Welcome Letter from Bloomingdale’s Executive Director, Erika Atkins

Click image to watch Erika’s Welcome Video

Dear Bloomingdale Families,

Welcome back to the Fall 2023 semester. As we begin the school year, this is an exciting time of change and growth for our beloved Bloomingdale School of Music.

We are reopening our newly renovated classrooms, and I am so excited to think about all the doors we will open for our students this semester. Whether you are entering our spaces for the first time and learning how to play an instrument or you’re a returning student continuing to evolve your artistry – each discovery will unlock something new for you. As you return to Bloomingdale this fall, I encourage all of you to check out one of our many ensemble or group class options. While music is a great way to push yourself as an individual, it’s also incredibly fun and fulfilling to explore and experience it with a group.

The relationships we build through gathering and connecting are a key pillar of this school’s uniqueness, and I hope to see you all at our events this semester. The November 3rd faculty concert will kick off our 59th birthday and begin the road to celebrating 60 years of Bloomingdale. We will also honor long-time faculty member Eric Phinney, who passed away this past July, later this fall.

Thank you for choosing us as your Upper West Side community music school. I can’t wait to see what new doors are opened for each of you this year.

Best,
Erika M. Atkins