The Kinder HSPVA Instrumental Music curriculum relies on support from donors like you. Thanks to your gifts to HSPVA Friends, Instrumental Music students accomplished so much in the 2023-2024 school year.
This year, the faculty was particularly proud of their partnerships with some of the city’s finest music organizations. Your gifts funded an unprecedented expansion of the chamber music program in collaboration with AFA. Sixteen professional musicians worked with students in more than 675 coaching sessions throughout the year. Thanks to your support, Kinder HSPVA now boasts the nation’s largest high school chamber music program!
Many students participated in new electives like Global Grooves with Dr. Ellie Parker from DACAMERA. Curriculum additions like these ensure that students will be well-versed in musical styles and technical skills wherever they pursue music after Kinder HSPVA.
The department also partnered with the Houston Symphony, Apollo Chamber Players, and Mercury Chamber Orchestra. These collaborations provided special performances and masterclasses for Instrumental Music students. For example, Houston Symphony Music Director Juraj Valčuha came to school to work with orchestra students on Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8.
Discovery Green and Houston Public Library provided public performance opportunities for students. pARTnerschools helped students with music education and entrepreneurship projects. A big thanks to our professional arts partners and you for your help in making these relationships possible.
WATCH: MARIACHI NUEVO JALISCO
Mariachi Nuevo Jalisco performed at Performing Arts Houston’s gala. Watch their performance here!
The Mariachi Program built on its legacy of recognition and success this year. Mariachi Los Pasajeros received a first division rating at the UIL State Mariachi Festival in Seguin, and both Mariachi Nuevo Jalisco and Mariachi Los Pasajeros placed top five in the Texas Association of Mariachi Educators (TAME) Mariachi Competition!
YOUR GIFTS PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING COURSES, MASTERCLASSES, AND CONCENTRATED INSTRUMENT INSTRUCTION:
- Brass with Nicholas Bissen, Justin Langham, Tetsuya Lawson, Jamie Leff, and James Meador
- Chamber Music with professional teaching artists from AFA
- Class Piano for jazz, orchestra, mariachi, and band students with John Amar
- Clave Rhythms for Latin Jazz with Ilya Janos Kolozs
- Elite Performance Under Pressure with performance psychologist Noa Kageyama (Juilliard)
- Global Grooves with Dr. Ellie Parker
- Guitar with Matthew Hinsley
- Harp with Emily Klein
- Jazz Rhythm Section with David Craig, Art Fristoe, and Greg Petito
- Mariachi Coaching with Alex Treviño II (Mariachi Los Camperos)
- Mariachi Strings with Pedro Garcia, Adrian Longoria, and Cristian Lopez
- Mariachi Voice with Altagracia Vazquez and Fernando Vazquez
- Music Entrepreneurship with teaching artists from DACAMERA
- Music Production with Kris Wood
- Percussion with Jalen Baker and Patrick Kelly
- Piano with Dr. Christian Restrepo and Dr. Ilonka Rus
- Strings with Tonya Burton, Matthew Lammers, Nicholas Perkyns, Max Winningham, and Sergein Yap
- Winds with Max Arakaki, Linda Gilbert, Izumi Miyahara, Amanda Swain, and WindSync
WATCH: BOWEN MA ’25 AND THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Check out Bowen Ma ’25 rehearsing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto no.2, 3rd movement with the Symphony Orchestra. Watch it here!
YOUR GIFTS PROVIDED TECHNOLOGY, SUPPLIES, AND SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING:
- Annual subscriptions to music and sight reading software
- Traje and uniform alterations
- Music arrangements and sheet music
- Accompanists for senior recitals
- Piano tuning
- Professional concert recordings
- Instrument repair and maintenance
- Registration fees for state solo and ensemble competitions
- Financial aid for trips like the Jazz Education Network Conference in New Orleans and the Band and Orchestra festival performance at Six Flags Fiesta Texas
CURRICULUM SPOTLIGHT: CAREERS IN MUSIC
This year, the Instrumental Music Department offered a new elective: Careers in Music. This course allowed students to explore professional pathways related to music beyond music performance. Thank you to these incredible guest speakers for sharing their time and expertise!
- Dr. Anthony Brandt, Shepherd School of Music, Rice University. Check out this special interview with Dr. Brandt by Quentin Stafford ’25 and Meg Horn ’24!
- Afshin Farzadfar, Video/Audio Recording Engineer
- Craig Hauschildt, Operations Manager, Advisory Board for the Arts
- Stephanie K. Hay, Entertainment Attorney, The Hay Law Group
- Dr. Omar Herrera, Founder, Ponce Project Music Foundation
- Rhonda Horn, President and Managing Partner, Sterling
- Deborah Lugo, Vice President of Programming and Education, The Hobby Center
- Dr. John Mangum (pictured above with students), Executive Director and CEO, Houston Symphony
- Steven Rodriguez, General Manager, Fleming Musical Instrument Repair
- Dr. Jennifer Townsend, Chair, Creative Arts Therapies, Center for Performing Arts Medicine at Houston Methodist
- Amanda Watson, Sales Manager, Steinway Piano Gallery
