Wednesday, June 13, 2018

PS4 Guitar Program's Spring Recital

The PS4 Guitar Program, with Teaching Artist Ayodele Maakheru, perform for an audience in the auditorium.

The Guitar Program, in partnership with the Midori & Friends Organization, celebrated its eleventh year at PS4!  During the 2017-2018 school year, eleven upper-grade students received once and twice-weekly instruction over thirty-two weeks with Teaching Artist Ayodele Maakheru!

Teaching Artist Ayodele Maakheru performing in front of a kindergarten class.

Mr. Maakheru is a composer, performer, and teacher who plays guitar, banjo, bass, mandolin, ukulele, harmonica and djembe.  He studied at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, City College of NY and Brooklyn College.  He has performed, toured, and recorded with a variety of artists such as Eartha Kitt, Phylicia Rashad, Gregory Hines, Miriam Makeba and the New York Philharmonic.  In addition, he has nearly four decades of performance experience in the orchestras of Broadway shows including A Chorus Line, The Full Monty, Bring in Da Noise/Bring in Da Funk, The Color Purple, Shuffle Along and Bella.  He has recorded three CD's of music and has taught our young guitar players for the past four years and uses the the '12 Notes' instrumental instruction program, which allows students to explore the basics of posture, playing technique, instrument care, and music theory more information about Mr. Maakheru, click here!

The Citywide Spring Student Recital Series, featuring PS4 Guitar Students, took place on Tuesday, June 12th.  This celebration also included a performance from the PS4 PRIDE Steppers and the Ellington Poets.  It marked the culmination of this year's guitar program at PS4.  Special thanks to the Honorable Mark Levine, City Council Member District 7, and the Midori & Friends Organization for funding this program.  To learn more about this amazing organization, click here!

Mr. Maakheru and Mr. Cantu (Guitar Program Director) pose with Guitar Program members.

No comments: