Music at SLA: Some Exciting Updates
Dear SLA Families,
Music has always been central to community life at the School of Los Angeles. From students tinkering on the old piano in the East Building, to the Chapel band and the songs we sing together, to cherished annual traditions such as CoacheSLA, music is the stuff of life at our school—a creative art, a communal ceremony, and a practice which demands technical precision and dedicated work.
This year, we have put together an exciting and innovative group of instructors and artists to craft both our curriculum and the ways we collectively share in music. Without further ado, we have some exciting introductions to make.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kenneth Rodgers, Jr.
President & Head of School
Artist in Residence
Gabriel “Gabo” Lugo
We are thrilled to announce the musician, beatmaker, and recording artist Gabriel “Gabo” Lugo as the School of Los Angeles’ first ever Artist in Residence for the 2023-2024 academic year! Gabo has produced and written with some of the most exciting recording artists today. He was recently a featured producer and writer on Young Miko’s 2022 EP, Trap Kitty, which Rolling Stone called, “an upending of the sound of Latin trap.”
Gabo has produced and made beats for the likes of Bad Bunny, Arcangel, Tego Calderon, Ivy Queen, and Randy, among many others. His production work has been nominated for multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy awards. As a studio and live percussionist, he has played with Christian McBride, Gerald Clayton, Los Pleneros De La 21, and more. Most of all, he is a passionate innovator who utilizes cutting-edge technology to expand the possibilities of music composition, delivery, and consumption.
Gabo attended Berklee School of Music and is an avid teacher and learner. He was instructor for Carnegie Hall’s Future Music Project for teens, and has spent years teaching and mentoring youth.
Gabo will be working directly with Upper School students, and teaching courses in both music production and beat-making.
“I’m so excited to work with students to bring cutting edge technology to the process of making music. Digital technology unlocks new possibilities for composition, performance, and ways of delivering music to reach a unique audience. My passion is to make music more accessible to people—it’s great everybody gets to do music, even those who are not multi-instrumentalists. This year, I hope to share my tricks for mixing, producing, and composing, but more importantly I want to teach the concepts upon which students can build their own music, devise their own tricks, and invent new ways of using emerging technologies in their practice.”
Brahm Genzlinger
We are excited to introduce Brahm Genzlinger as our new full-time music instructor. Brahm received his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Composition and Arrangement from Temple University. The child of a piano instructor, he has been playing instruments and composing his own music since he was five years old.
Brahm has fifteen years of experience as a performer, studio musician, songwriter, film composer, and educator. He has composed music for award-winning documentaries, played live as a multi-instrumentalist, and produced for some of the most exciting contemporary musicians working today.
Brahm will continue SLA’s tradition of hands-on, experiential music education—organizing students to play together in small bands, allowing them to learn what it takes to arrange and perform a song with collaborators, and the practice and process of performing live in community. This approach has always aligned with the School’s mission to bring together students from different backgrounds—and to empower students to be bold and creative in their artistic practice.
Welcome, Brahm!
Claire Holley
We are also happy to announce Claire Holley, an SLA alumni parent and a long-term member of our community, who is joining us this year as Lead Chapel Musician!
Claire grew up in the deep South listening to her Dad’s records and soaking up her grandmother’s jazz piano. She began writing songs in college, but it was while living in North Carolina that she started getting regular airplay on WUNC's Back Porch Music and embraced a life in music. Her music and songwriting have been featured on NPR's Weekend Edition as well as in films, theater, and television shows. She lives in Los Angeles and enjoys a variety of collaborations, including playing with her son as much as she can before he heads off to college.
Jordan Padilla
Finally, we are excited to announce Jordan Padilla as our part-time music teacher. Jordan graduated from the prestigious Berklee School of Music and has been performing professionally for over fifteen years, playing live at some of the largest music festivals in the world, including Lollapalooza, VMF Peru, and more. He has worked with some amazing musicians over his career, including Danny Ocean, Marzz, and Michael Cimino. Jordan is excited to bring his years of professional experience back into the classroom!