Jeffrey R.Smith Director of the Philadelphia Boys Choir Jeffrey R. Smith, Music Director of the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale An alumnus of the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale, Smith stepped intothe position of Music Director in 2004 and has since led the choir on concerttours in Alaska, Panama, Costa Rica, Greece, Turkey, Spain, Germany, Argentina,Uruguay and China. Under his direction, the choir has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra,the Pennsylvania Ballet, and Peter Nero and the Philly Pops; at the Kimmel Center for thePerforming Arts, the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, and Carnegie Hall; for BarackObama, Laura Bush, and Julie Andrews; in numerous Philadelphia television appearancesand nationally on Good Morning, America and Backstage with Barry Nolan.Smith is also the assistant conductor for Peter Nero and the Philly Pops.In June 2007 he made his Philly Pops conducting debut, filling in for Neroat the opening performance of The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, starringBroadway legend Jennifer Holliday. He is a 1999 summa cum laude graduate of Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Musicin Composition. After graduation, Smith moved to the New York City area and played piano onBroadway for Jane Eyre and off-Broadway for Summer '69,Taking a Chance on Love, Abie's Island Rose and Suburb. His vocal and instrumentalarrangements have been performed Off-Broadway, as well as by the Ocean City Pops and Peter Neroand the Philly Pops, and can be heard on the cast recording of Taking a Chance on Love (Original Cast Records).While in New York, he also played for Bette Midler and Broadway stars Rebecca Luker, Mark Jacoby, and Judy Kaye.He currently resides in Haddon Township, NJ with his wife, Carla, and their two sons, Elijah andIsaac. ”The education I received at Conservatory Without Walls was top-notch. The teachers assessed my musical abilities and continued to push me forward to reach my potential...They have teachers that can provide that instruction - for beginners to the most advanced”. - Jeffrey R. Smith, Music Director, Philadelphia Boys Choir & ChoraleTestimonials ”Our son, Nicholas has made great progress at Conservatory Without Walls. He looks forward to his lessons and is genuinely excited to perform for his family and friends. We are impressed with the teaching techniques and dedication of his instructor. We love hearing him play!”. - Jocelyn and Rick Williams ____________________________________________________________________________ ”The education I received at Conservatory Without Walls was top-notch. The teachers assessed my musical abilities and continued to push me forward to reach my potential. At one point when I expressed an interest in other styles of music, they were happy to refer me to one of their teachers who specialized in those styles, thus broadening my musical vocabulary. It was clear from the start that their number one priority was giving me musical instruction that was suited to my talents. They have the teachers that can provide that instruction - for beginners to the most advanced”. - Jeffrey R. Smith, Music Director, Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale ____________________________________________________________________________ ”Conservatory without Walls provides quality educators to prepare musicians for their goals and aspirations. I attribute much of my success as a musician to the inspiring, knowledgeable, and talented teachers that I was fortunate enough to work with. I would highly recommend Conservatory Without Walls to anyone of any age for any instrument”. - Megan Madara, Singer Songwriter, Recording Artist and Berklee College of Music Class of 2014 · Music Business/Management/Entrepreneurship · Guitar ____________________________________________________________________________ ”My daughter Sofia has been a CWW piano student for 2 years, first with Molly and now with Julie Williams. Both teachers have been wonderful & she loves her lessons with Julie. Learning piano, and making steady progress, has given her more confidence in herself and pride in her abilities. Because of my crazy schedule, I would have never been able to do a traditional music school. CWW has been a wonderful way to work the lessons in. Thanks again!”. - Michele Pollock Rich ____________________________________________________________________________ ”There's absolutely no better way to literally bring music into your own home than with the wonderful faculty and staff of the Conservatory Without Walls. Both of my daughters and I were long-time piano students and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. While my daughters started their lessons at a young age - 6 and 9, respectively - I found, to my own delight, that you're never too old to begin learning to play and appreciate music! We are very grateful to the CWW for giving us the opportunity to both master an instrument and to enjoy it for years to come - truly priceless!”. - Patricia B. Solecki ____________________________________________________________________________ ”Denise is as patient as she is talented. She connects very well with her students. One of my favorite times of the week was when I went to pick up Ali from her piano lesson and had the opportunity to listen to my daughter and Denise play together”. - Rosanna C. ____________________________________________________________________________ ”The Conservatory Without Walls has provided a wonderful experience for my special needs daughter. The instructor has taken the time to get to know my daughter and the best way to teach her. She looks forward to her lessons, has made great progress, and she even enjoys practice! It has been a joy to listen to her play piano in our own home”. - Jeanne Paulsen ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ”Thanks to CWW for introducing us to Rob, our son's guitar teacher. Our son has been taking guitar lessons with Rob over the past 6 months. It is amazing how much he has learned in such a short period of time. Rob is very patient, encouraging and fun. Thanks to Rob our son now has a great appreciation for the guitar as well as music overall”. - The Shaw family ____________________________________________________________________________ ”Our children, Luke and Emma, have taken music lessons at Conservatory Without Walls for the past seven years. Music is an essential part of our family today because of Denise Casario and her staff. Her dedication, patience, and encouragement have made a tremendous impact in our children's love for music”. - Lance & Deb ____________________________________________________________________________ ”Ben Britton is a great clarinet teacher. He has patience and understands my abilities, and at the same time, he is a motivator and really inspires me to advance. My experience has really been a pleasant and enjoyable one.Thank you to CWW for making this happen”. - Rabbi Yitzchok Kahan ____________________________________________________________________________ ”My experience with The Conservatory Without Walls has been wonderful. My kids have been attending for the last 7 years, with both lessons from the home and lessons in their studio. The music teachers are excellent. They allow the students to excel at their own pace”. - Shirley ____________________________________________________________________________ ”Our daughter Kylee has been taking piano lessons with CWW for the past 6 years. She enjoys her lessons and looks forward to them every week. Stephanie is courteous and professional and has taught our daughter to love music”.