MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
Hey do you have your tickets to the 3-2-1 Band concert/sing-along with Grammy award-winning children's music doyen Dan Zanes? Oh, what it's sold out. Well, there may be a few tickets at the door, so come early! 

When: February 10th, 2013 11 am and 1 pm!
Where: PS 321 auditorium (180 7th Avenue Park Slope, Brooklyn)

Two years ago we performed a rockingly smokin' special concert with the former member of the 1980's rock group The Del Fuegos, who, if you have kids, is well-known now as one of the preeminent forces in children's music. All proceeds from the concert benefit arts and enrichment programs at PS 321 and having Dan help us out is quite wonderful and thankful. Of course our talented 3-2-1 Band is no slouch and features beloved teachers Bill Fulbrecht, Elizabeth Heisner, Adam Lane, Frank McGarry and of course me (yes, I write and conduct Numinous but this is one of the rare times I actually perform myself).

If you are interested hopefully there will be a few tickets at the door, otherwise you'll have to wait until next time...

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 9:30 AM

Kindergarten girl 1: "I love  ***, he's my boyfriend!
Kindergarten girl 2: "and mine!"
Kindergarten girl 3: "mine too!"

Me: what?! *** has three girlfriends?!
Kindergarten girl 1: Yeah, it's college!

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 6:41 PM 

Sold out! If you didn't get tickets to our 321 Band concert this afternoon Sunday February 12 at 2:30pm at P.S. 321 (180 7th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn) there's always next year...

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 10:00 AM 

This Thursday my school P.S. 321 will suffer a most mellifluous invasion of cello. This is all in preparation of Friday's Neighborhood Classics performance by Zuill Bailey of selections from J.S. Bach's Cello Suites. 

Now I've mention this before, but cello is my favorite string instrument so I'm going to enjoy this musical assault thoroughly. A number of cellists will be coming to the school to perform selections from the Cello Suites for various classes throughout the school day (I'll even have some come by my kindergarten music classes; the kids will be excited to see and hear the cello especially since we are talking about different family of instruments at the moment and since my cello skills are a little...rusty, it will be great having a professional demo rather than me). Now some of the cellists coming to the school are old friends: such as Jody Redhage (who has a great new album out) or Eric Schoen-Rene (who was at some of the first Numinous rehearsals many, many years ago); one, Laura Metcalf, I know of, but haven't worked with yet. The rest are new to me, but I look forward to meeting: Sang Yhee, Patrick McGuire, Alex Green, Caleigh Drane, Analissa C. Martinez, Audrey Nadeau, Claire Bryant, Alice Levine, Karen Ouzounian, Martha Siegel, Kieran Campbell, as well as a few cello students from the Special Music School.

This is going to be a fun event and if I have a chance I'll try to post a few photos from the cello surge...

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 2:03 PM 

On Monday John Turturro screened his film Passione at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) as a fundraiser for the school I teach at P.S. 321 (THANKS JOHN!!!). The film, which he directs, is a heartfelt tribute, a musilogue if you will, through Naples, Italy. John described it at the fundraiser as a sort of "Italian 'Buena Vista Social Club'" and there are some similarities between the two films (GREAT music and personalities). However most people in the States probably have little knowledge of Neapolitan music going in, whereas Cuban music is more widely known.Personally, I knew very little about the music of Naples before seeing the film and must say was quite impressed with the mixed music tendencies inherent in the influences; music from the Middle East, Spain, reggae, Catalan, America, and more all meet in a culture of miscegenation. It was an ear-opening experience and when the film is released in the States on June 22, I would suggest GO-SEE-IT!

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 12:56 AM 

This Friday evening, March 18th at 7pm Simone Dinnerstein's Neighborhood Classics concert series returns with Simone playing piano with Grammy winning clarinetist Richard Stoltzman. As always the concert is at P.S. 321 in Brooklyn (180 7th Avenue, between 1st and 2nd Streets in Park Slope). The dynamic duo will be performing two pieces I love Steve Reich’s New York Counterpoint (a work written for Stoltzman) and Johannes Brahms' Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in F minor, Op. 120. The program will be rounded out by a work of J.S. Bach Sonata for Viola da Gamba and Keyboard in D Major.

Tickets are no longer available online, but you are welcome to come by the school in the morning (8:30am to 9:00am) where they can be purchased in the lobby.

Neighborhood Classics, started by Simone last year, is a great series of concerts (previous concerts of the new season of the series featuring cellist Maya Beiser in October and harpist Bridget Kibbey in January). In addition to concerts at P.S. 321, the series has expanded to P.S. 142 on the lower East Side and ALL of the proceeds from each concert goes to each school (the musicians donate their time and services) and will help mitigate some of the effects the MAJOR budget cuts will inflict on all schools next school year. I teachkindergarten music and math at P.S. 321 and know firsthand how much the proceeds from the Neighborhood Classics has helped our school, even now. So beyond the great music, you'll be support the kids by coming out to theNeighborhood Classics.

