Category Archives for "Events"

Studio student at 2009 Rose Parade

By billalpert | Events , Student News , violin , voice

Hannah Meisser (right) sings at this year’s Rose Parade.

Hannah’s float won the President’s Trophy!

A gorgeous New Year’s day in Pasadena marked the first appearance of an Alpert Studio student in the illustrious Rose Parade. Student Hannah Meisser was selected to perform on the Sesame Street themed float sponsored by NAMM, the trade association of the music industry. The float also featured a violinist (not a common sight at the Rose Parade!) and was followed by the impressive Bands of America Honor Band.

Congrats to Hannah, on being selected for this honor. And Happy New Year to all!

Broadway Experience performs at WDW

By billalpert | Events , Studio News , voice

November 2008 marked the first Broadway Experience excursion to Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida. The group was the only vocal ensemble from the western United States accepted to perform at the park’s annual Candlelight Processional. Sixteen Alpert Studio students participated in the event.

Here’s a slideshow of the group’s trip. Enjoy and Happy New Year to all!

Disney World or Bust: the Reprise

By Melanie Alpert | Events , voice

As many of you may know, Brandon and I are on the road this week to meet up with some seriously talented kids who auditioned and were accepted to sing at Walt Disney World’s Candlelight Processional. We’re performing with the Upland, CA based Broadway Experience performance troupe, led by director Barbara Hinrichsen. I am so proud to be their music director. We found out recently that we were the only group of singers, high school, college or adult, that was accepted from the Western US this year! That is quite an honor and well deserved by this group’s talented young performers.

This group includes a large number of award winning singers, from LA County Music Center Spotlight semi-finalists (three) to San Bernardino County Music Educator’s Association Solofest winners or finalists (five)  from Southern California Vocal Association semi-finalists or finalists (six) to Chaffey Joint Union Solofest winners or finalists (four) to John Child Walker Vocal Competition finalists or winners (four). Each and every member is showing great promise; we have some of the best young singers in Southern California. I am privileged to be involved in their artistic lives. We’re looking forward to an incredibly rewarding trip. And oh yea, it will be a BLAST too! Stay tuned!

Last Minute Reminders

By billalpert | Events , Studio News , violin , voice

Just a quick reminder that our Winter Studio Recital will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 15 at the studio Recital Hall on Arrow Route. All students are expected to participate. Rehearsal will be held on Friday, November 14, between 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Your exact rehearsal slot will be assigned during your lesson.

Winter Recital Date Announced

By billalpert | Events , violin , voice

We are pleased to announce that the Alpert Studio Winter 2008 recital will be held on Saturday, November 15 at 4:00 p.m. at the performance hall in Rancho Cucamonga. The rehearsal for the event will be held on Friday, November 14, in the late afternoon.

All violin and voice students are expected to participate; performance opportunities are a vital part of musical education. Please wear appropriate recital attire on the evening of the event.

Winter Studio Recital
Saturday, November 15, 2008 • 4:00 p.m.
Performance Facility: 10722 Arrow Route; Unit 104 • Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Milwaukee’s brewing up some fine music

By billalpert | Events , violin

Master Teacher Darcy Drexler explains the finer points of violin vibrato to seven year old Academy student Margaret Knox.

Every summer, string teachers from across the country make a pilgrimage to Milwaukee. This week, I’m here with a dozen other teachers to observe what is arguably one of the finest models of string education in the world. For teachers, it’s a four day intense program of immersion simply entitled Teaching the Violin to Children.

The String Academy of Wisconsin, founded in 1990 by well known pedagogue Mimi Zweig, is hosted at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. The event draws its inspiration from the teaching philosophies of Shinichi Suzuki and Paul Rolland. These two violin luminaries were certainly some of the most influential violin educators of the 20th century. Currently Executive Director Darcy Drexler, along with Zweig form the core faculty of the Workshop. For violin teachers, it’s a rare opportunity to draw upon years of experience distilled by some of the most effective violin teachers in the world.

For me, a trip like this is great fun. Every day is non-stop violin: lecture, demonstration and recitals. It’s inspiring and motivating, exhausting and at the same time exhilarating. For my students: it means.. well they’ll be finding out soon enough 😉

Studio Recital photos

By billalpert | Events , Student News , violin , voice

Alpert Studio Recital, June 2008
Photo courtesy: Deb Tracey Photography

Congrats to the over 30 studio students who performed at the June 7th recital. It was an exciting afternoon in a packed full recital hall. Of special note are the following students who made their very first recital performance, Faith Ferry, John Ferry, Marylou Ferry and Zachary Rustenburg in violin and Marissa Henkel, Zeke Gonzalez, Eryn Moore and David Mao in voice.

Senior students performing were Cesar Quintero and Gabi Martinez in voice. Gabi will be attending Oberin Conservatory of music in the Fall, and Cesar is planning on attending the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles. Kudos to all of our performers!

