JUNE 18 - JUNE 24, 2014 • VOLUME 5 - No. 25 The FREE PRESS The Community’s Bilingual Newspaper BRONX El Periódico Bilingüe de la Comunidad Tuned inp3 Sherry Mazzocchi The UpBeat NYC Orchestra Afinados p3 Photos by Block Party 7 Market p14 Conservation p4 2 JUNE 18, 2014 • thE broNx frEE prEss • www.thebronxfreepress.com Story, photos and video by to everyone,” Austria said. “It’s not because Sherry Mazzocchi children don’t have the ability and the talent— it’s because they don’t have the opportunity. It arísol and Daniel Mejía sat Tuned in is too expensive.” in the plush red velvet seats Like UpBeat NYC, the Washington Heights M and Inwood (WHIN) Music Project also had a of the United Palace’s front row, modest start. Less than two years ago, David listening to the fourth movement Gracia began the program after receiving an Abreu Fellowship from the New England of Dvorak’s New World Symphony Conservatory of Music. one recent afternoon. Today, he runs afterschool programs and an orchestra, teaching about 125 Northern Their children, Nomar, 9, and Daneyra, 12, Manhattan children music several times a were on stage, performing in the orchestra. week. They are rehearsing for a special June 28th He doesn’t yet have enough space or performance at the Palace in Washington resources for all of the children that would Heights. like to participate. “Without a doubt, this is a More than 150 children from New York, great place for a program like this to flourish,” New Jersey and even New Orleans youth he said. orchestras will converge on the Palace to He sees children who’ve never played play as one. Jamie Bernstein, the daughter of before get better very fast. “Kids see other the famed composer and conductor Leonard kids playing an instrument and they want to Bernstein, will host the evening. Daneyra and Nomar Mejía both play play, too,” he said. The Mejías are a musical Bronx family. trumpet in UpBeat NYC’s orchestra. To that end, WHIN is experimenting with The children play the trumpet in UpBeat a peer mentorship program. Children with NYC’s after school program three times a ultimately end up with a better society. UpBeat NYC is very much a family affair. more experience team up with kids who are week. At home, they practice with their father, Liza Austria, UpBeat’s co-founder, said Austria, along with her mother, brother just learning. “This builds leadership skills,” who follows along on the keyboard. their Bronx-based program has taken off this and husband, run the program. They took Gracia said. “By doing that you not only The children have only been in the program year. They have a total of 110 students, both inspiration from their late father, Jaime spread skills but you also build community.” for six months, but they’ve already performed in orchestra and pre-orchestra programs. The Austria. A bass player for top New York El Sistema programs are orchestra-based in a concert and won a prize. children have been performing a lot, traveling orchestras, he was excited about El Sistema and focus mainly on classical music. But “They really like it,” said their father. “I to other boroughs, and meeting other young programs and talked about it all the time. WHIN’s choir program incorporates gospel, thank God that I got them into this program. I musicians. He felt elitism stifled creativity and music. jazz and other types of music in many really love it for the kids.” “The exciting thing about it is that a Orchestras weren’t racially diverse and different languages. Like all of the other orchestral programs lot of kids don’t necessarily leave their there was too much emphasis on becoming Parents tell Gracia that their children’s feature in the concert, UpBeat NYC is an neighborhood in the Bronx,” she said. “So a first chair. At the same time, children in academic performance has improved since El Sistema-based program. El Sistema they are seeing other kids doing they same families with fewer resources don’t get they’ve taken up music. “It’s not because originated in Venezuela. Its basic tenet is thing. In our neighborhood, there’s not exposure to orchestras and don’t learn music music makes you smarter,” he said. “But that when children are introduced to music, another orchestra. They don’t know other kids in school. society not only has better musicians—they do this.” “He had a vision of music being accessible See ORCHESTRA p21 Afinados ATTENTION YOUNG ADULTS! ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY? Become a part of Phipps Neighborhoods Career Network: Allied Health program. WHAT IS IT? • Phipps Neighborhoods encourages young adults to gain meaningful careers • Our FREE Career Network: Allied Health program offers work readiness, career Más de 150 niños de orquestas de exploration and career coaching jóvenes tocaran como uno solo. • Combination of classroom studies at Hostos Community College and hands-on opportunities at Montefiore Medical Center Historia, fotos y video por Orleans se reunirán en el Palacio para tocar WHICH IS ALL A CHANCE TO: Sherry Mazzocchi como uno solo. Jamie Bernstein, la hija del • EXPLORE careers in healthcare such as: Patient Care Technician, Health Information famoso compositor y director de orquesta Technology, Clinical Medical Assistant and more • EARN industry recognized certificates na tarde reciente, Marisol y Daniel Leonard Bernstein, será la anfitriona de la noche. • GAIN internship experience and job placement or continued education Mejía se sentaron en los asientos Los Mejía son una familia musical del Bronx. • PREPARE for good UNION Jobs U • IMPROVE your leadership skills de terciopelo rojo en la fila frontal del Los niños tocan la trompeta en UpBeat NYC, el programa para después de la escuela, tres veces WHERE IS IT? United Palace, mientras escuchaban el a la semana. En casa, practican con su padre, • Location: Phipps Neighborhoods Community Education Center • 1030 East 178th Street, Bronx, NY 10460 cuarto movimiento de la sinfonía Nuevo quien los sigue con el teclado. Los niños sólo han • 2 and 5 Train to West Farms Sq. /East Tremont Ave. Mundo de Dvorak. Sus hijos, Nomar, de estado en el programa durante seis meses pero • Buses: BX#40,42,36,9,21, & Q44 9 años, y Daneyra, de 12, estaban en el ya se presentaron en un concierto y ganaron un AND ALL YOU NEED IS: premio. • To be 18-26 years old escenario, tocando en la orquesta. • A High School Diploma or Equivalency “A ellos realmente les gusta”, dijo su padre. • Interest in and Commitment to the Healthcare Field “Doy gracias a Dios haberlos inscrito en este Ellos están ensayando para una presentación programa. Realmente me encanta para los Schedule an appointment today. especial el 28 de junio en el Palacio, en niños”. CALL 646.589.1307 Washington Heights. Al igual que todos los otros programas de EMAIL [email protected] Más de 150 niños de Nueva York, Nueva Jersey y hasta orquestas de jóvenes de Nueva Ver ORQUESTA p21 JUNE 18, 2014 • thE broNx frEE prEss • www.thebronxfreepress.com 3 Story and photos by Robin Elisabeth Kilmer t was billed an “Elephant’s ITale” – and fittingly, many Conservation a la Clinton giants turned out in support. At its Annual Gala this past Thurs., Jun. 12th, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) honored former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation Chelsea Clinton, and WCS Trustee Diane Christensen for each woman’s commitment to saving elephants and protecting wildlife and wild places. “It is a privilege to honor Sec. Clinton, Chelsea Clinton and Diane Christensen,” said WCS President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Cristián Samper. “Secretary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton are strong allies The Wildlife Conservation in helping us build great Society’s 2014 Gala was momentum around the globe held at the Central Park Zoo. to save Africa’s elephants. Diane Christensen has worked more than 4 million visitors to its mother-daughter duo co-penned an op- with WCS to protect the five zoological parks in New York ed in The Financial Times about the ivory world’s wildlife for more than – the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, trade. Hillary Clinton narrated White Gold, a decade. She is a key player on Queens Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and a documentary about poaching, and Chelsea the WCS conservation team.” the New York Aquarium. Clinton produced an NBC special featuring In attendance also were On Thursday evening, Hillary an elephant calf whose mother was killed by President Bill Clinton and New Clinton and her daughter Chelsea, who is poachers. York Mayor Bill de Blasio, as were nearly pregnant with her first child, were honored by WCS participated through the “96 600 guests who gathered at the WCS Central WCS specifically for their efforts to save the Elephants” campaign to amplify and Park Zoo. African Forest Elephant through action taken support the actions of securing effective This year, the Gala highlighted the at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). killed every year; their extinction is imminent U.S. moratorium laws, bolstering elephant conservation plight of elephant populations in Since September 2013, the CGI and unless all entities can work together to ensure populations with additional funding, and the forests and savannas of Africa and efforts WCS have built partnerships among their future. through a public education effort to highlight to protect them from the illegal ivory trade. businesses, non-governmental organizations, It is a crisis driven largely by the illegal the link between ivory consumption and WCS conservationists work in more than governments, and individuals.