't many ensembles that can pull off a concert like this, but at NWSA, and because of the music curriculum offered, this is exactly what our program is capable of doing. Having the concert at the Historic Lyric Theater is probably the most important venue for this concert. It has a rich and deeply rooted jazz history. When you put all the elements together, you truly achieve a trifecta that heralds why NWSA is so unique and special."  
 
October 23; 7:00 PM
Lyric Theater
819 NW 2 Avenue, Miami
Free and open to the public
Information at 305-237-3622           
 
 
 
Like us on Facebook BENJAMIN CA�AS: A SELECTION OF WORKS FROM ART FOR NEW ART PERMANENT COLLECTION
A selection of works by world-renowned painter Benjamin Ca�as will be on view at the New World Gallery during the next two months. The paintings are part of New World School of the Arts Art for New Art Permanent Collection donated to the school more than five years ago by an anonymous benefactor, through the efforts of Rosario Martinez-Ca�as, graphic design professor at NWSA. "Benjamin Ca�as (1933 - 1967) is one of the most important visual artists of modern Latin America. His works are included in many museums and permanent art collections. His art has left a strong artistic influence not only in his own country and Latin America but has transcended internationally," explained Jose Martinez-Ca�as, Latin American Fine Art expert.

Jose Martinez-Ca�as added that "Donors to NWSA's Art for New Art Permanent Art Collection's main intention is to help the school build an art collection that exposes fine arts students to works by world-renowned artists within their own environment. This collection will definitely distinguish NWSA in a way seldom found in other art schools."

Composed of more than a dozen Latin American painters, the NWSA collection includes a vast list of celebrated artists such as Mario Bencomo (Cuba), Enrique Campuzano (Chile), Antonio H. Amaral (Brazil), Emilio Falero (Cuba), Guillemo Trujillo (Brazil), Siron Franco (Brazil), Elmar Rojas (Guatemala), and Benjamin Ca�as (El Salvador) among others.
 
Benjam�n Ca�as was a Salvadorian painter who studied painting at the School of Fine Arts of San Salvador and architecture at the National University in San Salvador. The artist also studied sculpture with Enrique Salaverria and Benjamin Saul, and pottery with Cesar Serme�o. His works have been exhibited in international museums including the OAS and the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington. Solo exhibition venues include the Art Museum of the Americas, Washington, DC; Elites Fine Arts, Miami, Florida; Museum Form, San Salvador, El Salvador; and Art Gallery 80, Panama City, Panam�. Group exhibitions include Elites Fine Arts, Miami.
 
October 22 - December 18 
Opening Reception: October 22; 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
New World Gallery
25 NE 2 Street, Lobby, Miami
Information at 305-237-3649
    
 
 
 
Like us on Facebook MAKE ART WORK (MAW) EXPLORES CURATORIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN MIAMI
New World School of the Arts' Make Art Work (MAW) leads with a lecture by Dr. Adriana Herrera, recognized art critic, writer and curator. Herrera will engage in a dialogue with visual arts students alongside Willy Castellanos - prominent Cuban art historian, curator and artist. The dynamic conversation will explore curatorial opportunities in Miami, offering students and faculty invaluable testimony about their own professional journey and how they have utilized their media knowledge and institutional alliances to establish themselves in the arts community through their non-profit organization, Aluna Art Foundation.

Construyendo visiones curatoriales en Miami: alianzas y estrategias (Building curatorial visions in Miami: alliances and strategies) will be presented in Spanish and it is open to all NWSA and MDC students, faculty and the general public, free of charge.
 
October 22; 7:00 PM 
NWSA Dance Theater
25 NE 2 Street, 8th floor, Miami
Information at 305-237-3649

 
 
 
Like us on Facebook ENDOWED TEACHING CHAIR FOR DR. SUE EPSTEIN GARCIA
The music division of NWSA is honored to congratulate music faculty member Dr. Sue Epstein Garcia for being awarded the prestigious 2015 Endowed Teaching Chair recognition. "Dr. Epstein Garcia is very deserving of this recognition," commented Dr. Jeffrey Hodgson, Provost of New World School of the Arts. "She is an outstanding colleague who takes immense personal care in the training and teaching of each and every student in her classes. The success of her students is a testament to her commitment to excellence in the classroom. As an accomplished composer she models the level of artistic achievement to which we encourage our students to aspire."
 
A composer, educator and author, Dr. Epstein Garcia holds an DMA in Composition from Boston University 1999 and a BM in Film Scoring from Berklee College of Music 1992. Her works have been performed by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and at Clark, Brandeis, Boston and Florida International Universities as well as internationally at UniRio in Rio de Janeiro, and in Rome and Spain. She is a contributing author to Women and Music Since 1900: an Encyclopedia and is actively involved in IAWM (the International Alliance for Women in Music).  Dr. Epstein Garcia holds the rank of Professor and joined the faculty of New World School of the Arts in 1999.
  
Miami Dade College's annual Endowed Teaching Chair program recognizes outstanding faculty who continuously strive to accomplish MDC's mission and it is generously funded by donors through the ongoing work of the MDC Foundation. The honorees are selected by a committee of their peers who reviewed evidence of student retention and success, effective teaching strategies, professional growth, and making student learning a top priority. Dr. Epstein will be recognized officially at a ceremony in November that will take place at Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus. 
   
 
 
 
 
Like us on Facebook NEW WORLD DANCE ENSEMBLE BRINGS WORLD-RENOWNED CHOREOGRAPHY TO AVENTURA
World School of the Arts dancers take Aventura by storm as the NWSA Repertory Dance Ensemble offers a dynamic program of dance. With recognized choreography by world-renowned artists, the NWSA college and high school dancers promise a captivating evening of sound and movement.

Eduardo Vilaro's Asuka, a moving work set to the music of the iconic Cuban singer Celia Cruz, offers tribute and celebration of her life and career, while Follies by choreographer Darshan Singh Bhuller is a crisp, witty series of dramatic vignettes. Choreographed by Robert Battle, Artistic Director of the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, the high energy Battlefield features driving rhythms paired with maximum intensity primal dance movements. NWSA choreographers will also present their work including Stages by Lara Murphy and Sunshine State by Gerard Ebitz. The evening of dance culminates with a beautiful Arabian duet from the upcoming Thomas Armour Youth Ballet/NWSA production of The Nutcracker.

November 4; 8:00 PM 
Aventura Arts & Cultural Center 
3385 NE 188 Street, Aventura
General admission $12
Information at 305-237-3341 
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Dr. Jeffrey Hodgson, Provost
Evonne S. Alvarez, H.S. Principal


Mary Lisa Burns, Dean of Dance
Dr. Daniel Andai, Dean of Music
Patrice Bailey, Dean of Theater
Maggy Cuesta, Dean of Visual Arts

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Juan Pi�era, Information Technology
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New World School of the Arts was created by the Florida Legislature as a Center of Excellence in the visual and the performing arts. An educational partnership of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami Dade College and the University of Florida.

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Written, edited and produced by the NWSA Marketing and Communications Department

Maria M. Flores    Director of Marketing and Communications      [email protected] 

 

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