Friday, September 23, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
A Note from the Artistic Director
Another fantastic summer is winding down! We had three sessions of Music Theater Camp and a week of Jazz Camp. This week, we are in the midst of Rock Camp, and next week we conclude our summer performing arts camps with All-Girl Band. Come by and see the final Rock Camp performance at Crossroads this Friday, August 19th, followed by the internationally acclaimed Joe Elefante Big Band (led by Yours Truly).
Now is the ideal time to sign up for Fall Lessons and Classes. This fall we're offering 3-in-1 Acting/Dancing/Singing, Acting the Song (our by-audition-only music theater performance class), Musical Theater I & II, Acting I & II, Musical Theater Dance I & II, Beginning & Intermediate Tap and Broadway Baby (for 3-7 year-olds). These classes are, of course, in addition to instrumental, voice and dance lessons with our roster of first-rate private instructors. Contact Stefani at shealey@elefantemusic.com or (908) 464-5928, or just visit www.elefantemusic.com for more information or to register.
Thanks to all of you for making this yet another summer to remember.
Artistic Director
Elefante School for the Performing Arts
jack menashe photography - affordable actor headshots
Jack Menashe is proud to be bringing professional and affordable high quality headshot photography to Elefante Music and School for the Performing Arts!
A veteran of the entertainment industry and former president of one of New York’s leading talent agencies, Jack Menashe has developed the careers of many of Hollywood and Broadway’s leading performers. He has been known to have photographed Golden Globe, Academy Award, and Tony Award celebrated artists. Having shot thousands of beautiful headshots, his work has been seen on CD covers, America’s Next Top Model, and inVanity Fa ir.
Jack will be offering an exclusive rate to all members of Elefante Music and School for the Performing Arts, and is available to shoot either within the location of the school or at your home. If you give him a call or send him an email, he will discuss with you how he may provide you with great quality, highly effective headshots!
All of Jack Menashe’s sessions include make-up, consultation and a CD of your photographs. He will guide you in your selection of which pictures will work best for you, and will provide you with information on the process of having your photographs duplicated and/or retouched.
Jack’s website can be viewed at http://www.jackmenashe.com.
You could also reach him by telephone at (917) 837-3020, and by email: jack@jackmenashe.com.
He is extremely excited about hearing from all of you, and hopes that he may provide you with everything that you need to continue on your path of success!!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Elefante Music Theater Camp
With Session I of Elefante Music Theater Camp now over, we have been having a blast at Session II so far! Next Friday, July 22nd, we'll be at the beatiful RidgePAC performing music from Cabaret, My Fair Lady, Beauty and the Beast, Candide, Mack & Mabel, Dreamgirls, Mary Poppins, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Footloose, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Guys and Dolls, How 2 Succeed in Business without Really Trying, 1776, South Pacific, Sunday in the Park with George, Lucky Stiff and The Most Happy Fella - not bad for only two weeks of camp, right?
If you can't make the performance (or if you just want an encore), you can always check out video of student performances at the Elefante Facebook page.
Believe it or not, there are still slots open for Session III (July 25 - August 5). Visit www.elefantemusic.com/summer.shtml for more info or to register.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Session I Comes to a Close
We had so much fun at RidgePAC last Friday at the Elefante Music Theater Camp Session I performance! Here is some video of the closing number:
Thursday, June 16, 2011
EMU Newsletter 6/11
EMU Newsletter 6/11
- Summer at Elefante
- Student of the Month
- Thank You!
- Teacher Feature
- Elefante Represented at Duckfest 11
- Joe Directs Little Anthony and the Imperials
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Customer Appreciation Day/Open House Video
Thanks to everyone who came out the Elefante Customer Appreciation Day/Open House last weekend. Enjoy some video of the day's events:
The Elefante All-Stars perform "Grenade."
Joe Elefante performs "Up on the Roof" with Elefante Music & School for the Performing Arts faculty.
Al Elefante performs "Summer Wind" with Elefante Music & School for the Performing Arts faculty.
Kelly Bennett performs "Piece of My Heart" with Elefante Music & School for the Performing Arts faculty.
Elefante Music & School for the Performing Arts faculty perform "All the Things You Are."
And, as always, check out all of our student and faculty performance videos at www.youtube.com/elefantemusic.
What's on Our Minds...
Michele is now blogging regularly for New Providence Patch. Check out her latest installment here:
Joe is still writing Elefante on Entertainment for The Alternative Press. His latest entry can be found here:
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Clarinet Mania
Elefante Music is pleased to be presenting
Clarinet Mania
Monday, May 23
4:30-6:00pm
sponsored by Rico Reeds
Performances by the J.P. Stevens H.S. clarinet choir and clarinet quartet, and many more T.B.A.
Featured clinician/performer: Dr. Edward Joffe
Versatile woodwind artist Dr. Edward Joffe has been a vital part of the New York music scene for 40 years. He has performed in every type of musical situation including jazz bands, orchestral & ballet work, Broadway shows, recording dates, chamber music ensembles and solo recitals. He has offered numerous clinics on woodwinds and jazz at music education conferences and universities over the last two decades. A graduate of the Juilliard School and the first person to receive his doctorate in multiple woodwind performance form the Graduate School of the City University of New York, Dr. Joffe has studied with some of the most respected woodwind artists including Joe Allard, Eddie Daniels, Thomas Nyfenger, Paul Dunkel, Michael Parloff, Joseph Rabbai, Peter Simenauer, Ronald Reuben, Keith Underwood, Bob Porcelli, and Bob Mover.
