Music for Nikhil

160+

Students Benefited

2800+

Instructional hours

Nikhil had a passion for music from an early age. He excelled at piano, but especially loved his trumpet. At age 11, Nikhil had auditioned for and been accepted to play the trumpet for the prestigious Youth Orchestras of Essex County (YOEC). One of the requirements of the YOEC Orchestra is that students accepted into the program take private lessons in addition to their school music program. Nikhil’s first individual trumpet lesson was scheduled for June 15th, and he was extremely excited to start. Unfortunately, he did not make it to that first lesson.

In the wake of this tragedy, we realized that while Nikhil was unable to further his trumpet education, there are many talented and capable musicians who cannot participate at a similar level due to financial constraints. Thus emerged the idea to form a foundation that offers individualized lessons to underserved children at no cost.

Currently lessons are offered in band, orchestra instruments and voice to middle and high school students in the West Orange school district. Individualized lessons are provided to students who demonstrate talent, commitment and passion for music. The weekly hour-long lessons are provided at no cost to need-based students and at a reduced cost to other students. The lessons are held after school hours at the school. The lessons culminate with a performance by the students at the end of the school year.

The instructors in the Program are very accomplished and play in the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, New York City Opera and other acclaimed organizations.

Jerry Bryant

Trumpet

Jerry Bryant is a member of the New York City Opera Orchestra, Hartford Symphony; Principal Trumpet of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra and The Glimmerglass Festival where he is also the Orchestra Manager. Jerry is also a member of the Radio City Orchestra and has played in the Broadway shows Beauty and the Beast, The King and I and Wicked. Jerry is adjunct professor of trumpet at Jersey City, Montclair State and Seton Hall Universities. He is also the Director of Athletic Bands at Kean University. Jerry holds a Master of Music degree from The Catholic University of America, and a Bachelors of Music from Florida State University..

Josiah Dyck

Oboe

Oboist Josiah van Dyck is an active oboist and English Horn performer in the New Jersey and New York City areas as a soloist, chamber music artist, and orchestral musician. Outside of the Tristate area, Josiah has performed with the Erie Philharmonic (PA), Bellingham Festival of Music (WA), Cleveland Opera, Warren Philharmonic, Trinity Cathedral Chamber Orchestra (Cleveland, OH), and as a guest performer with the Kent/Blossom Music Festival. In 2013, he participated in the legendary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, and in 2014, was chosen as the National Society of Arts and Letters’ scholarship recipient.

Virginia Mayhew

Saxophone

Virginia Mayhew, jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, band leader and educator, has performed around the world, from her home base in NYC (Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Blue Note, Smalls, Mezzrow, etc.), throughout the U.S. and Europe, Australia and the far reaches of the Newly Independent States and Southeast Asia. She has 7 recordings as a leader, and numerous appearances on other’s recordings. www.virginiamayhewjazz.com

Bryce Tempest

Voice

Bryce is studying Music Therapy at Montclair State University, pursuing both board certification and a masters degree. Having played cello for 13 years with primary classical training, Bryce is learning guitar/piano to accompany a range of musical styles. He plays cello in a variety of student and professional ensembles performing in the tri-state area, including performances at Alice Tully and Carnegie Hall. Playing in small and large ensemble settings exposed Bryce to the transformative potential of collaborative music making. Grounded in appreciation for human development within social musical process, he hopes to support the personal growth of West Orange High School students

Jessica Valiente

Flute

Dr. Jessica Valiente holds a B.A. in music from Barnard College in conjunction with Manhattan School of Music, an M.A. in music performance from the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College (CUNY), and a D.M.A. in flute performance from the CUNY Graduate Center.<br /> She has taught flute at Brooklyn College (CUNY), Montclair State University, and is currently on the flute faculty of The New School. She is a Teaching Artist in the Nikhil Badlani Foundation’s Music for Nikhil program, and is the Executive Director of Youth Orchestras of Essex County