Coming Home: SOMA School District Has New Director of Fine Arts

Anthony Mazzocchi is living proof that you can go home again. When he graduated from Columbia High School in 1991, his goal was to be a professional trombonist. "Teaching did not interest me in the least," Mazzocchi said.

The events that transformed Mazzocchi into an educator make a fascinating story and have ended up with him assuming the position of Director of Fine Arts K-12 for the South Orange/Maplewood School District (SOMSD). He assumed the post on Monday, August 16.

As Director of Fine Arts K-12, Mazzocchi will be responsible for all SOMSD Music and Arts Instruction. Mazzocchi is a Maplewood resident and the father of a 5- and 1-year-old. He is a graduate of Tuscan Elementary School, Maplewood Middle School and Columbia High School. Mazzocchi reminisced that, when he attended Columbia, "it was a fertile ground [for the arts]. The school was rocking. I want to make sure we continue that culture."

Upon graduation from Columbia High School, Mazzocchi pursued his trombonist dreams, earning a Bachelors of Music (1995) and a Masters of Music (1997) in Trombone Performance from the Manhattan School of Music. He began working and booking jobs and, in his words, "was fairly successful in doing so."

In the late 1990s, Mazzocchi's work moved him to the West coast where he performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the San Diego Symphony. His new locale was also useful in helping him score work on motion picture soundtracks and albums.

By all accounts things seemed to be working out very well, especially in a profession where it is not easy to earn a steady income.

"I was making a living playing an instrument," stated Mazzocchi. However, he felt the West coast wasn't for him. "I really wanted to move back to New York. But I didn't want to starve or freelance."

In 2001, Mazzocchi put out some feelers to friends in New York and received a call from a friend who was at a social affair with the principal of Marine Park Junior High School in Brooklyn. Coincidentally, the principal was looking to start an instrumental music program at his school. At first, Mazzocchi declined the opportunity. However, the more he thought about it, the more postives he saw. "It would get me back to New York. I could collect a steady paycheck and teach some kids," recounted Mazzocchi.

The only problem was that he had never taught music or kids. "All my training as a musician was useless," he said. "I didn't know how to put a flute together and we had a couple of instruments and some ratty chairs." When the principal escorted 70 students into Mazzocchi's classroom with the words "Here is your 6th grade band," Mazzocchi knew he had a challenge on his hands. Most of the children had never played an instrument nor could they read music.

Mazzocchi's first year was exhausting—so much so that he didn't have the energy to work professionally as a trombonist. He decided to return for a second year because—"I wanted to see how well I could do the job." He did some research on the best middle school bands and identified a program in Skokie, Illinois. Mazzocchi traveled to Skokie to meet with the band director and asked the question, "How do you do this?" The answer? "Understand that kids are capable of doing everything that you can do."

After his pilgrimage to Skokie, Mazzocchi said, "The bar was raised in my mind. I learned how to teach and from there on in I started loving it."

Mazzocchi continued to work professionally, booking work including stints on Broadway. Around 2003, an older and more experienced Mazzocchi came to a realization that the 18-year-old Columbia High School graduate Mazzocchi never would have imagined. "I wasn't enjoying it (playing professionally) as much as I used to. I realized my passion was in teaching the kids."  

Mazzocchi still continued with some professional assignments, recounting a memorable two week assignment he had with the Los Angles Philharmonic. He performed with the orchestra while holding down his position as Director of Bands. "For two straight weeks, I took the red eye to perform at Disney Hall (in Los Angeles), recounted Mazzocchi. "This experience enhanced my teaching." He is doubtful, though, that he would ever do something like that again."

Mazzocchi took his passion for teaching to a different audience in 2006 and 2008, assuming Adjunct Professor of Trombone positions at Montclair State University and Kean University respectively. When he was offered the Montclair State position, he was told he was given the job because he learned how to teach in Middle School. Mazzocchi will still continue to teach at the two colleges with the belief that "teaching keeps me in touch with the craft."

His job at Marine Park Junior High School was a dream job for him. The program grew and Mazzocchi, who created it as the sole band director, eventually added three more band directors. He then assumed the role as supervisor of the entire program. The only way that Mazzocchi would ever leave Marine Park would be to return to the SOMSD and that opportunity was right around the corner.

Mazzocchi was having lunch about a year ago with then Director of Fine Arts K-12 Nick Santoro. Mazzocchi knew Santoro since he had performed as a soloist in a band that Santoro had conducted in South Jersey. Santoro mentioned that he would be retiring after one more year. Mazzocchi's interest was piqued and he asked Santoro what he would need to be eligible for the position. Mazzocchi discovered that he would need a Supervisor Certificate from the state of New Jersey. This would require that Mazzocchi take some additional college courses.

With less than a year's time to complete the course work, Mazzocchi enrolled in the classes while still holding his teaching positions. "It was extremely difficult, time consuming and hard on my family," said Mazzocchi. After a series of interviews with SOMSD Fine Arts faculty and then SOMSD Administrators, Mazzocchi was finally offered the position. 

In anticipation of applying for the job Mazzocchi reengaged himself with the school district last year, attending concerts and art shows. His bond with the district was never totally broken, however, as he has appeared as a guest artist in one of Columbia's instrumental music classes as well as at a Music Marathon. Although his background is in music, Mazzocchi is bullish on the district art program as well. "We are trying to do the same thing, teach kids to be creative." Noting that his mother was an artist, he still believes he has a lot to learn about the art program and he looks forward to doing it. "I enjoy the learning curve," said Mazzocchi.

As Director of Fine Arts K-12 in the SOMSD, Mazzocchi is fully aware that his role will not be teaching students. He will be working to develop his team so that they can provide students with the best arts education possible. As far as his performance future, Mazzocchi advised that he is required to give a recital each year at his colleges. "I'm playing as much as I want to," said Mazzocchi.

Mazzocchi's Marine Park Jazz Ensemble has won National Awards for its performances including first place in the 2010 National Jazz Ensemble Competition. Mazzocchi is also aware of the awards and honors that the SOMSD Programs have attained. Some of them include recognition in 2009 as a NJ Model School in the Arts and a GRAMMY® Signature School Gibson Grant in 2008. Mazzocchi is committed to continuing and building on that tradition. He noted that at Marine Park Junior High, he had classes of 70 students, most without the benefit of private lessons. Acknowledging the strong culture and commitment to the Arts in South Orange Maplewood, Mazzocchi said, "If it could happen there it can happen here."

Mazzocchi even has his own website which provides viewers with a comprehensive view of his work, experience and accomplishments. Mazzocchi intends to build a website for the district's Fine Arts program, something he did at Marine Park. He also emphasized that one of his biggest goals is the utilization of technology to assist teachers. He offered that he could see art teachers using technology that would allow them to share art files with students and music teachers share audio files with their students.

Welcome home!