EDUCATOR

TOYIN SPELLMAN-DIAZ

Ms. Spellman-Diaz believes that instilling a sense of purpose, excellence, and inspiration in the next generation of musicians is fundamental to a successful musical career. To further this philosophy she has taught private oboe lessons and chamber music coachings at Brookyln College School of Music, Curtis Institute of Music, and NYU's Steinhardt School of Music, and is currently teaching at Montclair State University's Cali School of Music and Mannes School of Music.

She has taught at many summer institutes, including the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival. She has been on faculty at New England Music Camp, Sarasota Music Festival, and Colorado College.

Toyin has taught hundreds of chamber music and oboe masterclasses as an individual and as a part of Imani Winds, including at University of Michigan, Manhattan School of Music, Eastman School of Music, and Rice University.

In all of her educational activities she emphasizes the student's self-expression as the key to impactful music-making.

Saad Haddad: Harlem School of the Arts Lecture

Toyin Spellman-Diaz, one of the founding members of the Imani Winds, and I discuss my career as a composer and our new collaboration for the Imani Winds. The Imani Winds is one of the premier wind quintets in the world, and has been in existence for 26 years and counting.

My new work, “Ta’amolan” means two meditations in Arabic and is my response to the music of both my heritage and the music of the horn music of the Banda Linda peoples of Central Africa.

Our audience consists of the music students from the Harlem School of the Arts in New York City, who all asked many very enlightening questions throughout the evening!