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Outstanding Independent High School Teacher-Rémy Loumbrozo

Making Music Together
Rémy Loumbrozo is architect of a multifaceted arts program

Rémy Loumbrozo wasn’t thinking about a career in teaching when, as a student at Julliard, he answered an advertisement for a music instructor.

Now a veteran music teacher at Lycée Français de New York, he believes fate brought him to this point.

“I never saw that 27 years later I would still be around, but here it is,” said Loumbrozo, who also plays the piano professionally with his wife. “I’m very happy because the administration has been extremely supportive of the arts.”

Loumbrozo, who teaches a one-hour weekly music appreciation class to approximately 300 students from grades 6 through 12, is responsible for dramatically improving the school’s music program. He’s created several after-school musical ensembles, an orchestra and instituted a musical theater workshop.

“The music program has been growing tremendously and it has been rewarding to see the students asking for more,” said Loumbrozo, who is originally from Paris. “People just want to make music together. They do not only want to listen to music by other people, but to share music with others.”

Valentin Stip, a 10th grader at the Lycée Français de New York, said that his teacher’s enthusiasm explains why students are inspired to learn more about music. “He’s just so passionate and he makes you love the music even more,” said Stip. “He gives over his passion when he teaches you.”

But Loumbrozo said inspiring students about music is not always easy, especially when teaching about classical music. To help, he uses pictures and tells stories about composers to give a complete picture of the music and its source.

“When students think that everything 18th and 19th century is boring and there’s no meaning underneath, they refuse to listen and that’s a challenge,” said Loumbrozo. “Obviously you don’t teach today the way you did 20 years ago. There’s not one composer who you are going to talk about and not show anything. I like to tell stories and start with anecdotal details and then go with the larger picture.”

Despite all the programming Loumbrozo has added during his tenure at the school, he still believes students are not receiving enough musical education. Music, he said, instills positive qualities that spill over into other areas of his pupil’s lives.

“Music is part of who you are,” he said. “It teaches you how to listen, which is one of the best qualities in a human being.”

— Shayndi Raicey