February 7, 2023

On weekends, MSM students take advantage of living in one of the world’s most interesting and exciting cities, doing everything from exploring the MSM neighborhood to attending some incredible concerts!

We asked a few students what a weekend looks like for them:

Evelyn Lehmann (BM ’26 Classical Voice)

My favorite thing to do in NYC on the weekends is to go see an opera at the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center! My friends and I usually find a date when we can all go and take the train there together. Being an MSM student means we get student discounts on tickets, so we go as often as we can!

I also like to go on my own and get a score reading table, so I can see the music that is being performed in front of me. Here’s a picture from the time we got to see Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes on November 9th!

Left photo: program from Benjamin Britten’s “Peter Grimes” at the Metropolitan Opera House
Right photo: Evelyn Lehmann (BM ’26 Classical Voice)

Vanessa Zou (BM ’25 Classical Piano)

I love going to brunch on weekends with my friends, and this past weekend we went to a place called Le Monde that is one of my favorite spots in the neighborhood, which is only a 10-minute walk from MSM. Besides that, going to museums or operas are also my top choices for a weekend in NYC. I also enjoy simply exploring different parts of the city or go for a walk in the parks.

Left photo: Vanessa Zou (BM ’25 Classical Piano) with Saviah Mller (BM ’25 Classical Voice) in Lincoln Center
Right photo: Vanessa Zou (BM ’25 Classical Piano) and Ja’hlil Pembleton (BM ’25 Classical Voice) at brunch

Kabelo Mokhatla (BM ’24 Jazz Drumset)

Living in the city comes with privileges. You have the privilege of witnessing the people you look up to in the industry perform, so I watch as many concerts as possible and try to connect with them. Since this is a beautiful city to explore, I go out as much as possible, and most of the time, I find inspiration from my surroundings to create music. Amongst the things mentioned, my favorite is performing and spending time with my companions.

Callie Henrysen (BM ’26 Musical Theatre)

Weekends are some of my favorite days of the week! I love working hard and learning here at MSM, but it is equally important to find ways to decompress. Typically, I rest a lot on the weekends and take it easy. Most of the time, my weekends are totally free, and it is the perfect time for catching up on sleep. I also love to see friends and try new foods on the weekends. I recently discovered Jin Ramen (near MSM), and it’s one of my new faves!!! When I’m not sleeping or eating, I also love to take in the beautiful part of the city that we live in! I like to get outside and take walks in the morning or day when the sun is warm and bright. I end my weekends by preparing for my musical theatre-filled week and reminding myself how lucky I am to be here! : )

Left photo: Callie Henrysen (BM ’26 Musical Theatre) with friend Carlos Goldberg (BM ’26 Musical Theatre)
Right photo: Callie’s order from Jin Ramen

Leor Arbel (BM ’26 Classical Trombone)

This weekend in particular was jam-packed! On Friday after classes, I went and saw the NY Philharmonic perform, and it was amazing. I even saw some people there who I didn’t expect to see whatsoever, so that was a real treat. I went over to a friend’s apartment directly afterwards and we all talked about music and how we’ve been in general. On Saturday, I met with a close friend from Texas (my home state), did some sightseeing with him and his mother, and had some great pizza with them. On Sunday, I went and supported a different close friend from Texas at the Jack Rudin Big Band competition in Lincoln Center. While there, I met a bunch of cool people and saw my “second family,” as I like to say. My friend’s school ended up advancing to the finals at the competition, so I was in Lincoln Center pretty much all day. Monday was my reset day, so I chilled at the school, did some personal practice, and played with some other people too. On most weekends, I’ll usually do some practicing, hang out with people around the school, and sometimes go out and see a concert or two.

Leor Arbel (BM ’26 Trombone)

Ha Young Synn (MM ’23 Classical Voice)

I love to spend my weekends going to the Met Opera with friends or on my own to get inspired, visiting local NYC restaurants or pop-up gems, or getting lost in a borough and adventuring! I also love to go out to Central Park or a rooftop right before sunset to take photos of the various shades of color the sky and clouds are painted with.

Photos by Ha Young Synn (MM ’23 Classical Voice)

Darilyn Fine (MM ’23 Classical Flute)

Last weekend was filled with so many of my favorite NYC activities! On Friday night, I went to a New York Philharmonic concert to support my friend and fellow MSM flute student Megan Torti (MM’ 23) who was subbing in the flute section! It felt so special to be able to see one of my all-time favorite orchestras perform Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, especially with one of my good friends being a part of the performance. On Saturday, I went out for brunch with a childhood best friend in Columbus Circle, which is an area of the city that is very accessible to MSM via the 1 train on the subway. After brunch, we went on a walk through Central Park, a place where I always find much peace and inspiration. We were lucky to hear some live music being performed by multiple buskers throughout the park. Sunday was a day full of practice as I had an audition for a summer festival the next day. Overall, a fun, productive weekend in the city!

Left photo: program from a NY Philharmonic concert
Right photo: Darilyn Fine (MM ’23 Classical Flute)