Roe Hartrampf, Danyel Fulton, Diana Huey and Heath Saunders to be Featured in NYYS MTS Songwriter Showcase 2021

Under the Artistic Direction of Anna K. Jacobs, the New York Youth Symphony Musical Theater Songwriting (NYYS MTS) program will host its third annual Songwriter Showcase on June 8, 2021 at 6:00 PM. This virtual event features guest vocalists Roe Hartrampf (DIANA), Danyel Fulton (BROADBEND, ARKANSAS), Diana Huey (THE LITTLE MERMAID), and Heath Saunders (NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812), performing original works by the NYYS Musical Theater Songwriting 20/21 cohort. Filmed and recorded in Dorothy Maynor Hall at the Harlem School of the Arts at The Herb Alpert Center under the guidance of musical theatre music director Anna Ebbesen, the evening performances also feature student vocalists from the Harlem School of the Arts, and the NYYS MTS program. The showcase is free and open to the public; audience members may register to watch at nyys.org/events.

This event closes out a season that persevered through the COVID-19 pandemic, and featured guest lecturers including Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and orchestrator Tom Kitt (Next To Normal, If/Then), Obie Award-winning composer/lyricist and playwright Kirsten Childs (The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, Bella: An American Tall Tale), Tony and Grammy Award-winning music director and orchestrator Alex Lacamoire (Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen), actor, singer, and writer Grace McLean (In The Green), producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper (Be More Chill, Broadway Bounty Hunter, Love In Hate Nation), orchestrator Kris Kukul (Beetlejuice), costume designer Amy Clark (A Night with Janice Joplin, Chaplin), and composer and orchestrator Mike Pettry (The Light Princess, The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes, Vampirina). Guest performers included Austin Scott (Hamilton, Girl From The North Country), Will Roland (Dear Evan Hansen, Be More Chill), Britney Coleman (Tootsie, Sunset Boulevard), and L Morgan Lee (A Strange Loop).

The 2020/2021 cohort of NYYS Musical Theater Songwriters includes Sharon Ahn, Dvir Avnon-Klein, Kayden Behan, Kareem Browne, Ayala Dinour, Isabella Dussias, Grace Gramins, Elena Hause, Zaida Hernandez, Regane Howard, James Pecore, Erin Peters, Julie Piccolo, Prithvi Prakash, Hudson Ragins, Ava Roberts, Andrew Shield, Karla Vargas, and Ayana Williams.

Led by Artistic Director Anna K. Jacobs in partnership with the Harlem School of the Arts, New York Film Academy, New York Songspace, and Maestra, the MTS program is specially designed to lead students through a range of musical theater songwriting processes. Whether their background is as a classical composer, singer-songwriter, performer, writer, or some cool hyphenate, the program provides students ages 12-22 with the opportunity to both study the fundamentals of musical theater songwriting and take artistic risks. Weekly sessions feature seminars, workshops, and masterclasses with some of Broadway's most distinguished composers, writers, performers, musicians, producers, directors, and designers.

Applications for the 2021/2022 Season will open in July 2021. Aspiring songwriters ages 12-22 may apply at nyys.org/apply.

Founded in 1963, the NYYS is internationally recognized for its award-winning and innovative educational programs for talented young musicians. As the premier independent music education organization for ensemble training in the New York metropolitan area, the NYYS has provided over 7,000 music students unparalleled opportunities to perform at world-class venues including Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Joe's Pub, and The Times Center, and to study with world-renowned artists. Beyond the instruction from accomplished musicians, students gain valuable life skills - commitment, discipline, focus, collaboration - and friendships that last a lifetime.

The NYYS is committed to making its educational offerings accessible to a wider and more diverse community. Through partnerships with organizations including the Harmony Program, Youth Orchestra of St. Luke's Harlem School of the Arts, New York Film Academy, New York SongSpace, Maestra, and Orpheus, the NYYS is creating pathways for young people from all backgrounds to engage with music. These community partnerships include peer-to-peer instruction, financial support, mentorships with professional artists, free community concerts, and more.