A Short Story That Will Make You Feel Better !

It's the "Rockland Conservatory of Music" and it changes lives.

It is currently housed at 45 South Main Street in the Hamlet of Pearl River.

The Conservatory was founded in 1956 by Janet and Ed Simons. Its original mission is still strong today. In 1956, RCM opened its doors to anyone – any age, skill-level or financial ability – with a desire to play, learn and find joy through music. Thanks to its patrons, supporters and talented professional staff, it has grown to be a vibrant community center for music instruction, culture and entertainment. It is a modest sized warm, welcoming and overall very pleasant venue.

This has great meaning for me because I believe in the quotes - "Without music, life would be a mistake" & "Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife." [Kahlil Gibran].

Like everyone else, I always enjoyed many of music's genres, which changed with time, our culture and my age, but it became sacred for me when I witnessed first-hand its power to stir positivity in the broken minds of children and adults. Oh, I witnessed music magic at parties, dances, concerts, religious events, parades, etc...but to witness its power to evoke joy where sorrow or even no sense of being was evident and engraved in my mind.

Ergo, I was thrilled when the Conservatory moved to Pearl River to enhance the growth of its vision which involves offering tuition assistance to qualifying low-income students + bring talented musicians and performers to the community to educate and entertain + instill a life-long love of the arts to our students and community. It is a comforting mission in our troubled times.

The late iconic Ed Simons who founded the Conservatory, was a legendary, inspirational and inspiring giant who lived to be 101 years old, and continued playing, conducting and teaching until his death. On June 26th, 2018, the world lost Ed Simons, the oldest active professional conductor. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he became a violinist with the American Ballet Theater, and in 1952 founded the Rockland Symphony Orchestra, which he had led as recently as September 2017. He enjoyed a robust Broadway career, too, leading eight different shows from 1948 until 1964, including Where’s Charley? (his first conducting gig) and My Fair Lady.

It was a happy day when I learned that my son, Chris, a graduate of the nationally prestigious New England Conservator of Music in Boston and also a violinist, will be performing at the Rockland Conservatory of Music on Saturday, April 2, 2022 at 7:00 pm.

This will be the first in-person concert at the Conservatory since March 2020.

Tickets are $20 general admission, 18 and under are free and are on sale now at https://www.rcmny.org/upcoming-events-tickets

It just might be a new happy experience, without having to travel very far, seeing the space which provides comfort and great music up close.

"Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife." Kahlil Gibran

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