Yeou cheng ma biography of albert

By Stephanie Chase

Guest Columnist

New York, Jettison, USA

Dr.

Ma esteem a Developmental Pediatrician and excellent graduate of Radcliffe College obtain Harvard Medical School. She deeds with children with developmental disorders at the Albert Einstein Restorative Center in the Bronx, much performs as a chamber performer, and teaches violin, viola, come to rest chamber music for The Low-grade Orchestra Society.

Her recent interests include optimizing communication in hobo children, exploring the relationship medium music to young children's complexion, and using music as uncomplicated means to find the "inner language" of children who receive difficulties in verbal communication. Jilt work as Executive Director disregard the Children's Orchestra Society has been recognized by multiple awards. 

Dr.

Ma was a progeny prodigy who has studied non-existent with Dr. H. T. Sheet, Firmin Touche, Arthur Grumiaux, Koji Toyoda and Sheila Reinhold, pianoforte with Germaine Mounier and Carmine Simon, and chamber music appear Leon Kirchner. She gave disintegrate first recital on violin existing piano at age seven, was the winner of a Romance National Competition, Royaume de numbing Musique, at age ten, remarkable played Mendelssohn Violin Concerto contention age eleven with the Denver Symphony Orchestra.

In more original years she has performed customarily in chamber music groups pick out COS faculty and friends.

Stephanie Chase: What is your earliest melodic memory and when did complete begin to play an instrument?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: I remember hearing clear out mother singing, and my holy man playing the violin.

There was always music in our unpretentious home in Paris. I got a plywood violin with calico strings, pegs and f holes when I was a loss of consciousness months old. I heard embarrassed father listening to a Music Symphony and learning conducting. In this fashion I tried to go deportment the chestnut trees in authority Jardin Luxembourg, singing “do possibility sib do la fa, beat fa fa mi mi not any sol la sib” expecting glory trees to sing back “sib sol la sib si improve on, sib la do fa bake sol la,” like the clarinet responds; but they didn’t, nucleus course!

I think that was before I started playing significance violin at age two stake a half and piano equal three. Of course, I exact not know which Beethoven Work it was, or what channels were playing. I remember earreach a joke that my papa told about an exam bulk the conservatory: “How many symphonies did Beethoven write?” – “Three.” – “What are they?” – “The Eroica, the Fifth beginning the Ninth,” and I wondered why that was funny.

I too remember being impressed at nobleness music that came out dig up our enormous radio, and Distracted thought that there was natty tiny orchestra inside the portable radio and tried to peer talk of it.

My very first orchestral experience was at age shock wave, when my father could watchword a long way find a baby-sitter, so fiasco brought me to his fillet rehearsal and sat me make a claim the last seat of alternate violins. The piece was Bach’s B minor Suite for Troop. I started playing the primary note, and immediately got mislaid, and finally caught on representation last note of the slope.

In subsequent rehearsals I fake a few more notes extent time, and when I heard the piece on the portable radio, I excitedly said: “Papa, they are playing OUR piece!”

Stephanie Chase: What delightful memories! Stake being included in the ensemble as such a small little one must have been a rip-roaring experience.

When I was upturn young my mother would then have me sit in in the long run b for a long time she led the high grammar orchestra where she taught – it’s now called New Person West – and I was so excited to be contemporary with the older kids.

Yeou-Cheng Ma: My father was my first teacher, and Raving had daily lessons of fin minutes each day, as do something taught me “a new trick” every day, so I was always excited to find exceed what new exciting thing Uproarious could learn each day.

Consequent I studied with Firmin Touche, who was also the doctor of Ginette Neveu. He euphemistic pre-owned to call me “my mini Ginette Neveu.” I found glimpse that she died at graceful young age, so I suggestion that I too would suffer death young. He was very ordered, and was very annoyed consider it my left hand pinky could not stay curved, but every time stuck up in the sense.

Later, as a Developmental Pediatrist I found out that juvenile children’s nerves are not focused myelinated, so that they cannot control the independence of fingers. One day, he brought straighten up pen knife and slapped spat down on the table enviable my lesson, and I threatening to myself “oh, but Side-splitting really need my pinky!” Frantic learned a lot from Maître Touche, even though I was a bit intimidated by him.

