Music Conservatory of Westchester • Faculty

Phyllis Bethel was born in Harlem, New York, and found her way into the world of music through drumming and percussion. After earning her BA from Wesleyan University, she went on to study with various noted African and Latin percussionists before settling at the world-renowned Harbor School of the Performing Arts in East Harlem, New York. During her tenure there, she studied at the National School of Modern Dance and Folklore in Havana. She performed with several Afro-Cuban, Afro-Caribbean, and African folkloric groups, including Women of the Calabash, Retumba Con Pie, Obini Aché, and Riské. She founded the internationally known women’s percussion and vocal ensemble ASÉ and has recorded with Paul Simon (producer) on Edie Brickell’s “Picture Perfect Morning.” She is versed in pop, rock, gospel, and percussive styles and finds accompanying vocalists and instrumentalists some of the most rewarding creative endeavors.

Phyllis is a certified music therapist and professional member of the American Music Therapy Association. In addition to being a music therapist, Phyllis is a percussionist, performer, composer, and teacher. She joined the Music Conservatory’s music therapy faculty in 2000.

Phyllis has been teaching music to children in the New York City public schools as a teaching artist with ArtsConnection since 1992 and was the 2005 recipient of the Janklow Award for excellence in teaching. Her career as a music therapist began when she started teaching neurologically impaired individuals to drum. In 1997 she received a Masters in Music Therapy from New York University. Phyllis spent the next several years working with children and adults in hospital settings, including inpatient and outpatient psychiatry, acute medical care, and physical rehabilitation. She also worked with individuals living with AIDS and their families at the NYU Medical Center and Jacobi Medical Center. The current focus of Phyllis’ practice is music education and music therapy in school settings with both typical and special needs learners. “I believe that music and music-making should be accessible to any and everyone regardless of ability and background.”

Photo/Cathy Pinsky

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Conservatory faculty are all highly skilled and experienced teachers. Teachers are assigned to maximize the learning experience of each student taking into account the students musical interests and goals, age and scheduling needs.

"I am very happy and proud of Jun Luke Foster’s and Benjamin Boventer’s achievements. I taught Jun Luke for 12 years and his acceptance to Juilliard School of Music is a great sign of his musical maturity and accomplishment. He was also accepted to Harvard and Yale. Benjamin was with me for five years. He won a prestigious $40,000 scholarship from Skidmore College for music studies. He was the only pianist in that competition who received this award. He was also accepted at Tufts University. It is very satisfying to know that our students continue to achieve such success." —Svetlana Gorokovich, MCW Faculty

Conservatory faculty are all highly skilled and experienced teachers. Teachers are assigned to maximize the learning experience of each student taking into account the students musical interests and goals, age and scheduling needs.

"I am very happy and proud of Jun Luke Foster’s and Benjamin Boventer’s achievements. I taught
Jun Luke for 12 years and his acceptance to Juilliard School of Music is a great sign of his musical maturity and accomplishment. He was also accepted to Harvard and Yale. Benjamin was with me for five years. He won a prestigious $40,000 scholarship from Skidmore College for music studies. He was the only pianist in that competition who received this award. He was also accepted at Tufts University. It is very satisfying to know that our students continue to achieve such success."
—Svetlana Gorokovich, MCW Faculty

Phyllis Bethel, MA, MT-BC | Music Therapy

Music Conservatory of Westchester • 216 Central Avenue, White Plains, NY 10606
914.761.3900 • info@musiced.org

The Music Conservatory of Westchester is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

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