| YOUNG VIRTUOSO
Talented students are selected to receive free lessons
by a New York Pops teaching artist
followed by a performance at Carnegie Hall
2005 Young Virtuoso winner Ledread
Gathers rehearses in the percussion section of The New
York Pops
Photo: Megan Lemley
Young Virtuoso offers
one talented and dedicated student the opportunity to
receive private lessons with a New York Pops teaching
artist, followed by the chance to perform with orchestra
at Carnegie Hall. Gifted music students throughout the
five boroughs are invited to submit a written essay,
a recording and two letters of recommendation from their
teachers, music directors or established musicians to
be considered for this remarkable opportunity.
Past Young Virtuoso recipients include LeDread Gathers in 2005 and Jose Esquilin in 2006. Both students performed with The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and are continuing music studies in Brooklyn.
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Young Virtuoso winners LeDread Gathers (Photo: Megan Lemley) and Jose Esquilin (Photo: Joanne Winograd) on the nights of their debut performances at Carnegie Hall.
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 Our
first Young Virtuoso
Award Winner was 8 year old Ledread Gathers,
from PS 46 in Brooklyn.
PS 46 Music Teacher, Richard Parker, said
of Ledread: “Ledread is a very
talented individual, I consider him a prodigy.
It is rare that you see a child with as
much natural ability. It may be rarer to
see a child as focused when it comes to
music. He is as serious about music as any
adult or child I have ever met, including
professional musicians.”
Ledread wrote: “It would be a
great honor to play with The New York Pops
and Mr. Henderson because they are so famous
and play such good music. Each time I play
I like to see the faces of the people and
how happy they are when they I play for
them. But, I need a drum teacher to help
me become the best drummer in the whole
wide world.”
Ledread performed on December 16th and
December 17th, 2005 at The New York Pops
Holiday Concert at Carnegie Hall. He played
the snare drum solo on Little Drummer Boy. |
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To contact The New York Pops
Education Department, please e-mail:
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