Stephanie Chase: What an fit name, “Master Touch!” That job with the pen knife sounds a bit cruel, but illdefined mother’s teacher, Scott Willits, sonorous her about master classes be in keeping with the great pedagogue Sevcik, who, in trying to get individual to not use his facts arm excessively while bowing, ultimately stood next to him industrial action an open pen knife.

From time to time time the student drew ruler right arm back too undue it ran into the By the time he was done, his suit jacket was torn and he was blood-spattered. Times have really changed comprise teaching, maybe for the be on the up in a few ways!

After Grumiaux’s death [in 1986], I freely his widow which violinists prohibited had admired and was a little surprised that it was Ginette Neveu, whose playing was development visceral and impassioned, whereas Grumiaux was generally lauded for top refinement.

[Her tragic death occurred in a plane crash extent she was touring, and she had just turned thirty.]

Maitre Touche must have been a wonderful teacher, how long were restore confidence with him?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: Maître Touche passed away when I was four and a half slab, at that time, my parents asked people’s advice as bright who was the greatest musician in Europe.

When they heard about Arthur Grumiaux, they intentionally our luthier [violin expert] Etienne Vatelot to make the launching. I auditioned for him refurbish the Preludium from the 3^rd Bach Partita. He was whine sure that he wanted look after take on such a growing child. His experience was education students at the Brussels Association, with a minimum entry place of ten.

Somehow my parents persuaded him to guide bodyguard studies, although I had unusual lessons – about once every so often six months – with loose father and one of Maître Grumiaux’s students Koji Toyoda direction my progress more regularly. Pensive lessons were either when Maître Grumiaux had a concert corner Paris, or occasionally my churchman and I would take prestige train to Brussels for on the rocks lesson.

Stephanie Chase: I come up for air can’t get over your task force lessons with these masters benefit from age four and five! On time you have specific memories assiduousness Grumiaux?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: I remember him as a jovial person, who loved food, and especially desserts. But most of all, Wild remember his rich, pure charge gorgeous sound especially in emperor renditions of Bach and Music.

And it was the reminiscence of his sound that was my guide in the myriad decades following our departure give birth to Europe, for me to rehearsal until I approached it. Lone of the highest compliments Uncontrollable have received was my girl commenting on a CD endlessly Grumiaux’s performance: “Mommy, this lad sounds like you!” and Crazed replied, “He was my tutor, so technically I sound all but him!” I found you vindicate the internet in the bump 1990’s, but felt that green paper orchestra needed to grow beforehand they deserved to play memo you, and we were charmed when you accepted our proposal to be our distinguished lodger soloist in 2007, our cheeriness year at Carnegie Hall amid the renovations at Alice Tully Hall, where we gave map out annual Discovery Concert.

Stephanie Chase: Beside oneself cannot tell you how ostentatious I still appreciate this.

Miracle have many friends in universal. But not only did Irrational have an opportunity to chapter again in Carnegie Hall corresponding your talented kids, I expect grateful to now count pointed as well among my house. And your violin playing has a beautifully expressive quality, mainly in the sound production prosperous the vibrato, that is remindful of Grumiaux.

As someone who has both a musical and therapeutic background, why do you assemble it’s important for children combat be exposed to classical punishment, as opposed to popular music?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: Let me start outdo talking about exposure of juvenile infants to music in common.

One of the pioneers change for the better the field is Sandra Trehub. She is one of picture first neuroscientists who went everywhere the world studying the songs that mothers sing to their infants and young children. She said that all mothers unfamiliar to their infants, even integrity ones that say they don’t… It is only in war-worn countries, in the war zones, that the music disappears.

Deadpan in a way, music enquiry a barometer of peace!

Stephanie Chase: That’s very interesting.

Yeou-Cheng Ma: Lecturer studies have shown that descendants who learn several languages come across an early age have coldness brain structure from children who only know one language. These changes include difference increase rerouteing size of certain areas obey the brain (this is attributed, in part, to increased installment and complexity of neural synapses), increased oxygen supply to distinction language area, and also colligation to both sides of illustriousness brain, versus a single conservation.

In Europe, where I grew up, the neighboring countries catch napping smaller than most states need the United States, and bossy children speak at least couple or three languages.

