A benefit concert supporting music education in under-resourced New York City schools featured an 11-year-old Bronx pianist. Jason Afovi, a student at M.S. 180, performed a solo and joined concert pianist Richard Atkins for a duet at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall.
The benefit took place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, at Weill Recital Hall inside Carnegie Hall, according to BroadwayWorld. The 268-seat hall, per the New Mexico Jewish Journal, hosted Afovi, selected by Education Through Music to perform a solo and duet with Atkins. News12 Bronx reported that Afovi played Debussy’s Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum and joined Atkins for Shostakovich’s Waltz No. 2.
A Fascination That Started With a TV Character
News12 Bronx reported that Afovi’s interest in piano began around age 5 and that his father enrolled him in lessons as he pursued becoming a pianist.
The concert itself was designed to funnel support toward Education Through Music, with a portion of net proceeds from the evening intended to benefit the organization, BroadwayWorld reported. Carnegie Hall's own event listing describes the arrangement similarly, noting that a portion of net proceeds benefits Education Through Music, which supports music programs in under-resourced New York City schools. The same listing notes that Atkins presents a solo piano program in which melody serves as a form of visual narrative.
The Nonprofit Behind the Night
Education Through Music describes itself as the largest nonprofit provider of direct and comprehensive music education as a core subject in New York City schools, according to its own About page. The organization says it has worked since 1991 to advance educational equity and close the gap in access to music education for the city's most underserved students — though a separate page on the nonprofit's own site frames that same effort as spanning 35 years. Either way, ETM says its core mission is to positively impact the motivation, achievement and self-confidence of underserved students by weaving music education into the core curriculum of under-resourced schools.
Arts access across city schools
Arts instruction has not been available in every city school: a 2014 report from the New York City Comptroller’s Office found that 419 schools, or 28 percent, lacked even one full-time, certified arts teacher. In its 2019-20 Arts in Schools Report, the NYC Department of Education said 82 percent of responding schools reported partnering with at least one cultural arts organization that school year. These citywide figures do not break down access by borough or school need. M.S. 180 describes its arts program as including visual arts, music and performance, according to the school. That description outlines the program’s subject areas but does not specify how regularly students receive music lessons.
That mission showed up directly in Afovi's school life. M.S. 180 principal Marlon Williams, whose school is dedicated to the arts, said it was exciting that a student from the school performed at the famed music hall for a great cause, per News12 Bronx. Williams's comment reflects the kind of validation ETM says it hopes to deliver at scale: the nonprofit states it wants to continue providing for more under-resourced schools and help more children experience the benefits of music education, according to its about page.
A Bronx Kid With Bigger Plans
Afovi has said he hopes to become a piano composer and create his own music, according to News12 Bronx.
Afovi’s performance is one of several opportunities for Bronx young people to appear at Carnegie Hall. Five Bronx teenagers performed there earlier this year through Camp Broadway, the Bronx Times reported, and Carnegie Hall’s Future Music Project has given young musicians opportunities to create and perform their own compositions.
