Getting started
In 1997 Ms Tranchina, was attempting to make a transition in her life. Having come from Germany some years prior with a teaching degree from J.W. Goethe University in Frankfurt/M., she decided that she would like to pass on her knowledge to the next generation and teach children music.
In a telephone conversation with her friend Arleen Kestenbaum, she learned about a “mommy and me” program called Music Together®. Arleen had taken her oldest daughter to such a class and she thought it would be perfect for Gabriele. Within a month Ms Tranchina attended the initial 3-day training course and was
eager to teach. It turned out that the existing Music Together centers didn’t need any additional teachers.
Talking to another friend, Silvia Meo, Gabriele found there was a way to teach, by opening up her own center. Sylvia had, at that time, 2 children that were of the MT age and helped putting together the first class, consisting of 7 parents.
Many helping hands made it possible to establish 12 classes within 2 years.
For fun-filled classes on the weekends an additional location was added at 100 La Salle Street in 1999.
The Business Side of Running a Business
In 2000 Ms Tranchina finally bought a computer and paper class lists became past tense. It was always easy for Ms Tranchina to teach and manage the office work. But running a business successfully required to get sassy and learn about marketing.
In that same year, two new teachers were added: Antje Zumbansen, who taught on two days, and Jim Mc Nickle, who came to assist and learn. Over the past 20 years Ms Tranchina has trained many new teachers. Jim taught for 17 years and retired in the fall of 2017. Sabrina stayed for 10 years as well. Today Gabriele has Mia Neibert, Pamela Jones and Bill Pace on staff.
9/11 and the years that followed
2001 was an enormously strenuous time for Gabriele, personally as well as professionally. In March of that year, her husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer. In June, she went through the rigors of forming a corporation with the name Sol La Ti Music, Inc.
On 9/11 the apartment in Battery Park City that the Tranchina’s called their home for 8 years was destroyed. Just when free trial classes were supposed to be starting, Ms Tranchina had no access to her home. Her phone lines were disconnected for 6 weeks.
Her computer were files inaccessible, the key to the storage closet for her instruments at BPC were left at home and the song material for the upcoming semester was completely destroyed by debris from the World Trade Center collapse.
In addition to having no place to live, she had no way of starting her semester or getting in touch with families. When the authorities finally allowed ten minutes of access to her apartment, she somehow managed to pull it all together within a week’s time. A new cell phone made it possible to finally get in touch with the families that had already signed up. Everybody helped and classes started magically on time.
The way the families helped during that time was beyond any expectations and it made her grow even closer to her community in Morningside Heights. Many friendships deepened even more.
The Tranchina’s lived for 3 months with the generous and loving jazz vocalist, Sheila Jordan. During that time, the big decision to move out of the city was made. While the winter semester was approaching, Gabriele had no way of getting into the city on the weekends, and hence Jim Mc Nickle took over the Saturday morning classes.
Enrollment didn’t plunge immediately but in the years that followed 9/11, many families lost their jobs, others moved away from the city, and still others cut their budget for classes in order to get by. Many scholarships were given out to families that wanted to continue and somehow everybody made it through those hard times.
Harlem going strong
In 2003, several families of the Harlem community were very active in making changes in their community and with the help of Ms Judith Insell, a third location was added, the Harlem School of the Arts. As the area around the HSA was still in a transitional state, it was very difficult to establish Music Together classes there, even with the enthusiasm of so many families. However, classes grew slowly but surely and still do to date.
Many families who resided in Central Harlem would take the long trip to BPC in order for their children to take Music Together classes. Ms Tranchina searched for a long time to find an adequate space in this vicinity and had a bumpy start due to the recession and not having the ideal space. Finally she was able to settle in 2015 at The Church of the Master and GiGi’s Playhouse.
The Pandemic
The pandemic was so far the hardest challenge Sol La Ti had to go through. Pivoting classes to zoom format went very successfully thanks to the great support of Music Together’s headquarters. Additionally classes were offered in various parks. Each semester brings new challenges and new variants and only the future will tell if we can weather this storm. What keeps us going is the love of all the families.
The Future
The team of Sol La Ti Music, Inc. hopes to continue with their good work. They desire to grow with new ideas, programs and research offered by the headquarters, and to continue to give the gift of music with much love to many children and adults to come.
Read this beautiful interview with Gabriele Tranchina on Winnie, an educational website for young families
20 anniversary interview with Gabriele Tranchina on Winnie
