Teaching Beginning Band in High School: How and Why?
Clinic Synopsis:
Four New York City Department of Education high school band directors will share their stories from and reasons for teaching beginner band classes as part of their band programs. Attendees will learn tips and tricks for teaching beginner band at non-traditional ages, and will also be shown the benefits of including beginning band in programs of all shapes, age levels and sizes.
Jeff W. Ball
- Biographical Information
Jeff is Director of Bands and Coordinator of Performing Arts at the Grand Street Campus (GSC) High Schools in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. The GSC band program involves over 450 students from the three Title I high schools that make up the campus. No interested student is ever turned away from GSC’s band program and every student receives a school-owned instrument, free of charge. Over 95% of the band students at GSC begin their musical training in the 9th grade. Despite this late start, the 4 concert bands and 2 jazz bands at the school consistently receive the top ratings of “Gold” and “Gold with Distinction” at the New York State School Music Association festival, often participating at the highest levels of 5 and 6.
Jeff W. Ball is the Founder, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Brooklyn Wind Symphony. The Brooklyn Wind Symphony has performed twice at the Midwest Clinic and at the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles Conference.
Jeff served as director of the New York City “All-City” High School Concert Band for over a decade. Jeff also spent five years as director of the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music Wind Ensemble and as director of the New York City “All-City” High School Marching Band.
Jeff received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and Jazz Studies from Ithaca College in 2003 and his Master's Degree in Music Education from the same institution in 2008. A resident of the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, he is an active guest conductor and clinician.
Karla Aristy - Biographical Information
Karla Aristy DeJesus is a graduate of the Aaron Copland School of Music in CUNY Queens College, having received her Master of Music in Classical Saxophone Performance. She graduated Cum Laude from New York University, with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. Karla has studied saxophone with Dr. Paul Cohen and Dr. Timothy Ruedeman. Throughout her career, her passion has always been to build strong foundations in a band setting for all learners. Karla has taught in various schools in the public school system, including Long Island and New York City. Currently, she is one of the band directors at the Grand Street Campus (GSC) High Schools, where she directs three out of the four upper-level ensembles (Symphonic Band, Repertory Band, and Jazz Band B), and enjoys teaching the Beginner Band students; in total, the music program houses about 400 students. One of the pleasures she has at GSC is the dual language teaching approach she has incorporated in the band classroom setting, as Karla is a fluent Spanish speaker. Karla frequently performs in an array of groups, having worked closely with the Bushwick Big Band (BWBB) as part of the Metropolitan Music Community, the Doctors Orchestra, and the New Conductors Orchestra. She also serves as a woodwind adjudicator for NYSSMA and has recently served as the Brooklyn North Band Teacher Team Leader for NYCPS.
Sondra Braeutigam - Biographical Information
Sondra Braeutigam is entering her 20th year of directing various levels of instrumental music at the Grand Street Campus High Schools in Brooklyn, NY. She received a BME from The Ohio State University and an MME from Queens College. Sondra teaches various levels of concert and modern band, and is the Chair of the New York City High School Honors Music Festival. She is a persistent advocate for diversity in music education offerings. She continues to play the flute and percussion in the Brooklyn Wind Symphony, and is a founding member of the Metropolitan Music Community, a non-profit organization that encompasses four adult community ensembles.
Sondra considers herself to be extremely fortunate to be surrounded by the greatest colleagues and community of musicians and educators in New York City.
Matthew Mantione - Biographical Information
Matthew Mantione is a Brooklyn-based music educator and professional trombonist with a wide-ranging background in performance, program development, and student engagement. He currently serves as the Director of Bands and Music at EBC High School for Public Service in Bushwick, where he leads a sequential concert band program in a Title I school and actively shapes school culture through leadership and arts-based initiatives. A committed advocate for equitable access to music education, Matthew works closely with citywide organizations such as NYSSMA and the NYC All-City Band, where he serves as a brass adjudicator, clinician, and substitute conductor. He also holds a longstanding position with Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts as a Student Affairs Administrator, contributing to student development beyond the traditional classroom. Matthew is an accomplished trombonist, performing regularly with ensembles including the Park Avenue Symphony, the Brooklyn Wind Symphony, and the New York City Brass Choir. His performance background spans orchestral, chamber, and Afro-Latin jazz traditions, shaped under the mentorship of artists such as Arturo O’Farrill, Jack Schatz, and Demian Austin. He holds a Master of Arts in Music Education from Hunter College, a Master of Music in Classical Trombone Performance from Mannes School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music. Matthew’s multifaceted career reflects his deep commitment to both artistry and education, ensuring that his students benefit from a music program that is rigorous, inclusive, and culturally relevant.
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