Spring 2026 Newsletter
The words Friends of the Fil Newsletter above the FMDG logo which is inside of a yellow circle.

A vibrant music education community
for people of all ages with vision loss.

Spring has sprung!

Our students made this a season of milestones at FMDG. The 25th Fil at the Met concert had audience members dancing in the balcony of the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium for our school's signature event, and the annual Performathon set new records for both student participation and the support it raised. Beyond the stage, we've welcomed new students from New York City and across multiple states, alongside two important additions to our staff, Anastasia Dounas as Chief of Staff and Brian Dever as Director of Development. With exciting summer programming in NYC and Iowa just ahead, and important developments taking shape for the fall, your support means more lessons, more performances, and more students finding their way to FMDG.
Rob's signature of his first name in his own handwriting.

Dr. Robert Derke

Executive Director

Spring Success!
The adult and youth choruses on stage at the Met. The signature image of the Enchanted Tree is projected behind them.

The 25th Fil at the Met Concert


On Saturday, April 25, FMDG students and faculty took the stage at The Metropolitan Museum of Art for a performance weaving music with accessible artwork on the theme of Family. The afternoon closed with audience members dancing in the aisles to, you guessed it, Sister Sledge's "We Are Family."


Enjoy a recording of the concert at this link.

The 20th Anniversary Performathon

FMDG students set new Performathon records this spring. A record number of artists of all ages performed as soloists, accompanists, and ensemble members, raising over $27,000 from more donors than any Performathon in the event's history.
Daniel Gillen and Eric Whitacre standing side by side and smiling.

The top student fundraisers received new FMDG swag and tickets to an Eric Whitacre concert at Carnegie Hall, where they met the Grammy-winning composer backstage after the performance. The evening closed with an immersive 360-degree choral experience as the grand finale.

Taking the Show on the Road

This July, FMDG in-person programming will take place not only in NYC but also in Iowa. We are taking the show on the road!


A two-week summer program in Iowa will welcome young adults who are blind and low-vision for an intensive experience bridging creative arts and career readiness. Participating in a percussion ensemble and a music technology course, students will develop computer skills, content creation, teamwork, self-advocacy, and professional independence needed for the workplace. The program will conclude with a live studio tracking session, celebrating both their musical growth and emerging career skills.

Summer in NYC

The summer program in NYC will be overflowing with activities packed into the month of July! In addition to individual lessons on a wide range of instruments, special rock bands are forming, and field trips are planned to places like the Cooper Hewitt, The Guggenheim, and the Studio Museum in Harlem.
A young piano player sits at a colorfully decorated piano with their back to the camera. The pianist is wearing a blue long sleeve tshirt with the FMDG logo in gold and black. The piano is decorated with flowers butterflies leaves and berries.

Summer kicks off with our students performing at the start of the Achilles Run for Hope & Possibility in Central Park, and playing and singing the Sing for Hope piano at Little Island, sharing their talents with audiences across NYC!

Student Spotlights

Music is only part of what FMDG teaches. Performance skills, poise, and confidence travel with our students into opportunities well beyond the school, where they are our best representatives.
Hoawen is playing the piano dressed in a black tuxedo and bow tie.

Youth student Haowen Deng recently performed at the Kosciuszko Foundation's Inaugural Classical Piano Salon in a masterclass with pianist Nicolas Namoradze.
Logan Riman playing a keyboard in front a blue AFB banner. To Logan's right there is a sign which reads Helen Keller Achievement Awards 2025. Logan is wearing a dark suit and tie with a white collard shirt.

Adult student Logan Riman performed at the reception for the American Federation for the Blind's 2026 Helen Keller Achievement Awards at the Harvard Club.

Everything you read above happened because of supporters like you. Would you consider a gift that keeps this momentum going?


Friends can also support our

students by volunteering.


Thank you for being a Friend of the Fil!


FMDGmusicschool.org

The Filomen M. D'Agostino Greenberg Music School | 2130 Broadway Suite 1904 | New York, NY 10023 US

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