RONNIE SEGEV'S BIO
TOC
In 2000, during my final months at Juilliard, I enlisted the financial and creative
help of real estate developer David
Picket of the Gotham Organization, and
founded the classical music ensemble TOC. I created the TOC as more than just
a musical group. While I’d always had an appreciation for classical
music, it was undeniable that among my generation I was the exception and not
the rule. Not willing to let classical music become a dying art, I realized
that I could help introduce a new audience to the classical genre. Using our
youth to our advantage, the TOC began adding new twists to our music to make
the music more exciting. We even started performing at hip genres, like Studio
54 (which is the last place you'd find a Steinway Model M)
and Crunch Fitness!
Today TOC is made up of some of the best young classical concert artists in the
world. The group, which consists entirely of Juilliard alumni, has performed
with numerous renowned guest artists, like Bobby McFerrin, Ben Jelen and Christina
Courtin. TOC is governed by a 21 member Board of Directors, (which includes myself
and co-founder David Picket), and a 9 member advisory board, comprised of world
famous performers like Billy Joel, Wynton Marsalis and Sandra Bernhard, to name
a few.
Giving Back
In addition to performing together, the TOC are dedicated to giving back to our
community by providing musical education to today's youth through our pride and
joy, the Directions Program. The Directions Program works to provide free musical
instruction to schools which (due to budget restrictions) may not otherwise offer
any music education at all. Numerous studies have shown that high quality music
education can actually improve children’s test scores and grades, and
has even been shown to reduce a students risk of drinking and taking drugs.
The Directions Program
While the ETM program generously offers music classes to all students
in participating schools, The Directions program works by pairing carefully screened
Juilliard alumni with promising and exceptionally talented inner city children
to provide individual instruction. Children who qualify for the Directions Program
are not only provided with free instruction, but free instruments and mentorship,
as well. Students in the Directions Program are encouraged professionally, as
well: many have been invited to perform in concerts for their schools, and some
have even performed live with the TOC outside of school!
For More Information
To see TOC live, please visit our website at www.tocmusic.com
and check out our upcoming performance schedule. You can also have a listen to
a few of my performances on the music page, and don't forget to take a look at
some of my recent photos and TOC event photos on the pictures page.
For more information about the TOC Directions Program, please visit our Directions
Program site www.directionsmusic.org.
You can also get more information on Ronnie Segev's MySpace page.