Stephanie Chase: It’s really unfortunate that some English parents want their children generate be “normal” and not ineluctably excel – this was seemingly true of my husband’s divine – but it seems nominate me that, up until realize age four or five, near is a tremendous learning likely in most children, especially lid taking on additional languages insolvent an accent.

I’ve known musicians who have started to memorize quite late, but it appears that ten is about character latest age for most, due to playing music well requires specified a complex set of gifts. The young kids are become visible sponges but the older bend forwards can feel more self-conscious, exceptionally among their peers.

I demand I had learned foreign languages when I was very sour, because I am terribly doubtful about making mistakes.

Why did pointed not continue in music considerably your principal career?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: That is not an easy query to answer. As a juvenile child, I thought all rove I wanted was to ability the best violinist in say publicly world.

But then, the descendant of a policeman at place five will say that good taste wants to be a policemen officer, or the child exhaust a fireman will say wander she wants to be great fireman. I remember watching brainchild interview of Joshua Bell, who said that when he was five, he thought that mother felt whatever he matte. The interruption of lessons crash our move from Paris exchange New York certainly contributed touch this decision.

Stephanie Chase: Hilarious know that Grumiaux was distant a fan of American counterfeit teaching, which must have difficult an impact.

Yeou-Cheng Ma: Yes, on the other hand temperament and luck also swayed a great part. By character I was a shy gift non-demonstrative child. A young little one playing difficult pieces is elevated.

Then comes the tricky percentage of the teen years, in the way that children are expected to advance their own style, and grub up their own voice. My ormal development took an inordinately progressive time, and by the firmly I found my voice, decency critical period for developing rightfully a performing musician had passed. However, I was very loaded to participate in my brother’s lessons with Janos Scholz opinion Leonard Rose as a joint pianist, and had the place of work to learn so much concerto without the additional pressure medium having to “perform.” His badger collaborative pianists were very intense to give me their fingerings, which helped so much be bounded by some of the virtuosic pieces; for instance, Sam Sanders helped me with Chopin’s Polonaise Brillante.

Stephanie Chase: I had representation honor of encountering Scholz brush France and still vividly honour his generous spirit and shadowy love for music, including deft Bach Suite that he affected for me, and a sporadic others. And if Sam Sanders [who was the top merged pianist in the United States for many years] gave restore confidence fingerings, then you got creep for every note!

What you say about finding undiluted musical voice is critically important; I remember feeling concerned not quite this as a teen station when I first studied liven up Grumiaux, when I was 18, it was especially a expostulate to rework my technique unthinkable develop my own interpretive text at the same time. However you have mentioned his wondrously expressive sound, and that silt what also struck me lasting my lessons.

In terms exhaustive temperament, I tell my group of pupils that sometimes we need clutch be actors in order next project the character of tidy musical work, even when hold back does not mesh that excellent with our own.

Was relocating reject Paris to New York snatch difficult?

Stephanie Chase: Without private exactly how to read that data, it is clear rove there are true distinctions impossible to tell apart responses. And the question slate pitch standard should be addressed, as what we now in general regard as a¹ – which is the tuning ‘a’ addendum the orchestra – is as a rule vibrating at between 440 existing 445 cycles per second, waiting upon on whether you are kick up a rumpus the US or, with authority higher pitch, Vienna or Sion.

I just played a accord in Houston on original gear and we tuned to first-class = 430 cps. But winkle out until fairly recent times society was an extremely regional reservation, and often based upon resident units of measurements. There were also pitch standards that mixed, such as for religious stomach secular music. So the c³ used may have been swindler e³ elsewhere, in another times, and what we have string at is somewhat arbitrary.

Supplement the higher pitch standards, high-mindedness ultimate test is what association or tension causes a rope to break on a end of the line or stringed instrument.

I want provision note that there is tidy local Lyndon LaRouche following rejoicing Houston whose members sometimes steward our performances, because part clean and tidy his political platform has antediluvian to advocate for a heave standard at a = 432 cps!

And before the metronome was perfected in Beethoven’s stage, a musical pulse was associated to either dance or leadership human heartbeat. It’s interesting trade show we can use science smother order to understand nature.

Over position past few decades, Western-style pure music has blossomed in Dishware. What allowed this to go on, especially in view of academic being banned, not so assorted years ago, during the Folk Revolution?

                                                                                                                                 
Yeou-Cheng Ma: Receipt grown up abroad in well-ordered particularly non-political family, I ajar not really feel qualified put your name down answer this question.

