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Events & Classes Dorothy Kaplan Roffman

Dorothy Kaplan Roffman

Founding Director and Director Emerita
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Dorothy Kaplan Roffman

Founding Director and Director Emerita

Starting with just 25 students in 1984, Dorothy Kaplan Roffman is the founding director of the JCC Thurnauer School of Music, a school that today serves over 450 students mentored by an extraordinary faculty and staff.  Her vision and dedication have given generations of young musicians the chance to learn, grow, and develop their talents in a supportive and inspiring environment.

Dorothy studied Suzuki pedagogy with Shinichi Suzuki in the United States and Japan and developed Suzuki programs at the Harlem School of the Arts, the Lighthouse School of Music, and the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College Division where she was a faculty member for 32 years.  Her professional career included performing with the American Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski. While performing at the highest level, teaching was always her true calling, a passion she felt as early as five years of age.  She firmly believed that participating in a music school program offered a rich experience and provided students with a deeper musical foundation. Beyond skill development, it also fostered lifelong friendships and a strong sense of community.

From the start, the goal was to create a music school at the JCC where everyone would be welcome regardless of financial circumstances—and where learning about music in the best way possible would be respected and supported by all. Philanthropy has been vitally important to the success and the mission of the JCC Thurnauer School of Music. The Gift of Music Scholarship Benefit Concert was established by Drs. Joan and Alan Handler in 1991 to raise scholarship funds for children who wish to study music, but whose families lack the financial resources. This year marks the 37th celebration of our Gift of Music Scholarship Benefit Concert!

Dorothy’s influence continues to resonate throughout the Thurnauer School of Music, leaving a lasting legacy that touches families, educators, and the broader musical community. We are grateful for all that she has done for our community and for the lives she has enriched through her passion, talent, and vision.