Cesar Quintero making Mozart’s Dalla sua pace sound easy

Relaxing after a job well done (from left): Sarah Hinrichsen, Michael Sturgis, Sarah Jackson, Cesar Quintero, Maggie Anderson and Kaitlin Orr.

Studio Recital Reminder

By billalpert | Events , violin , voice

Just a last minute reminder: our Spring studio recital will be held on Saturday, June 7 at 4:00 p.m. in the studio performance hall.

Rehearsal will begin between 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Friday, June 6, also at the performance hall. Students will be assigned a specific rehearsal time slot during their lesson. We will try to accommodate your specific time request, if possible. Please try to be flexible.

Remember, all violin and voice students are expected to participate in the recital. Please remember to bring your music, properly taped up and in order for our accompanist. Please dress appropriately for a performance; no jeans or flip flops. Thank You.

Big Weekend for the Studio

By billalpert | Events , Student News , voice

Brandon Alpert, backing Dawnn Lewis in Norman’s Ark, Ford Amphitheater

Studio graduates Taylor Pearson and Brandon Alpert made a professional appearance in the new musical Norman’s Ark, currently running nightly at the Ford Amphitheater from May 27 to June 8. It’s a modern retelling of the Noah’s Ark story suitable for the entire family. We caught a sneak preview and thoroughly enjoyed the production. We highly recommend it! For information and tickets visit the Ford Amphitheater website. There’s a bit of background on the show on my last blog entry. Also, here’s an LA Times article about the show.

Congratulations to Daniella Samuel on being cast in the part of Wendy Darling in the Candelight Pavillion’s production of Peter Pan, running July 12 – August 17. For information and tickets, visit the venue website.

Pictured from left, Sarah Jackson, Cesar Quintero, Melanie Alpert, Mercedes Machado
Back row: Michael Sturgis, Kathryn McGuire

The Alpert Studio swept the vocal division of the 2008 John Child Walker Competition, held last weekend at Bridges Hall of Music, Claremont.

First place winner in lower division was Mercedes Machado, with Michael Sturgis taking second place. In the upper division, Sarah Jackson placed third, Kathryn McGuire took second and Cesar Quintero captured the first place prize. Congratulations to you all; you’ve made us proud once again!

Excitement Abounds in May and June

By billalpert | Events , voice

Jason Robert Brown

May promises to be an exciting month for Alpert Studio students. To start, May 10 marks the first cast meeting and rehearsal for the BE production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Also, several students are participating in the Los Osos High School production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, including Lindsay Rupp and Sarah Jackson. Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 2 and 3. If possible, please come out and support your fellow students.

Composer/Lyricist Stephen Schwartz of Wicked fame will be performing at Citrus College on Saturday May 3. It’s a wonderful opportunity to hear Schwartz’ famous musical theater tunes as well as his antecdotes from the world of Broadway. Here’s a link for more information and tickets.

Also at Citrus’ Haugh Performing Arts Center on Saturday May 17 is Jason Robert Brown in Concert. From the event website: Jason Robert Brown has been hailed as “one of Broadway’s smartest and most sophisticated songwriters since Stephen Sondheim” (The Philadelphia Inquirer). He won a 1999 Tony® Award for his score to Parade, which also captured the Drama Desk and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards for best new musical. His “extraordinary jubilant theatre music” (Chicago Tribune) thus far includes scores for The Last Five Years, Songs For A New World, collaboration onUrban Cowboy: the Musical, and the just-produced world premiere of Thirteen. He is currently at work on the score for the upcoming musical version ofHoneymoon in Vegas. Join us for a special evening with this rising – and Broadway Bright – star! For tickets and infomation click here.

Here is video of Brandon Alpert singing Jason Robert Brown’s Shiksa Goddess. (PG-13)

June is no less exciting; the new musical Pazzazz! by Broadway legends Richard Sherman and Milt Larsen, makes its world premier at Citrus’ Haugh Performing Arts center on June 13-15. The production is co-directed by Alpert Studio family member Barbara Hinrichsen’s husband and Sarah’s dad, Greg Hinrichsen along with choreographer John Vaughan. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity. Event website.

Last, but not least, studio alumni Brandon Alpert and Taylor Pearson will be appearing at the Ford Amphitheater in the west coast premier of Norman’s Ark, A New Musical. Written by American composer Glen Roven ( here’s an interview regarding the project) and directed by Lion King Tony Award winning produced Peter Schneider, the production is a family-friendly retelling of the ancient bible story in a modern setting. Performances run from May 27-June 8. From the event website: Broadway comes to Los Angeles when Glen Roven and Jerome Kass retell the Noah’s Ark story of hope in the context of a Post-Katrina world. The entire family will thrill to the entrance of 100 children as the animals on the ark. Emotional country ballads and smokin’ rock-a-billy tunes along with the giant gospel choir would raise the roof if the Ford Amphitheatre had one! Tickets and information.