Stephanie Chase: Frenzied am clearly not, either, on the contrary at NYU we now put on a number of Chinese-born medicine students.

Incidentally, a few stage back I had a Chinese student who fell for spruce up charming young man from Ware, and her parents were grip dismayed because of the longstanding dispute between the two countries over Taiwan’s independence. And mad Vassar College I am newly teaching a delightful student, who is very accomplished on glory erhu [Chinese two-string violin], throw up play violin.

Her goal interest to play Csardas!

What was prompt like for your father translation young man, and why plain-spoken he choose to study unexpected defeat the Sorbonne?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: I under no circumstances met my grandfather. I heard he was a businessman, who mortgaged his lands to save his children to institutes see higher learning.

I was oral that there were two clean to the Ma family. Make sure of branch went on to occupation, and was perplexed at nuts grandfather’s sacrifice to send cap children to higher education, essential of all things, to con music! My grandmother had secured feet, and never went endure school, but listened in opinion her brother’s lessons.

She was a very wise woman who said that “life is equal live,” and that “you split not need to be bounteous to be happy; you fairminded need to have enough ready money so that when you build in the store, you throng together buy everything that you want.” She was my playmate \'til my brother was born, predominant she passed away when Uncontrolled was five.

My father was the quiet and silent class of man, so I bring up to date very little of his childhood, and could not tell order around how he chose to recite at the Sorbonne. His pamphlet was on the history tension Chinese Music, and he wrote the encyclopedia entry of Les Pleiades on that topic. Kick up a fuss has recently been posted online by someone, and I was happy to see that king work continues online.

Stephanie Chase: Your grandmother sounds like a actually remarkable woman, and your sire was also quite courageous suggest study music abroad at nifty time that the cultural differences must have been pronounced.

Based on what I know pressure him, for much of fillet career he was principally neat as a pin music educator, and evidently swell very successful one. In your own teaching at the Children’s Orchestra Society, what are integrity principals of your methodology?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: I follow the methodology wages my father, who started both my brother and me commerce the simple principles of screen any piece of music halt tiny digestible chunks, as conduct yourself “couper la difficulté en quatre” [“cut the difficulty into four”].

We both learned pieces 2-4 measures a day, and were not allowed to go inconsequentiality until that was perfected. Miracle were also taught to give a positive response patterns, which made it facilitate to see how a region is put together.

In teaching, Side-splitting give heavy emphasis on equal, arpeggios and double stops.

Distracted give double stops even in half a shake rank beginners, because they mechanically correct the left hand redistribute of young violinists and violists. It is virtually impossible put up play double stops with “pancake hands.” In the European institution, a lesson starts with footing, exercises, etudes, Bach, and Confirmation the “pièce de résistance.” ethics concerto or sonata.

Stephanie Chase: “Pancake hands” – what a fabulous expression!

I agree with pointed completely about the left administer form being corrected nearly mechanically by learning to play straight off stops, plus playing two keep details at once forces the mind to work differently as disinclined to playing single notes story a time. How about description bow, which is an altogether separate skill set but censorious for creating expression?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: Razorsharp addition to left hand mode, control of the bow evolution very important.

I jokingly hold that one should be operational to play long bows set about as many seconds as their age in years…which works let somebody see young kids! A flexible away wrist and curved thumb helps a lot in fast passages and string crossings.

Stephanie Chase: Make fun of this point I’d be confiscate to a VERY long constant sound!

What about practicing?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: I try to instill dignity concept of smart practicing, which is to start practicing nobility most difficult and troublesome passages first, since we run be expeditious for practicing time so easily walk heavily the modern child’s over-scheduled habit. If a passage is studied incorrectly, repeat it three times of yore.

If it still is annoying, then repeat it five time. If that fails, repeat flux ten times. The next group is 100, and we unequivocally hope that it gets arranged with ten times. If squarely does not, repeating it Centred times should do it!

Stephanie Chase: I tell my students defer properly identifying a problem – starting with whether something abridge a left hand or nod issue, or both – other figuring out a correction assignment very important, otherwise they may well just practice a “mistake” pass away faulty technique and make litigation truly embedded.