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 9:45 AM 

If you have kids you might want to come to our 321 Band concert where we have the honor of being the E-Street Band backing children music's Springsteen: the wonderful, Dan Zanes. The show is Saturday February 12th 2pm at P.S. 321 (180 7th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn). Oh wait, the 2pm show sold out in less than a day! Well have no fear, like the Boss, we're adding a second show later that afternoon at 4:30pm, so better get your tickets now! IT WILL SELL OUT! $20 in advance $25 at the door. Tickets at www.ps321.org.

Despite PS 321's great reputation among NYC schools, with looming budget cuts, there is no guarantee that we'll be able to maintain and fully fund all of our great programs and teachers (including maybe, gulp...me!). So like the Neighborhood Classic concert series pianist Simone Dinnerstein started at our school, ALL the money earned from the Dan Zanes concerts goes to help minimize the tremendous effects those cuts will have to our school. Please consider coming out, it will be a fun time...and it might help save an afterschool program or a job!

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 8:14 AM 

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2010
A little pre-Thanksgiving kindergartephorism--an overheard conversation while teaching one of my classes today:
Kindergarten girl: "You are my boyfriend."
Kindergarten boy: [blank stare, coupled with a 'why me look?']
Kindergarten boy: "Why me, you should pick (name withheld to protect the innocent); he's the one that has a crush on you?"
Kindergarten girl: "Because I want someone beautiful."Kindergartephorism #1
Kindergartephorism #2
POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 9:02 PM 

Being a kindergarten teacher, the kids often say some funny and cute things to me so I thought I'd start a little sub-series in my Notes from the Teaching Field posts: Kindergartephorism (hey, Sarah Palin is not the only one who can make up words...). If you aren't following me on Twitter (and why aren't you?) then you might have missed some of them, so here are two recent ones:

yesterday at the end of one of my math classes a kindergarten girl raised her hand and said, "you weren't funny today." #futurecritic
5:34 AM Oct 22nd via Twitter for iPhone

cute kindergartephorism said 2 me: "I love you. You are like a pizza!"Hmm, 2 fund next CD I'll write kid book "Joe's a Pizza" ala Steig
about 18 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 9:35 AM 

Well today is the first day back for New York City teachers, with tomorrow being the first official day for the students. And in a wonderful twist, that can only happen with the New York City Department of Education, after Wednesday's first day school, we have another two days off for Rosh Hashanah! Shana Tova Umetukah! So to get myself back in the mode (mood), I wanted to share some of the thank you cards I received at the end of last school year. My wife always says "you are so lucky" to have so many kids love you and I do feel lucky and happy to be a little part of their lives.

Last November I started this series of posts called Notes from the Teaching Field to chronicle some of the going-ons in my 'other' life--teaching. The first post, "Um, yes Actual Notes", (November 2009) featured some of the notes and letters I received throughout the year from students, mostly kindergarten and first grade. So I wanted to share some of the notes and cards from this past school year. My thanks to Kim and her first grade class for most of the cards (for those of you out there who don't know the insanity that is often the NYC Department of Education and how it affects some teachers, read Kim's story about almost being 'let go' for this year because of budget cuts. She was on the chopping block not because she isn't a great teacher (she is!) but because she was unlucky to be the low woman on the totem pole--DOE a meritocracy? Fail!).

Anyway, let the cuteness begin below...


POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 8:00 AM 

That's right, the title says it all. For last night's crowd at the Apollo Theater Amateur Night, our 321 Band was the nameless red shirted Enterprise landing-party crew members beamed down to the planet's surface...never to return. WPIX Channel 11 had a nice interview (you can see me in the background during the 321 Band interview). Even the old Grey Lady, the New York Times, covered the debacle that was Teacher's Amateur Night. I actually was tweeting from the Apollo last night (#NYCTeachersatApollo) and you can get a sense of what was happening from them, but here's a sampling:

 -people already lined up on 125th St. for sold out Amateur Night show at the Apollo, the tension & excitement mounts#NYCTeachersatApollo 3:34 PM Jun 2nd 

-Apollo Green room, with everyone getting ready like Queen Latifah's Beauty Shop, only w/o hot combs (curlers only here) #NYCTeachersatApollo 3:39 PM Jun 2nd 

-Apollo Ex. Dir telling stories of Ella, James Brown, etc. booed off stage, ok so that's going to make us feel better #NYCTeachersatApollo 3:48 PM Jun 2nd 

-spontaneous break out of teachers playing Jobim and the Circle is Unbroken, good way to break the ice in Green Room #NYCTeachersatApollo 4:04 PM Jun 2nd

-being 1st, we were the sacrificial lambs of the Night booed off but almost made it to the end, oops there's another out #NYCTeachersatApollo 8:12 PM Jun 2nd

-it's student payback time, another bites the dust, but there is love and support in the GreenRoom  #NYCTeachersatApollo 8:14 PM Jun 2nd

-in the balcony now having a beer watching the other acts, crowd is tired of booing, last 3 made it #NYCTeachersatApollo 8:43 PM Jun 2nd

Really it was good fun and we actually did play great (what playing we did!) but I must say the obvious: Harlem ain't ready for bluegrass...

