Berkshire Music School Names New Board Members
Berkshire Music School is please to announce the addition of Elizabeth M. Avery and John Newell to the Board of Trustees.Ms. Avery founded AveryInk, a desktop publishing business for the design of printed materials, and DVD production. Other areas of expertise include the design of communications systems and information technologies. She majored in Communication Arts and Business at the College of New Rochelle in New York. Ms. Avery is the immediate past president of the Junior League of Berkshire County, and a mentor for the Discovery Program at Girls Inc. She resides in Pittsfield.
John Newell is Manager of Training and Professional Development for Berkshire Life Insurance Company. He attended Duke University, pursuing studies in composition, piano and conducting; graduating summa cum laude in 1971. Mr. Newell earned an M.F.A. from California Institute of the Arts and Ph.D. from State University of New York at Buffalo. While in Buffalo he held the first Edgard Varese Fellowship in composition. After completing graduate school he moved to Western Massachusetts and for several years directed the choral program at Mt. Greylock Regional High School in Williamstown. He also taught piano and music theory at the Berkshire Music School, and was adjunct faculty at Berkshire Community College. Mr. Newell also served as music director for the Congregational Church of Worthington, Massachusetts. He and his wife Linda Courtney live in Pittsfield.
Other members of the BMS Board of Trustees include: Jeffrey Rose, President; David Grygier, Treasurer; Christine Singer, Vice President; Ethan Flynn, Secretary; David Anderegg, Lisa Sayman Butler, Michael Considine, Anne Marcure, Sarah Novak, and John Rys.
The Music School is very fortunate to have Elizabeth and John joining the Board. They will bring much experience as community advocates at this important time in the Music School's life as we seek support from the local community for much need capital projects.
The mission of the Berkshire Music School is to provide quality education in music and musical opportunities to people in the greater Berkshire community regardless of race, religion, ethnic origin, disability, age, or ability to pay.
The School is an independent, nonprofit organization, with 40 faculty members. Full tuition covers only 55 percent of actual expenses. The rest comes from the community: local corporations and small businesses, board members, alumni, parents of students, and our students themselves, who raise scholarship money for others in the annual Marathon. Music Marathon 2009 is March 27-29.
Berkshire Music School and the Edgar B. Taft Recital Hall are located at 30 Wendell Avenue, downtown. For more information about class offerings, call 413-442-1411; or visit www.berkshiremusicschool.org.