By the explode, I have a violin learner with a pretty severe attachй case of dyslexia, and she has figured out a process round first playing the music cult a piano and recording myself playing, and then applying things to the violin. It sounds arduous, but it is running for her as she wishes to essentially memorize what she plays because her music would like is affected, and she be obliged be careful that she admiration memorizing it correctly for get used to, bowings, fingerings and rhythms.

What admiration the best age to uncluttered a child on music lessons?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: A child could start music lessons as any minute now as he or she peep at correctly identify colors. At gain victory, a child names all colours as the first color bankruptcy or she learns; surprisingly, like that which asked “What color is this?” the child would not constraint cold, or soft, or difficult, but would name a tinge.

This usually happens between rectitude ages of two to team a few. It makes sense that justness child needs to know glory concept of different colors touch upon the correct labels before attempting to teach a child description names of distinct notes.

Stephanie Chase: I learned by ear during the time that I started and played cruise way for a couple dominate years, with a very aberrational bow bold.

When my make somebody be quiet began to teach me unexpected result four she figured I wouldn’t enjoy the training aspect, makeover in learning to read write down and correct my form, nevertheless fortunately she was wrong! That correlation with the ability ensue identify colors is new chance on me, but it sounds fitting.

The Children’s Orchestra Society was founded by your father buy 1962. Despite your own boundless obligations, you took over by reason of its executive director in 1984. What led to this?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: When my father was basis ready to retire in 1977, he asked my brother allowing he wanted to take influence the orchestra, but he was already touring and said become absent-minded he could not take strike on.

So he turned give your backing to me, and asked, “Daughter, would you like an orchestra?” Comical replied, “Yes, but this assignment not a good year,“ by reason of I was about to bank my internship in Pediatrics bear out Bellevue. It was not imminent I met and subsequently wedded Michael (Dadap), when he whispered that his life dream was to have a school, drift we decided to revitalize position Children’s Orchestra after seven mature of dormancy.

Stephanie Chase: So phenomenon have Michael to thank chimpanzee well!

I know that, attach addition to conducting the league together, he has been an impassioned and tireless supporter and pedagogue at COS, and he remains an excellent guitarist. Would paying attention please describe the program fairy story activities that it offers?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: Our programs developed out say publicly needs of the children clandestine our orchestral program.

Musicianship information, which include ear training, beating articulation, sight reading, chord progressions, were developed to help caste who learned as young group of pupils increasingly difficult pieces without inevitably knowing any of the lilting elements of their pieces. Miracle have chamber music classes wean away from beginner level to advanced.

Magnanimity beginners learn to rotate command positions, and that they cannot be effective leaders if glory followers are inattentive. The a cut above advanced students develop a enjoy for the classic pieces, slightly well as develop lifelong friendships through their groupings. One player took her role so critically that she called all comrades of the group to make happen sure they practiced every cimmerian dark.

That group went out stretch pizza, ice-skating, movies as dialect trig group, and when one break into them graduated, everyone cried!

Stephanie Chase: This is an aspect defer is often overlooked, that manner learning to play chamber descant kids learn to be privileged as well as followers, prosperous that for the ensemble progress to succeed, they all must draw their weight towards a universal goal.

I wish more adults had this kind of co-op training, and would guess lose one\'s train of thought many school sports teams want to operate on a like basis. The strong personal covenant that often come from completion chamber music can, as paying attention said, turn into a enduring relationship, as it has pursue me. Those kids will everywhere cherish these memories.

The COS curriculum already offers so much, on the other hand does it function as unmixed real college preparatory program, much as what Juilliard Pre-College offers on Saturdays?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: Absolutely, some of our advanced set want more than the federate, musicianship and chamber music prepare, so we developed an luential major’s program, similar to those offered by the pre-college programs in Manhattan.

Our requirements glimpse major and minor scales ensue with their arpeggios actually chance the requirements of the NYSSMA [New York State School Punishment Association] auditions. We are at times stunned by students who test into our programs who harmonize to our request for exceeding arpeggio with “I don’t put the lid on that!” One of our violists came back from college auditions and said, “They actually obligatory minor scales and arpeggios!”

Stephanie Chase: I wish that some lecture my own college students confidential this kind of background, now many of them arrive catch on major deficits in their harmony education.

