THE MUSIC CONSERVATORY OF WESTCHESTER INC

MUSIC INSTRUCTIONTHE MUSIC CONSERVATORY OF WESTCHESTER (MCW) IS A NONPROFIT COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL FOUNDED IN 1929 IN THE AMERICAN SETTLEMENT HOUSE TRADITION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND THE EUROPEAN CONSERVATORY TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE. LEGENDARY CELLIST PABLO CASALS WAS AMONG ITS FOUNDERS, AND JAZZ LEGEND CAB CALLOWAY ONCE SERVED ON ITS BOARD. MCW'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE THE EXTRAORDINARY BENEFITS OF MUSIC TO ALL IN OUR COMMUNITY. TODAY, WE SERVE 2,800 STUDENTS OF ALL AGES, ABILITIES AND BACKGROUNDS: 800 WHO TAKE LESSONS AND CLASSES IN OUR WHITE PLAINS FACILITY AND 2000 WHO PARTICIPATE IN OUTREACH PROGRAMS ON COLLABORATION WITH 30 COMMUNITY PARTNERS. OUR WHITE PLAINS FACILITY FEATURE 39 TEACHING STUDIOS, RECITAL HALL, PIANO LAB, TECHNOLOGY LAB, AND A RECORDING STUDIO WITH LARGE MAIN STUDIO AND CONTROL ROOM. THE STUDIO IS NETWORKED TO THE RECITAL HALL, ENABLING RECORDING AND LIVE-STREAMING OF ALL PERFORMANCES.OUR MUSIC PROGRAMS INCLUDE ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUMENTAL AND VOCAL INSTRUCTION, PERFORMING ENSEMBLES, THEORY, COMPOSITION, MUSIC PRODUCTION, EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSES, SUMMER PROGRAMS AND WORKSHOPS, LIFELONG LEARNING FOR ADULTS, AND FREE COMMUNITY PERFORMANCES. INSTRUCTION IS PROVIDED BY A FACULTY OF 74 PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS AND EDUCATORS, THE MAJORITY OF WHOM HOLD MASTER OR DOCTORAL DEGREES. WE ADDITIONALLY OFFER THREE SPECIALIZED CURRICULA FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: HONORS CERTIFICATE PROGRAM FOR SERIOUS, TALENTED HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUMENTALISTS, WITH REQUIREMENTS FOR PERFORMANCE, MUSIC THEORY AND ENSEMBLE PARTICIPATION. MCW THEATRE ARTS PREP WHICH PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN MUSICAL THEATER. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES VOCAL TRAINING AS WELL AS CLASSES IN MUSIC THEORY, ACTING, DANCE, AND RECORDING TECHNIQUES FOR SINGERS. MUSIC PRODUCTION AND RECORDING, OFFERING COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT-BASED TRAINING IN AUDIO AND VIDEO, DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSPACE (DAW), SOUND DESIGN AND EFFECTS, SONGWRITING AND COMPOSITION, ARRANGING, PODCASTING AND VIDEOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES. OUR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES NEED-BASED TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR FINANCIALLY DESERVING STUDENTS, ENSURING THEY CAN PURSUE MUSIC TRAINING FROM PRESCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ALUMNI HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO THE NATION'S TOP UNIVERSITIES AND CONSERVATORIES, INCLUDING UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, YALE UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL, PEABODY CONSERVATORY, INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC, AND MANY OTHERS. OUR ALUMNI INCLUDE PROFESSORS AT JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY AND MIT, A MUSIC TEACHER IN ROCHESTER NY, A LOCAL PEDIATRICIAN, A MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC, TWO INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED PIANISTS, THE MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE MILWAUKIE SYMPHONY, AND THOUSANDS OF ALUMNI IN COUNTLESS PROFESSIONS RIGHT HERE IN WESTCHESTER AND ALL AROUND THE NATION. THE CONSERVATORY LOOKS FORWARD TO CELEBRATING OUR CENTENNIAL IN 2029. ONE OF ONLY 16 COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE TO HOLD ACCREDITATION FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF MUSIC, THE CONSERVATORY HAS INSPIRED GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS AND CONTRIBUTED TO A VIBRANT MUSICAL LIFE IN THE COUNTY, THE REGION AND BEYOND.

OUTREACH PROGRAMTHE CONSERVATORY'S MUSIC THERAPY INSTITUTE (MTI) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1986 TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. TODAY THE PROGRAM SERVES 2,000 CHILDREN AND ADULTS, PROVIDING INDIVIDUAL AND SMALL-GROUP MUSIC THERAPY ONSITE AT THE CONSERVATORY, AND GROUP MUSIC THERAPY ON AN OUTREACH BASIS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 30 COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, MEDICAL FACILITIES, SENIOR CARE CENTERS, AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES. SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY A FACULTY OF 12 BOARD-CERTIFIED MUSIC THERAPISTS WHO HOLD UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES IN MUSIC AND MASTER'S OR DOCTORAL DEGREES IN MUSIC THERAPY. THE CONSERVATORY BUILDING INCLUDES A DEDICATED MUSIC THERAPY UNIT WITH FOUR SESSION STUDIOS AND AN OBSERVATION ROOM FITTED WITH ONE-WAY MIRRORS AND HEAD SETS, ENABLING PARENTS, CAREGIVERS AND OTHER THERAPY PROVIDERS TO OBSERVE SESSIONS. MTI HAS RECEIVED AWARDS FROM ARTS WESTCHESTER AND FROM ASCAP (AMERICAN SOCIETY OF COMPOSERS, AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS). IN 2013, MTI ESTABLISHED HEALING OUR HEROES, PROVIDING MUSIC THERAPY SERVICES FOR U.S. MILITARY VETERANS DEALING WITH WAR-RELATED INJURIES, AT NO COST TO THEM OR THEIR FAMILIES. SERVING 15-20 VETERANS EACH YEAR, THE PROGRAM PROVIDES EACH VETERAN WITH TWO TO THREE YEARS OF WEEKLY INDIVIDUAL MUSIC THERAPY SESSIONS, AS WELL AS TWO WEEKLY GROUP SESSIONS: MUSIC FOR SELF-CARE WHICH HELPS VETERANS LEARN TO USE MUSIC FOR RELAXATION AND STRESS REDUCTION; THE VETERANS BAND WHICH GIVES VETERANS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MUSIC TOGETHER AND TO COMPOSE ORIGINAL SONGS. IN 2023, SEVERAL NEW COMPONENTS WERE ADDED TO THE PROGRAM: CAREGIVER WORKSHOPS, SUPPORT GROUP FOR FEMALE VETERANS, AND SUMMER CONGA WORKSHOPS. HEALING OUR HEROES HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AND SUPPORTED BY DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS, AND IS FEATURED IN MUSIC VETS, A DOCUMENTARY FILM ABOUT THE CHALLENGES FACED BY VETERANS DEALING WITH THE WOUNDS OF WAR AS THEY STRUGGLE TO READJUST TO CIVILIAN LIFE. MUSIC VETS WAS PREMIERED AT THE KENNEDY CENTER IN OCTOBER, 2022 AND HAS HAD SCREENINGS AT THE BEDFORD PLAYHOUSE, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY AND OTHER LOCATIONS.