ABOUT DENNIS BELL

Prolific musician Dennis Bell has spent much of his career merging different cultures and musical genres to enlighten, entertain and educate. A music educator for many years, White Plains/Greenburgh resident, Bell has instructed students in New York metro area schools and colleges. He is an award-winning pianist, songwriter, arranger, producer and conductor. The range of musical artists with whom he has worked encompassed rock, r&b, and hip-hop and included renowned musicians such as U2, Lenny Kravitz, Celia Cruz, Doug E Fresh, Slick Rick, , New Voices of Freedom, Lynette Washington, Tom Browne, Billy Preston, Larry Rosen and , among many others. He was the musical director/conductor for the international tour of the iconic rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar”.

Bell spent over 30 years teaching music, introducing music technology, conducting choirs and developing original musical theater productions in the NYC School system, including LaGuardia HS of Music & Art and the Performing Arts in Manhattan (his Alma Mater), and was the long time conductor of the award winning Bronx Borough-Wide JHS Chorus. Bell was an Adjunct Professor of Music & Music Technology and founder/conductor of the Mercy College Community Choir at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry.

Bell’s compositions for Modern Dance have been performed at Ailey II, River North Dance Chicago, Sacramento Ballet, Steffi Nossen School, Ballet Austin, the 92nd Street Y, Goucher College, Boston Conservatory, University of California among many others (Music for Modern Dance). He was honored with a grant from the American Music Center’s Live Music Dance for his composition “Remembrance” for String Quartet and Piano which premiered at the Baruch Performing Arts Center in NYC with his daughter’s modern dance ensemble Sidra Bell Dance NY. The String Quartet featured players from the Purchase College Music Conservatory’s Graduate School. The piece was recently featured and performed at Boston’s Jewish Arts Festival by Sidra Bell Dance NY and musicConnects’ Boston Public String Quartet. His music has been published through Alfred Music and SMP Press.

The Grammy Committee has recognized Bell many times with pre-nominations for his production work, most recently for his work on the jazz album Kaleidoscope & Live at the X! (A Celebration of , Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae & Shirley Horn), performed by the award winning New York jazz singer Lynette Washington. He and Washington have performed together at Westchester venues in Yonkers, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Mt. Kisco and White Plains as well as the entire NYC Metropolitan Area.

ABOUT CLAUDETTE WASHINGTON-BELL

Claudette Washington-Bell was a child prodigy pianist at age of three, performing in Carnegie Hall and, as a youngster, conducting her Brooklyn church choir. Washington-Bell was a vocal music/choir director, drama and dance instructor in the NYC School system and associate conductor/accompanist for the award winning Bronx Borough-Wide JHS Chorus. Washington-Bell also appeared on Broadway as an actor/singer/dancer.

A White Plains/Greenburgh resident, Washington-Bell has been an ongoing music faculty member for the Westchester County Summer Music Camp at the County Center, production supervisor for Morgan Stanley’s publishing/graphic design division and general manager/webmaster for the internationally renowned modern dance company Sidra Bell Dance NY (an ArtsWestchester 50/50 awardee). She was the accompanist/assistant director of the Mercy College Community Choir and has produced, arranged and appeared on recordings on the GRP, Island Records, GuavaJamm labels with renowned artists U2, Tom Browne, Lenny Kravitz, Touche’, Celia Cruz and many others. Washington-Bell specializes in the training of childhood/teenaged beginning/intermediate pianists and vocalists.

The White Plains Library project “People and Stories Oral History Project” (White Plains Library Oral History Project) included the Bells, and their musical journeys, for Part 1 of their ongoing research of Westchester musical artists.