- Desiree Miller ____An Appreciation of Anthony Casario by Ajodah ”Steve” Seenarine II There is a line in the Stallone movie ”First Blood” that happens when Brian Dennehy's character remarks of Rambo ”What kind of people in the army could make a man like this?” And a smart snappy voice answers ”The army didn't’ make Rambo...I did”. Richard Crenna as Troutman stands and delivers his retort. Although many factors go into creating me the individual, the individual who created me and ”made” me was none other than Anthony Casario. He started teaching me at age 6 and his inspiration and effect on what I’ve become as a musical artist and educator is so profound it’s lasted until this very day. And I owe my artistic life to him without question and as a protégé, advocate and a son of his beyond question. Perhaps what many of you don’t know is first and foremost he is one of the most incredible pianists I’ve ever heard, I mean a real virtuoso and I know and have heard every virtuoso pianist of note. I mean Horowitz to Hoffman, Watts to Godowsky, I mean of that caliber. I was blessed when I was taught by ”him” to hear him play on that Steinway in Haddonfield, ”out of practice” things like the back end of the Chopin G minor Ballade or his revised coda of the Liszt Valle d’Oberman or the Mazeppa, or the Schuman Toccata. Those of you who know realize the true genius he is and that gold he carefully sprinkled over hundreds and probably 1000’s of lives and talents. What he inspired in me and given me is moments of gold in my life money could never buy and he knows what I am is not easy. In me he created a true artist, which is almost knowing what it’s like to be God. His approach is not based on some method, but he has incredible insight into what develops a true musician and he even knows how to treat the temperament of the talents he shapes. He ”gave” me Liszt and Scriabin because it fit my personality and he also knew I would find Scarlatti and Barber too. Anthony Casario is a virtuoso, protégé of the great virtuoso Leo Ornstein, producing virtuosos himself. In my life there is only one major person I ever have and ever will hang my star on because he gave it to me…my most beloved teacher, Anthony Casario. Your Lisztian Pupil in highest esteem and deep love, Ajodah ”Steve” Seenarine II________________________________________________________________________ ”I started with Anthony after having had haphazard piano courses with other teachers. I learned more in one lesson with his brillant enlightening methods than all years combined in the past. Anthony is the Vince Lombardi of piano ”.- William Ruspamtine ____________________________________________________________________________ ”While playing saxophone with my teacher, Mr. Britton, I not only learned a lot, but I had fun doing it. I think the saxophone is a great instrument, and Mr. Britton is a great teacher. I recommend Conservatory Without Walls no matter what instrument ”.- Henry Ing ____________________________________________________________________________ ”This family comes to your home to teach you music. They are professional and their compassion for music is apparent at all times. They can teach a variety of instruments, and they do it at your convenience ”.- Linda Humes ____________________________________________________________________________ ”You guys do a great job! We love coming to you for piano and drum lessons!!!!! Keep up the great work! ”.- Mary Beth Kaye ____________________________________________________________________________ ”Thanks to my parents I had piano lessons as a child. Thanks to the CWW I have returned to the piano and all the pleasures and accomplishments of lessons despite a lapse of FIFTY years! There are pictures in the photo gallery here of my CWW teacher, Stephanie, working with happy and engaged children. Have no doubt, the same is possible for an adult. Stephanie can explain, correct, celebrate. She can motivate, challenge, encourage. I feel respected and supported in our lessons and a shared joy in learning through music. This is a testimonial, but -if I may- some advice. Take advantage of your former skills and of the professionals at CWW to study an instrument as an adult learner. Much happiness (and hard work) awaits”. - Gale in Moorestown, NJ ____________________________________________________________________________ ”I have known the Casario Family and The Conservatory Without Walls for many years and can't say enough good things about them. Our older daughter took piano lessons in the home of a private teacher as a young child and had a very negative experience. Luckily, I met Denise Casario and our younger daughter had a totally different experience taking piano lessons with the CWW. Our daughter had two CWW teachers that were both extremely talented, friendly, upbeat, and punctual. Lessons in your home is a wonderful convenience we all appreciated. Piano lessons became a highlight of our daughter's week. I credit the CWW with helping to instill a passion for music in our daughter which I believe will last a lifetime”. - Patti DelDuca ____________________________________________________________________________ ”I started studying piano with Tony Casario when I was about 12. The way Tony’s teaching differed from my previous teaching is to practice smarter, not harder. This included techniques in fingering, expression of the music, using the right and left hand differently than the written music may have indicated, and the method on how to practice to maximize my playing ability of the piece. Tony explained getting the importance of getting the piece right from the beginning and not practicing the mistakes. He helped me tackle the difficult portions of the music so that the whole piece sounded better. To improve the learning experience and to reinforce this, he added colorful stories of how the masters would use certain techniques to give the sound they wanted the listener to hear, and how the composer would put in or leave out the expression of the piece to allow the performer to decide on their own. This differed from my previous teachings where more practice was better, with no emphasis on perfecting the style. My previous style of teaching was bland and boring. There was no inspiration at all. That all changed with Tony’s ability to guide me into the correct methods. The end result of this was to allow me to play much more difficult works, with a higher degree of proficiency, play them at the speed they were intended to be played, and to do this without having to put in excessive amounts of practicing. This resulted in my having a tremendous love for the piano and the classics. I found no one else that came close to the teachings that Tony gave to me at a young age and have continued learning from him throughout my life many years later”. - Neil Lipson
