Mark Rivera, a longtime saxophonist for Billy Joel and current musical director for Ringo Starr, visited the Long Island High School of the Arts as part of his ongoing mission to bring musical education to young artists.
“Their enthusiasm is something that we should never lose track of,” Rivera said.
Rivera, a Brooklyn native, visited with the teens on Wednesday, June 4, alongside Jon Cobert, with whom he collaborated on the last live rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine.” The day included workshops, conversations and collaborative performances with the high school’s students.
The Long Island High School of the Arts, located in Syosset, is a BOCES program that accepts and educates about 200 students from across Nassau and Suffolk in the performing arts.
Rivera said the reason for his visit was twofold. He was inspired by Joel’s dedication to the Long Island school and his own experience in a performing arts high school.
He said that Joel, with whom Rivera has been playing for over 40 years, has been a longtime supporter of the school. After attending a performing arts school in Manhattan during his middle and high school years, Rivera said he wanted to “pay it forward” by visiting students and sharing his experience.
During his visit, there was one theme that Rivera came back to again and again: gratitude. Rivera said he encouraged students to thank their parents and teachers, who are supporting their arts education. Rivera said, no matter what show he plays, he always feels grateful for his career in the arts.
“What more could I really want in my life?” he said.
When asked about how to achieve a successful career, Rivera said he told students that spirit and perseverance are what make great careers.
“You have to be prepared to hear a lot of the word ‘no,’” Rivera said. He said that while hearing ‘no’ isn’t an easy feat, it is a hurdle that every artist faces.
However, Rivera said the students weren’t the only ones to benefit from the workshop.
“When I speak to young people or people who are like-minded and have the same passion, it not only generates a flow from me to impart the passion that I know I have, but at the same time, the questions spark something in me that’s like: ‘yeah, that’s why I started doing this,’” Rivera said.
Rivera said that his visit with the high schoolers proved the collaborative aspects of music, whether singing “Hey Jude” together or discussing questions.
“Music is a very reactive and in-the-moment art,” he said.
But, more than that, music is a unifying force at its core, he said.
“At a Billy Joel concert, you’ll see people, 80 down to eight. People coming for generations, sharing the great music,” he said.
Rivera said he hopes to continue visiting local schools and sharing his knowledge on the music industry with young musicians.
“They’re very enthusiastic, and I intend to go back and do it again,” Rivera said.
