Success Stories

The concert of violinist and MSM Precollege alumnus Daniel Rafimayeri (PC ‘18) will take place at 2 PM on November 5, and will feature works by Beethoven, Wieniawski, De Falla and Janáček. Daniel is the 2019 Burdick-Thorne Gold medalist of the Stulberg International String Competition.

He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the Aspen Music Festival, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and other respected venues.

Buy tickets to the concert here.

On the Emmy Awards broadcast on January 15 during the In Memoriam segment, singer, pianist and composer Charlie Puth (PC ’10) performed his hit song See You Again, and closed with a moving rendition of the theme song from the TV program Friends in honor of one of its actors, the late Matthew Perry, bringing tears to the eyes of many in the audience.

Charlie Puth was asked to perform on the broadcast after producers saw a viral video of him performing the songs during a concert in Melbourne, Australia shortly after Matthew Perry’s death.

Watch a news report about his Emmys performance here.

The New York Times featured former MSM Precollege student pianist Chloe Flower this month in an article entitled “A Pianist Who Changes Key From Liberace to Cardi B.”

“Chloe Flower has performed at the Grammys, and went viral during the Golden Globes. Naturally, a Christmas album is on the way,” writes Alex Vadulkul. The article mentions that Chloe got her first “big break” after studying at Manhattan School of Music.

Read NYTimes article here.

Precollege alumnus Michael Davidman, who was a student of Efrem Briskin for 10 years, recently won 3rd prize at the prestigious Long-Thibaud International competition in Paris, which took place November 6 to 13.

The Long-Thibaud Competition was created nearly 80 years ago by renowned pianist Marguerite Long, to whom Maurice Ravel dedicated his concerto in G, and violinist Jacques Thibaud.

Learn more about the competition here.
Learn more about Michael here.

MSM Precollege alumna Simone Dinnerstein (PC ’89), a former student of Solomon Mikowsky in MSM’s Precollege program, performed on January 23, 2022 in Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall in Penelope, a concert that also featured actress Uma Thurman as narrator.

Penelope is a collaboration from composer André Previn and playwright Tom Stoppard focusing on one of literature’s great heroines, retelling the story of the woman who stood strong awaiting the return of her wandering husband, Odysseus.

Music included works by Barber, Phillip Glass, and Fauré.

Learn about Simone here.

Dr. Nancy Mezey, the Dean of the Honors School at Monmouth University, has been appointed as the President of the Board of The Garden State Philharmonic, the critically acclaimed professional orchestra that is “Orchestra in Residence” at Ocean County College in Tom’s River.

In addition to the professional orchestra, the GSP sponsors a three-tiered Youth Orchestra program comprised of more than 100 students between the ages of eight and 21, and an auditioned Community Chorus.

Learn more about Dr. Mezey’s appointment here.

Precollege alumnus Benjamin Rossen, piano student of Jeffrey Cohen, has been named a 2020 Presidential Scholar by the US Department of Education. The 56th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars was announced today, recognizing 161 high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics, the arts, and career and technical education fields.

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects scholars annually based on their academic success, artistic and technical excellence, essays, school evaluations, and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership, and demonstrated commitment to high ideals.

Read the full press release here.

MSM Precollege alumnus Charlie Puth performed a concert live on Instagram as part of Global Citizen and World Health Organization’s #TogetherAtHome series. You can watch the mini-concert on his Charlie’s Instagram profile.

“Together, At Home” was designed to promote unity amid the COVID-19 pandemic’s social distancing protocols. Previous performers include John Legend and Chris Martin of Coldplay. Learn more about the series and future performers here.

Former Precollege Director and Alumni Advisory Council Member Director Dianne Flagello (BM ’52, MM ’52, HonDMA ’99) received the Distinguished Music Educator Award from JCC Thurnauer School of Music last month at their 30th Gift of Music Gala Benefit Concert. Read more about the event here.

During her time as a student at Manhattan School of Music, Dianne studied Percussion and Music Education. She returned to her alma mater in 1974 as director of MSM Precollege, known then as MSM’s Preparatory Division, until 1999. Dianne is currently an active member of the Alumni Advisory Council.

Four MSM students and alumni were recently named recipients of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) 2020 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award.

Angelo Di Loreto (MM ’13, Jazz Piano)
Eliana Fishbeyn (MM ’21, Jazz Composition)
Rin Seo (MM ’20, Jazz Composition)
Matthew Whitaker (Precollege alum)

The program was established in 2002 to encourage young gifted jazz composers up to the age of 30. It carries the name of the great trumpeter and ASCAP member Herb Alpert in recognition of The Herb Alpert Foundation’s multi-year financial commitment to the program. The recipients, who receive cash awards, range in age from 17 to 29 and are selected through a juried national competition. For more information, visit their website.

Former precollege student Matthew Whitaker was inteviewed on CBS’s 60 Minutes during February 23rd’s feature segment. Matthew is a jazz pianist who is blind, and since the age of 11, has been performing around the world. Called a prodigy with extraordinary talent, he has caught the attention of scientists who are now studying his brain and trying to understand his vision of music.

