ARTISTIC ADVISORS
Don Byron
John Corigliano
Paquito D'Rivera
Meredith Monk
Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth)
Steve Reich
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Aaron Friedman is president and founder of Make Music New York. In 2002, he founded an environmental advocacy group called “Silent Majority” to combat noise pollution in New York. The group’s research prompted new legislation in the City Council to regulate car alarms, and its lobbying efforts led to the bill’s passage in 2004. He is also a composer, whose teachers include Gerald Levinson, Tristan Murail, and Steve Mackey.
Alison Cheeseman is a singer and web developer. She has performed with numerous opera companies and ensembles, including the New York State Early Music Association, the Amato Opera, Bronx Opera, One World Symphony, New York Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Cerddorion Vocal Ensemble, and Cantori New York. As a web developer, she has built and maintained websites for the Quantuck Lane Press, Other Press, and the fine-art print publisher Pace Prints, among others.
Ethan Kent is Vice President at the nonprofit Project for Public Spaces, where he has consulted on over 100 projects to evaluate and improve public spaces around the world. He is a co-founder of the NYC Streets Renaissance Campaign, an effort to challenge auto-centric transportation policy in New York City, and to facilitate, inform and inspire a public realization of streets as public space destinations.
Peter Kostmayer is President of Citizens Committee for NYC, a nonprofit organization that supports hundreds of small neighborhood groups in New York City. Between 1977 and 1992, he served for seven terms as a member of the US House of Representatives from Pennsylvania’s eighth congressional district.
Robert Singerman is the head of the French Music Export Office in New York, and also runs the European Music Office in the US, a program of the European Commission of the European Union in conjunction with music export offices from European countries. He has been a music manager and agent in New York for over 20 years.
Todd Spodek, General Counsel for Make Music NY, has worked as promotional manager for the Limelight Nightclub, as well as in the Business and Legal Affairs Departments of Sony Music and MTV Networks. Spodek Law Group specializes in serving the needs of small businesses and professionals in the music and entertainment industries.
Steven Swartz, Artistic Advisor for Make Music New York, was Publicity Manager for classical music publisher Boosey and Hawkes from 1990 until 2006. For 21 years he led the New York-based avant-folk combo “Songs from a Random House.” He is also a composer, earning a Ph.D. in Music Composition from SUNY Buffalo under the guidance of Morton Feldman.
Matthew Washington is Deputy Director of the nonprofit group Friends of the Hudson River Park.
Paul White is Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives, a nonprofit group based in New York City that advocates for bicycling, walking and public transit.