Alumni & Friends of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
Phillip Gould M&A ‘40 has begun a literary
career and recently published an ebook of fty
short stories called, “A New Yorker’s Stories”
which can be downloaded from Amazon.com.
Bron Jenssen M&A ’42 received a commendation
from Admiral Mike Mullen of the Joint Chiefs
of Sta for “bravery and great sacrice” as a
wartime photographer during WWII. A copy of
the article on his wartime activities can be found
at: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/
War-s-horror-and-valor-remembered-562638.php
Hal Schaefer M&A ’42 is a jazz pianist,
composer and arranger who has played with
big bands led by Benny Carter, Harry James,
Boyd Raeburn and the Dorsey Brothers. He
has also written music scores for 20th Century
Fox and dance arrangements for Broadway
shows. His website is www.halschaefer.com
Assunta (Sunny) Carballeira M&A ’43 organizes
concerts and master classes and lectures at the
Metropolitan Museum, the Spanish Institute and
the Manhattan School of Music and is about to
release a new CD that includes improvisational
Broadway music with a classical sound.
Leah Brittman Karp M&A ’43 recently published
“Innerscapes”, a memoir in poetry available on
amazon.com. She has recently returned from
seventy days circumnavigating South America
and is excited about her in-depth study of Astor
Piazzolla’s life and Tango Nuevo music. She is also
preparing a program for San Diegans on Piazzolla.
Leah Efron Martin M&A ’43 was just appointed
chairperson of the music department at Coldspring
Harbor Central School. She is also a choral
director at the West Side Elementary School.
Sarai Golomb Zitter M&A ’44 is enjoying excellent
health and is still involved in liberal and pro-choice
politics. She is assistant editor of her community
newsletter and head of the gardening committee.
Marilyn Bergman M&A ’45 is an Academy
Award winning lyricist and has recently stepped
down as President and Chairman of ASCAP, a
position she has held since 1994. Ms. Bergman
was the rst woman to be elected to the ASCAP
Board. She and her writing partner and husband,
songwriter Alan Bergman have a number of
new projects: they have just completed work on
Steven Soderberg’s lm, “The Informant” with
composer Marvin Hamlisch and are currently
working on two musicals, one with Marvin
Hamlisch and one with composer Michel Legrand.
J. Naomi Loewy M&A ’46 plays clarinet, sax, ute,
ddle and guitar in various community orchestras
and sometimes performs with her husband.
All her kids and grandkids are musical too!
Renee Alberts M&A ’47 paints and exhibits
her work and has received both rst place and
honorable mention awards at recent shows.
Rita Rivkin Oshinsky M&A ’47 taught music at
M&A from 1955-60 and was also a professional
singer-pianist. She now teaches piano and
voice in her studio in Manchester, CT.
Cynthia Ulick Berliner M&A ’47 was an elementary
school teacher for 20 years and has spent the
last 20 years enjoying hobbies and traveling.
Judith Kredal Brown M&A ’48 is still teaching,
but beginning a phased retirement. Some
of her former students, which number in
the thousands, are now grandparents!
Marcia Chamowitz M&A ’48 says “We
have moved to Jerusalem after 25 years
in Tel Aviv. Love to see visitors!”
Edward H. Craig M&A ’49 is enjoying retirement
with his wife of 57 years. He travels often to the
east coast to visit his youngest son who is also
a graduate of LaGuardia and now an assistant
professor at Westchester University School of
Performing Arts and has just presented Edward
and his wife with their rst grandchild.
Ruth Feiner Feigel M&A ’49 continues to
sculpt in clay and stone. She and her husband
are supporters of the Boca Raton Museum
of Art and Ruth is a charter member of the
Washington, D.C. Women’s Art Museum.
Gene Light M&A ’49 is proud that, even though
he was an art student, his son is now head of the
music division at the Creative Artists Agency.
Ellin Friedman Grossman M&A ’51 retired in 1999
after a career in higher education at the University
of Houston (Clear Lake) to spend more time with
her three daughters and nine grandchildren. In
’08, she found a new interest in running and
has run ten 5K races often placing 1st in her age
class. Her husband, Robert, to whom she has
been married for 55 years is a neurosurgeon.
Wilhelmina Van Ness M&A ’51 is an artist
who has focused in recent years on depictions
of St. Joan of Arc’s life and displayed three
of her mural-sized works this year.
Ruth Weiss Hohberg M&A ’52 has published
two books about her life during the Holocaust
and since. The books are available from
amazon.com. For more information, Ruth
can be reached at shootart@san.rr.com.
Sheila Green M&A ’52 just published her 30th
book, “Watch Out World Rosy Cole is Going
Green”, which she wrote and illustrated.
Barbara Backlar Reis M&A ’52 is a music historian
who has lectured at Tanglewood, the Long Boat
Key Education Center as well as Housatonic
College. She has also just nished a musical.
Barbara Stein Mallow M&A ’53 is a
cellist, performer and professor of cello
at the Mannes School of Music.
Marlene Si M&A ’53 has a mixed media
installation in Congressman Jim Hime’s oce at
the Capitol entitled “Fallen Heroes/Afghanistan”