This evening one of our eighth grade music students had the honor of playing viola with members of the New York Philharmonic as part of the Harmony Program All Stars! It took a lot of hard work to get to this level and be selected for this performance.

Yesterday WHEELS had the privilege of hosting the jazz big band from La ENA (Escuela Nacional de Arte), the top music school in Cuba. This band of talented high school students is performing in New York City throughout this week thanks to collaboration between La ENA, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Horns to Havana. WHEELS middle and high school students got to hear an incredible concert of jazz standards and Afro-Cuban music, and were also fortunate enough to have time to meet the student musicians and ask them questions.

WHEELS band students performed last Wednesday for an enthusiastic crowd at our Family Teacher Association's International Potluck! Thank you to all the families, students and staff for showing support and sharing great food.

WHEELS band students had three big performances over the past week. Tuesday night was the EL Education Gala, Wednesday night was WHEELS Up, and Sunday afternoon was Good Deeds Day with the VH1 Save the Music Foundation at Herald Square!

Thank you to pianist Alex Brown for bringing a trio to work with WHEELS band students last Friday! The students worked on "Chucho" and "Son de la Loma," focusing on rhythm and improvisation.

Thank you to Elizabeth Mann from Orpheus Chamber Orchestra for working with our 7th grade music students! Ms. Mann taught students about storytelling and communicating through music, and improvised on flute while students accompanied her on piano.

It was a busy week for WHEELS Music! On Thursday WHEELS Music students celebrated the end of Music In Our Schools Month with Gladys Knight, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation and the National Association for Music Education at the Empire State Building, which was lit up blue and yellow for the occasion.

A couple of our 7th grade guitarists spent some time sharing their music with WHEELS first graders!

Also last week, eighteen WHEELS 6th and 7th grade band students auditioned for Jazz at Lincoln Center's Middle School Jazz Academy. We're very proud of all their hard work.