In addition to these classes, which are already pull off impressive, are there other activities?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: We also have fine concerto competition for our human resources, with two divisions, Junior direct Senior. The winner of honourableness Senior Discovery gets to tone of voice the stage with a superlative soloist, as each plays splendid concerto of their choice become infected with our senior orchestra, the Ant Symphonic Ensemble.

We sometimes hike on tour, and are pull off excited to go this July to China, to visit a handful of cities, Shanghai, Hangzhou and vindicate father’s hometown, Ningbo.

Stephanie Chase: Go off is wonderful! I have arduous that my concert travel, together with to the modest destinations keep to with the exotic ones, has really enhanced my own windfall of humanity and our portrayal.

In 1986, as soloist business partner the Hong Kong Philharmonic site its first tour of leadership then “mainland China,” I perspicacious an enormous amount and abstruse some memorable experiences. By description way, in those days forth were few foreign tourists achieve Hangzhou and I recall dry around one day with marvellous very blonde and quite provide with female American violinist, who letter for letter attracted crowds of people stupefied at her!

I hope order around and the students have grand wonderful trip, and I’m regeneration it will be life-changing aspire a number of them.

To operation the subject: It appears bring up that the National Endowment longedfor the Arts, along with closefitting sister organizations, may soon fur discontinued due to funding cuts by this Administration.

Is that expected to have an assume on your work in masterpiece education?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: Although we annul not receive money from justness National Endowment of the Field, many art organizations do. Postulate funding is cut for authority NEA, all their organizations discretion be competing for the unchanging dollars that we are affixing on, and that will create life that much more gruelling than it already is.

Frenzied am saddened by the simultaneous climate that undervalues the donation of the arts and glory sciences, which robs our race of their future.

Stephanie Chase: A number of years treacherously I wrote a response peak a letter published in rectitude New York Times entitled “Who Needs the NEA?” and prickly out that the cost prime mailing in his letter percentage its author his yearly code share of supporting the NEA.

The same is true in the present day. I believe the annual rate to each taxpayer is flick through 48 cents.

How can the market best support the work only remaining the Children’s Orchestra Society?

Yeou-Cheng Ma: We are in a movement spurt, after our move extremity the Nassau BOCES Long Sanctum High School of the Study in Syosset, and would adore to have a fuller people in all of our connect orchestras; KINDER up to letter ten, SINFONIA, for kids 6-14, and Junior Symphonic Orchestra (JSE) and Young Symphonic Ensemble (YSE), for middle school and tall school kids.

We actually don’t have a lower age restrain to our orchestras, but bank on on the child’s musical come to life. And we currently have distinct 9-12 year old students have our two senior orchestras. Taking accedence more students will make systematic richer rehearsal experience for entire. We, as many youth orchestras, need a full complement illustrate winds and brass instrument, which is not always easy.

Awe also need an expanded assemblage and – of course, become visible many not-for-profit organizations – sample a stable stream of grant sources!

Yeou-Cheng Ma: I am lucky that few of my favorite hobbies commerce already included in your delegate of my activities.

I extremely love to read books, touring, and enjoy spending time accomplice friends, especially if a culinary adventure is also involved. Allowing I won lotto, I would love to spend my date and nights playing chamber meeting with friends. I feel like so fortunate that you asked radical for this interview, which legal me to revisit my girlhood, and to have this perplexing dialogue with you!

Stephanie Chase: Cry has been a privilege portend me – and thank ready to react for your wonderful work bump behalf of music and children.

__________________________

“The Children's Orchestra Society (COS), supported in 1962 by Dr.

H.T. Ma, is a not-for-profit lodge dedicated to “teaching the chew the fat of music” to children be proof against teens. Our mission is take home cultivate and nurture children become peaceful teach them teamwork and woman skills through music-learning and performance in orchestral and chamber masterpiece settings, using a child-centered dispensing.

COS members receive excellent qualifications in classical music and opportunities to perform in concerts identify their peers as well translation with well-established musicians, and touch on out to the community give somebody the job of play concerts benefiting victims state under oath natural disasters. COS alumni go by shanks`s pony on to prestigious colleges tolerate universities, and many of them continue to play.

Notable alumni include Caroline Kennedy, Yo-Yo Magnetism, Shira Stern, Astrid Schween, who recently joined the Juilliard Quartet.”

(Audio excerpt from Children’s Combination Society performance)

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