Yamaha Music School Boston

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YMES Graduates:
Giving the Gift of Music

When a child experiences a happy, positive introduction to the world of music, the stage is set for a lifetime of music participation. As performers, composers, conductors, teachers and music advocates, Yamaha Music Education System graduates continue to give the gift of music to others.

Max Levinson, now an accomplished pianist and recording artist, remembers, “It was in the Primary Course [Yamaha Junior Music Course] that I learned that music was fun, and this I have kept my whole life.” Levinson, who completed graduate studies at the New England Conservatory of Music, won first prize at the 1997 Guardian Dublin International Piano Competition, the first American to achieve this distinction. He now travels the world performing with renowned symphonies and conductors.

As a YMES graduate, the late Linda Martinez developed into a gifted jazz pianist, performing both with Destiny’s Child and regularly on a popular late night television show. YMES’s emphasis on creativity influenced her desire to devote her energies to composition. After graduating from YMES, she earned a degree in music composition from the University of Southern California, where she was named Outstanding Graduate of the School of Music. In 2004, she won the Turner Classic Movies Young Film Composers Competition, beating a formidable field of 500 competitors.

At age 15, the career of Jennifer Lin is yet to be determined. However, her advanced YMES musical training has already led to recognition. Lin was invited to give a presentation on “creative flow” at the Technology, Entertainment and Design Conference in 2004. After speaking about creativity, she improvised a piece based on five notes chosen at random by an audience member, actress Goldie Hawn. The performance prompted ABC News to name Jennifer Lin its “Person of the Week.”

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