Monday, September 21, 2015

CYM Workshops + Activities program presents: Caps for Sale! the Musical by Citizen's Bank Children's Theater Series

e W+ A program presents: Citizen’s Bank Children’s Theater Series and the Pittsburgh        Cultural Trust presents-  Caps for Sale: the Musical!

Monkey Business! “Caps! Caps for sale! Fifty cents a cap!” The peddler has huge stack of caps, balanced carefully on top of his head. Brown caps, blue caps, gray caps, and red caps. But no one wants to buy a cap. So he goes for a walk in the country, and takes a nap under a shady tree. When he wakes up, the caps are gone — all except his own checked one. Where could his caps have disappeared to? And how will he ever get them back? Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of this favorite book, this new musical will enchant the whole family.

Tickets are $10 each. 

e When? Sunday November 15, 2:00pm

e Where? Byham Theater, 101 6th St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222



DUE TO CYM BY Friday, October 2


Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Who's Who at the Center for Young Musicians- Erich Riebe


We are excited to welcome a new instructor at CYM this year- Erich Riebe. Erich hails from Long Island, New York and will be joining our guitar faculty. Welcome, Erich!

Erich Riebe is a classical guitarist from Long Island, New York. His status as an up-and-coming artist has been marked in rousing performances at area universities and festivals including Spoleto Festival USA, Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society, Bethlehem Guitar Festival, and East Carolina Guitar Festival. Erich attended Rowan University for classical guitar performance as well as music education. During his time there he studied guitar with Joseph and Kathleen Mayes and played in many concerts including solo recitals, duo recitals with the tenacious guitar duo “Howduo”, and guitar quartet recitals. Upon completing his undergraduate studies, Mr. Riebe pursued his master’s degree in guitar performance with Grammy award winning artist Jason Vieaux. His CIM based flute and guitar duo, “La Vie Duo,” has given performances including everything from Bach to The Beatles, and most recently, Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango.

Currently Erich is residing in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, teaching guitar at the Center for Young Musicians. When not strumming on his guitar, he enjoys watching hockey and going camping and hiking.

We enjoy a little Q+A session to get to know Mr. Erich...

CYM: What is your favorite piece of music to play?
Mr. Erich: Usher Waltz by Nikita Koshkin

CYM: What was your most memorable music performance to have experienced as an audience member?
Mr. Erich: Johannes Möller at the Guitar Foundation of America convention in 2011. Columbus, Georgia, front row seats!

CYM: What was your favorite childhood book? 
Mr. Erich: Harry Potter series

CYM: What is your favorite treat to eat?
Mr. Erich: Spicy hummus and pita chips

CYM: When and where do you listen to music for fun?
Mr. Erich:  Classical, Blues, Rock, Pop, Dance, Indian Classical, Oldies, Alternative, usually in the car.

Who's Who at the Center for Young Musicians- Ben Filippone


Benjamin Filippone, looking sharp.

We are excited to welcome Mr. Ben Filippone to the CYM faculty this fall! Ben hails from Monroeville and joins us to direct our vocal department. Welcome, Ben!

Benjamin Filippone is active throughout the Pittsburgh area as a choir conductor and voice teacher. He directs the Mon Yough Chorale, and the University Choir at Carlow University. In addition to CYM, he also teaches voice at the Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts, and sings with the Pittsburgh Camerata. Mr. Filippone has has taught high school choir and piano, served as vocal director for musical productions, and is a former music instructor at the Chatham Music and Arts Camp. He performed the role of Ben in Menotti's "The Telephone" and recitals at the Maiski Opera Festival in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, and performed world premiers as a soloist and ensemble singer with OvreArts. He holds a BA in music education from Grove City College, a MM in vocal performance from Duquesne University, and has started doctoral work in choral conducting with a minor in music theory at the University of Arizona. He has appeared as the guest conductor for the Westmoreland County Music Educators Association Jr. High Chorus Festival, and participated for three summers as a conductor with the Sarteano Choral Conducting Workshop with Simon Carrington in Sarteano, Italy.

We wanted to know more, so we asked Mr. Ben a few questions...


CYM: Who is your favorite composer?
Mr. Ben: I couldn't possibly pick just one favorite composer! Some of my favorites include Monteverdi, Josquin, Purcell, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Vaughan Williams, Messiaen, Ginastera, and a host of contemporary composers.

CYM: What was the most memorable music performance that you experienced?
Mr. Ben: I will never forget a very unique concert I saw at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC called "A World of Voices". It was an entirely a cappella concert of various world-class vocal groups from around the world, including Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Chanticleer, Sweet Honey In The Rock, and a variety of amazing groups ranging from from Bulgaria to Mexico, and the whole thing was wittily hosted by none other than Bobby McFerrin entirely by improvised singing, without saying a single word! He brought all the groups together at the end and had them all improvising together, playing off their unique styles and vocal characteristics. I'll certainly never forget that experience!

CYM: What was your favorite childhood book?
Mr. Ben: In my early childhood, Sam and The Firefly. Later in childhood, the Encyclopedia Britannica. I wanted to learn about absolutely everything.

CYM: What us your favorite treat to eat?
Mr. Ben: Good old fashioned apple pie and anything gingerbread! 

CYM: What has music given you?
Mr. Ben: Music has given me purpose, a way to connect with others and befriend many amazing people, a way to give to others, travel opportunities, and much more. Nearly all of the most profound, unusual, character building, unexpected, and joyful experiences in life have come from music making and the pursuit of music making. More friendships and deep connections have come from musical experiences than anything else in my life as well. Language is sometimes able to describe a person's most personal and complex emotions well enough to be understood by others, but only music can make it possible to actually feel them. The wonder of this never gets old for me, and I feel the most alive when I'm experiencing it or helping others to experience it.


Workshops and Activities presents: Elevations Jazz at MCG

Join us on Friday, September 18 for this excellent concert, a CD release for Elevations group. Last year we enjoyed a wonderful piano improvisation masterclass with group member Brett Williams, pianist. This year, a masterclass with the entire Elevations group is in the works for early December. *Please note the masterclass date change, made due to musician travel schedules.  Tickets to this concert are $25 and include a CD with each ticket purchase!