For the past 20 years, he has been a professor of music at New Jersey City University, where he acts as Coordinator of Jazz & Woodwinds Studies. Under his guidance, New Jersey City University has engaged a faculty of adjunct instructors who are among the finest performers in America and have helped attract a high level of student performer. The jazz band that he conducts has been hailed as one of the best in the country by greats such as Maria Schneider, Charles McPherson, Randy Brecker and Eddie Daniels. He has authored two books on woodwind studies—Woodwind Doubling and Beyond The Notes—and is a popular clinician at music education conventions and schools throughout the U.S. This summer he will be presenting a lecture/performance at the International Clarinet Association Conference in Los Angeles on the legendary woodwind teacher, Joe Allard.
Elefante Music & School for the Performing Arts
1790 Springfield Ave.
New Providence, NJ
(908) 464-5928
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
"What Music Means to Me"
Okay, so I didn’t get any responses to my plea for your personal experiences with music. Just for that, you’ll have to hear about mine.
"What Music Means to Me" - The Alternative Press
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
"What Does Music Mean to You?"
Joe's latest column for The Alternative Press: "What Does Music Mean to You?"
Friday, April 15, 2011
Teacher Feature: Anthony Sanacore
This month's feature is on Anthony Sanacore, guitar teacher.
Anthony Sanacore has been teaching private students for nearly 20 years. He is also an active guitarist, composer, and lyricist. Anthony studied at The New School and Piero's School of Music and privately with Dave Ferrara, John Olin, Ross Barrata, Sheila Mendel, and Kevin Gallagher.
EM: What do you feel is one of the more important aspects of teaching music?
Anthony: Enlightening each student about the connection between art and music. There have been many wonderful compositions written (especially in pop music) that I feel have never resulted in true art. It's a methodology that requires an understanding of public sentiment. This is fine, sociologically speaking, but usually does not express the unique essence of the individual.
Many beginners assume that the guitar is fairly simple to learn because pop stars seem to play effortlessly. They have yet to realize how asymmetrical the guitar is. One challenge of teaching this instrument is demonstrating its esoteric symmetry via its idiom in association with other instrumentation. The aesthetic is eventually revealed as it facilitates inspiration and passion: the platform to a healthy work ethic and the prime ingredients for lifelong satisfaction of musical knowledge.
Who are your favorite performers?
Louis Prima and Yamashita (classical guitarist).
Who has inspired you?
Over the years I’ve gone through a transformation where my inspirations have become intrinsic. There’s a dichotomy I live on everyday: when to be technical, when to throw it out the window for the sake of originality, when to shed the influence. My early inspirations: Keith Emerson, Randy Rhoads, Bob Dylan, Sex Pistols.
Also studying classical guitar with Kevin Gallagher and jazz guitar with Jack Wilkins has done wonders for my overall musicianship as they are of the best in their field.
What are you working on now?
I’m recording a CD which will summarize my abilities. Outside of programming the drums (which is a lot of work), I am playing all of the instruments and writing most of the songs. My friend, who has sung professionally, will do most of the vocals. I estimate it will be done before 2012. The compositions that I don’t write will be classical pieces or jazz standards.
What advice can you give?
Dare to be different and be true to yourself. Some of the best music, at one time, was unusual and unpopular.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Music Theater Camp Song List
As you may have already heard, this year's summer music theater camp theme is All Roads Lead to Broadway. We'll take a look at the different places shows come from: movies, the library, the radio, and real life.
Here is a list of some of the songs we'll be performing throughout the summer:
Library: Masquerade (Phantom of the Opera), For Good (Wicked), Make Our Garden Grow (Candide), Willkommen (Cabaret), Get Me to the Church on Time (My Fair Lady), Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat (Guys and Dolls), Ease on Down the Road (The Wiz), Solla Sollew (Seussical the Musical), Ragtime (Ragtime).
Movies: Butter Outta Cream (Catch Me If You Can), Prologue (Little Shop of Horrors), Let's Go Fly a Kite (Mary Poppins), Without Love (Hairspray), Fame (Fame).
Radio: Mamma Mia (Mamma Mia), Yakety Yak/Charlie Brown (Smokey Joe's Cafe).
Real Life: Sunday (Sunday in the Park with George), Movies Were Movies (Mack and Mabel).
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
A Note from the Artistic Director
I'm really, REALLY excited for our summer camps.
In addition to our old favorites, Jazz Camp and Rock Camp, we're bringing back All-Girl Band Camp for a second time around. If you haven't seen last year's performance videos from the Crossroads and the Oakes Center, they're all up at the Elefante YouTube Channel.
Our Music Theater Camp theme this year is All Roads Lead to Broadway. I got to thinking about all the recent Broadway shows that have been based on movies, and how that was a relatively new phenomenon. It reminded me that shows come from all sorts of sources, but most of them come from four places - the movies, the library, the radio, and real life.
So that's the theme of this year's MTC performances. Each section of the show will feature songs from either film, books and plays, popular music, or history. I can't wait to start putting the show together.
Speaking of which - I know it seems like a long time away, but there's no better time than the present to sign up for summer camp. Contact Stefani at (908) 464-5928 or shealey@elefantemusic.com for more information or to register. Or visit the Summer at Elefante page.
Thanks!
Joe Elefante
Artistic Director
Elefante School for the Performing Arts
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