From Practice to Performance, Upper West Side
In late January, at the Art of Problem Solving Academy on the Upper West Side, one classroom filled past capacity. Chairs were pulled close, winter coats stayed on, and people stood shoulder to shoulder along the walls. The energy in the air was palpable.
The City Tutors partnered with the NYC Orchestra Project for an in-person mentorship session built around questions that resonate far beyond music: how do you perform under high expectations, and how do you stay competitive as industries evolve at an exponential pace?
There to offer their input on these challenging and prevalent questions were the board and founders of the NYC Orchestra Project, as well as additional orchestra members who contributed insight gained from their various careers as music teachers, performing artists, and arts administrators. Joining them were mentors from across The City Tutors community, including Ellie, a Bloomberg mentor, who helped round out the conversation by connecting the session’s themes to the realities many are facing right now in the broader workforce.
“Given how tough the job market is right now, it felt incredibly worthwhile to help students build confidence and think more broadly about what’s possible and how to get there,” she said. “As a music graduate now in HR, I’m passionate about how directly transferable these skills are, from listening and collaboration to applying feedback, analytical thinking, and speaking up with confidence. The room was warm and engaging, and grounding the conversation in classical music made it feel particularly special.”
A panel with the board members of the Orchestra Project offered their specific insight according to their roles. Gabriel Levy, Conductor and Music Director of the NYC Orchestra Project, highlighted the importance of visible leadership. He spoke about leading and managing groups of over 100 musicians at a time, focusing especially on concert and rehearsal preparation, execution under pressure, and the confidence needed to present the results to audiences of several hundred.
Beside him were Chloe Yang, violinist and Director of Advancement for NYC Orchestra Project, and Ramon Tenefrancia, tenor and Assistant Director for Scheduling and Patron Services at Manhattan School of Music. Together, they went more in-depth about the organization and the daily work needed to keep the orchestra functioning. Chloe, who recently graduated from the NYU Stern School of Business, offered a perspective into efficient fundraising techniques and managing the orchestra’s finances.
Aubren Villasenor, a violinist who also works as an Assignment Editor at CBS News, moderated the panel and thus widened the frame beyond music. In a newsroom, just as on a stage, timing, coordination, and calm judgment matter. He reinforced a central theme of the afternoon: preparation and practice are everything. The habits that support performance in one field often translate directly to another.
After the panel, the format shifted. Learners stayed seated while panelists and additional Orchestra Project members rotated through small group conversations. This was a time for questions and discussions. How do you recover mid-mistake? How do you stay steady when nerves surface physically? How do the skills you learn as trained musicians translate to the workplace? Emma Taggart, pianist and Manager at the New York Youth Symphony, talked about the importance of diversifying your abilities and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.
“As a collaborative pianist, I learned essential skills such as efficient communication and time management. These are skills I apply every day in my position at the symphony. Administrative work was initially foreign to me, and therefore somewhat scary, but I quickly found that I was learning life lessons in music school that belonged just as comfortably in the office as in the concert hall. I just needed to step out of my comfort zone to realize it.”
For many, this small group time was the most valuable part of the session. It was a discussion not only with the mentors, but with their fellow mentees. Ana Rebeca, a City Mentee, said of the afternoon, “Showing up to this event helped me connect with new professionals and build friendships. Talking to professionals across industries keeps me open to new possibilities. Seeing other mentees again has been just as meaningful.”
She described City Tutors events as welcoming and professional. “I feel heard,” she added. “My participation matters.”
By the end of the afternoon, mentors and mentees alike walked away with a strong sense of community, mutual respect, and shared wisdom. Lessons originally rooted in classical music had found a new direction in the hands of the learners.