Broadway Sitzprobe Experience
Arts Ignite is a non-profit arts programming organization enabling young people to discover the joy and power of making art—to find their voices, tell their stories, and transform their lives.
On February 9th, 2026, in partnership with Arts Ignite and the New York City Department of Education, we were thrilled to present a Broadway Sitzprobe Experience featuring the theater lieder of Gerald Ginsburg. Five extraordinary high school students experienced singing with a live orchestra for the first time surrounded and supported by Broadway stars, professional musicians, and their proud families and mentors.
This unforgettable evening demonstrated the power of music education and the incredible talent and heart behind Arts Ignite. The student nominees, selected from three boroughs and District 75, representing P811Q – The Marathon School, Theatre Arts Production Company School (TAPCO), and Renaissance High School for Musical Theater & the Arts (Bronx), had the opportunity to be mentored by legendary music director Mary-Mitchell Campbell, receive vocal coaching, pose for complimentary head shots, and, of course, sing with a live orchestra.
"Partnering with Arts Ignite was a meaningful and rewarding experience. Their ability to steward resources with intention while creating deeply transformative experiences for students, volunteers, and sponsors sets them apart. We look forward to continuing this partnership for years to come." – Our Creative Director, Paul Lincoln
The Arts Ignite Broadway Sitzprobe experience was meaningful for how it resonated with Ginsburg’s own beginnings as a composer. Ginsburg had begun his career as a pianist; it was his experience as a music teacher for grades one through six in New York City that first inspired him to start composing seriously. His early work was his own young students, and he was recognized for his novel pedagogical approach in newspaper articles and Music Education journals in the late-1960s. He recalled later:
"I am one of those people who has never destroyed the child in himself. It was fitting that my adult songwriting should begin with children in 1968 when teaching general music at an NYC private school. The students enjoyed songs of all periods of music. But no contemporary classical music was suitable for them. So, I decided to try my hand at writing some myself. But what poems should I choose for people their age? The students solved the problem when they arrived at music class gaily chirping some of the poems of e.e. cummings they were studying in music class. My very first cummings poem I set was ‘Spring is like a perhaps hand."
At the Arts Ignite Sitzprobe experience, the students were joined onstage by Broadway veterans Tamar Greene (Hamilton), Andrea Jones-Sojola (Porgy & Bess), Becca Petersen (Back to the Future), and John Riddle (The Phantom of the Opera). Gonzalo Valencia served as Music Director and orchestrator, with Mary-Mitchell Campbell as Music Supervisor. Broadway’s Marty Thomas served as emcee. Ginsburg’s legacy was reflected in a selection of songs on the program, including “At Tea,” “Wonder,” “Little Boy Blue,” and “A Single Song.” The orchestra and all the singers performed a stunning collective finale of Ginsburg’s setting of Langston Hughes’s “I Dream a World.”
In addition to their Ginsburg selections, students also performed the Broadway songs on which they had auditioned (selections from Dear Evan Hansen, The Wiz, Hamilton, She Loves Me, and Wicked), showcasing the growth that had taken place during coaching and rehearsals provided as part of this experience. Feedback from the student artists reflected the value of this project.
“I learned to not be as shy as I usually am. I learned to just be yourself when you come to something new, because you never know what could happen! “ – Elijah
“Magic. It’s so beautiful to see how our favorite shows come to life backstage.“ – Caitlin
I’ve learned patience, and to hold myself with more grace. Especially when it comes to singing or acting in general. Everyone has been so patient, so I’ve learned to be kinder to myself.“ – Francesca
This program was made possible through the dedication of many collaborators. We extend our gratitude to Arts Ignite—their leadership, staff, and volunteers, as well as to the many others that made this night unforgettable.