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 11:45 PM 

Tomorrow night, June 2nd at 7:30 pm it's showtime at the Apollo!!! The 321 Band performs at the famous Amateur Night!!!

update:
here's a link to the May 27, 2010 New York Times article about the Teacher's Night at the Apollo

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 12:00 PM 

A week from today on June 2nd I'll be participating in the New York City Department of Education Teacher's Night at the famous Apollo Theater's Amateur Talent Show Night with some of my colleagues from P.S. 321: Frank McGarry, guitar & vocals (1st & 2nd grade music teacher); Adam Lane, bass (3rd, 4th, 5th grade music teacher); Elizabeth Heisner, violin (2nd grade teacher); John Allgood, mandolin and vocals (kindergarten teacher); Bill Fulbrecht, banjo and vocals (kindergarten teacher); me, bodhran and various percussion (kindergarten music and math teacher). Back in January 2010 I chronicled the 321 Band's audition and I can't believe that next week I'll be on the old grand dame stage of Harlem. Come and cheer for us as we go old timey on the Apollo crowd with our rendition of John Dawson'sGlendale Train. Tickets can be purchased at the Apollo Theater box office. Should be lots of fun!!!

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 10:00 AM 

Yesterday at P.S. 321 we held our 4th annual Walk-a-thon for a Healthy Planet. The entire school, all 1300+ students and staff, not to mention many, many parents and friends, took to the streets of Brooklyn's brownstone neighborhood of Park Slope, making our way around Prospect Park and back to the school. The students took pledges throughout the year which then subsequently are donated to various funds that are helping make the world a better place (this year Rain Forest Action Network, Lambi Fund of Haiti, and East New York Farms will receive the proceeds from the Walk-a-thon). Last year the students raised and donated $16,000!

For me, it always brings back all of those marching band memories because some of the faculty and parents (including me!) form a band that leads the 'parade.' It is always an impressive sight to see that many people walking through the streets of Brooklyn and snaking along the paths of Prospect Park, having a great time. Despite this being the coldest and cloudiest of the four Walk-a-thon's to date, it was (as always) an enjoyable, festive morning and one of the many reasons that P.S. 321 is such a special and unique place; and one of the many reasons I am fortunate and happy to be a teacher there.  

(photo credits: by Joseph C. Phillips Jr., scenes from the 2010 P.S. 321 Walk-a-thon for a Healthy Planet)

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 9:25 AM 

Tomorrow night, April 15th (yes, tax day as if you didn't know!), is the last in the 2009-2010 season of Simone Dinnerstein's Neighborhood Concert Series. Thursday's performance features the wonderful student ensemble Face the Music. Among the recent new music compositions by Nico Muhly, Graham Fitkin, Marcelo Zarvos, and Jacob TV, Face the Music will be premiering my own Liquid Timepieces, commissioned and written for them. The concert takes place at P.S. 321 (180 7th Avenue between 1st and 2nd Streets in Park Slope, Brooklyn) with all proceeds benefiting various programs at the school. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at www.ps321.org or at the door.

This morning Face the Music gave a spirited preview performance of three works, two of which will be on tomorrow night's concert. And from the sounds of it and the reaction of the packed audience of P.S. 321 students and faculty, Thursday evening's performance will be quite exciting. Hope you can join us.

(Photo credits: scenes from the Face the Music preview performance at P.S. 321 April 14, 2010)

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 2:49 PM 

All we care about is runway models, Cadillacs, and liquor bottles,
Give me something I wanna be
Retro glamour, Hollywood
Yes, we live for the Fame,
Doin' it for the fame.

-The Lady Gaga of Germanotta

Well just got the official word, that we are going to the Apollo! As I mentioned in a previous post in January, our PS 321 Faculty Band auditioned for our shot of teacherdom glory at the New York Department of Education's Talent Night at the historic Apollo Theater. And, we made it! Wednesday June 2, 2010 at 7:30pm is showtime; where we will have 3 minutes on the legendary stage to get our collective groove on. So mark those calenders now...more details to follow.

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 7:43 PM