For Matthew’s full story, visit CBS’s website for the segment and article.

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Kevin Lin, Precollege alumnus and student of Patinka Kopec, this week.

Kevin currently serves as Co-Leader of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and has previously been a Guest Concertmaster with the Pittsburgh, Houston and Cincinnati Symphonies.

“I’m extremely excited and honored to join the Indianapolis Symphony … it’s been a pleasure getting to know the musicians and the community of the ISO … I look forward to many memorable years of music making,” Lin said.

Read the full release on The Violin Channel.

Precollege alumnus and Grammy-nominated musician Charlie Puth performed on the PBS staple, Sesame Street, earlier this month. In the video segment (available to watch here), Charlie teaches muppets Grover, Elmo, Abby, and Cookie Monster how to sing aloud as they perform a classic song from the show.

A pop musician who advanced from YouTube likes to RIAA certifications, Charlie Puth has regularly achieved multi-platinum status on his own and with high profile collaborators. He released his debut album Nine Track Mind in 2016 and his second full length album Voicenotes in 2018.

Alumna Myra Huang (MM ’01, Accompanying) and Precollege alumna Chloe Flower were recently added to Steinway & Sons’ prestigious Artist Roster. For decades, Steinway & Sons has cultivated special relationships with pianists from every genre. From Lang Lang to Diana Krall to Billy Joel to such legends as Cole Porter, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Arthur Rubinstein.

Learn more about Chloe (left) and Myra (right) on their Steinway Artist pages.

Myra Huang Artist Page

Chloe Flower Artist Page

Former Precollege students Abigail Nishiwaki (left), Alexandra Woroniecka (center), and Sarah Ma (right) are finalists in the 10th annual Cooper International Competition taking place later this month at Oberlin Conservatory. The annual event brings together young violinists from eight countries and seven states to compete for $40k in cash prizes.

All rounds of the competition will be streamed here beginning Saturday, July 20. Read the press release for more information.

Violinist Daniel Rafimayeri, a graduate of MSM’s Precollege Program, was awarded the Burdick-Thorne Gold Medal, Bach Prize at the prestigious competition. Precollege alumnus Ari Boutris (student of Patinka Kopec) and current student Chelsea Xia (student of Elizabeth Faidley) also competed in the semifinal round.

The 44th Stulberg International String Competition took place May 18, 2019 at Western Michigan University and was judged by Paul Coletti, Emilio Colón, and Jennifer Frautschi.

You can watch live performances from the competition here.

A group of five Precollege students, who graduated in May 2018, won the high school division of The American Prize in Chamber Music Performance for 2018-2019. The ensemble included Jane Bua, piano; Coco Mi, violin; Ari Boutris, violin; Daniel Rafimayeri, viola; and Alexander Rohatyn, cello; and was coached by Precollege faculty member Emirhan Tunca. Winners of Manhattan School of Music’s 2018 Chamber Music Competition, the members have enjoyed featured appearances with The Chamber Music Society at Lincoln Center, National Public Radio’s “From the Top”, Aspen Music Festival, Decoda, Heifetz Music Festival, The New York Concerti Sinfonietta, New York Youth Symphony and The York Symphony Orchestra, among others.

Additionally, MSM alumna Mary Mackenzie was named a Finalist Honorable Mention in the professional division for the Mackenzie-Williams Duo. A passionate performer of contemporary vocal music, soprano Mary Mackenzie works closely with composers to develop and premiere new works for voice.

Read the full press release here.

Cohen is a graduate of both MSM’s Precollege and Graduate programs, earning his Master of Music in jazz piano in 2014. In April of this year, he won the prestigious American Pianists Association (APA) Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz, a prize valued at $100,000.

Read the full feature by Musical America here.

Nico Wohl, a jazz guitarist and graduate of Manhattan School of Music’s Precollege program, has been named a 2019 YoungArts finalist. The National YoungArts Foundation selects just six jazz musicians from a pool of over 500 talented applicants.

Read more of Nico’s story in this article from the Berkshire Edge.

Matthew Whitaker, a graduate of MSM’s Precollege division, has been selected as one of the winners of the 2019 ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards for his original composition, Emotions. Whitaker is currently touring throughout the US and Europe, and recently performed during WBGO‘s 40th Anniversary Concert.

View his upcoming tour dates here.

The violinist is making social change through her family’s music school in Chinatown, NYC. The 35-year-old activist hopes to turn it into a community gathering place.

“My parents would have rather I had come back for a cushy job and a steady income,” she says. “I came back thinking of their business as fertile ground for civic change.”

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Joanna Lau, flutist and violinist, previously won MSM’s Precollege concerto competition and is a senior at Herrick High School. The award is presented by Long Island Arts Alliance.

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Alexander Rohatyn was a top prizewinner at the competition held in Carnegie Hall. He expressed gratitude to his cello teacher at MSM, Marion Feldman, as well as to the late conductor, Jonathan Strasser.

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