Aurora Mendez

Born and raised in the Bronx, NYC, Aurora is a versatile violinist, educator, and advocate for innovation in classical music. Her orchestral engagements include performances with the New Jersey,

New Haven and Harrisburg symphonies (USA), the Latin Orchestra of Europe (Frankfurt, Germany), as well as serving as guest concertmaster with City Lyric Opera (NYC, NY).

During the summer months, Aurora has been a fellow at the Schleswig Holstein Music Festival (Germany), five time fellow at Spoleto Festival USA, Orchestra of the Americas, Marrowstone, Monteux, and NextFest Festivals. A passionate teacher, Aurora has taught extensively across the US and the Americas as an Orchestra of the Americas Global Leader Fellow, serving as violin faculty for residencies in El Salvador, Washington, DC, and Chicago, Illinois.

Currently, she serves as violin faculty with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra’s Youth Orchestra program and is a SOPAC Strings Teaching Artist serving students in the Orange, NJ school district. She holds a Performer's Certificate and BM in Violin Performance from the Cali School of Music at MSU under the tutelage of Prof. Mary Ann Mumm (Met Opera Orchestra).

The Montclair Knitting Circle is organized for those in the Montclair, NJ area who love to knit or crochet. 

Maybe you already know how and want to sharpen your skills -- or you are new to the crafts and want some support -- or you just want company while you work. The Circle has members who are old and young, beginners and experts. Some members are also spinners, needle pointers, embroiderers, etc. 

The Knitting Circle meets Tuesday mornings from 9:00 - 11:00am at the Wally Choice Community Center in Glenfield Park. On Thursdays you can join us at the Bellevue Avenue branch of the Montclair Public Library from 10:00am - 12:00pm.  

Come to the garden to stretch and practice with yoga instructor Julie Margolis.  This free one-hour session on October 27th at 11am is suitable for both the yoga-curious and yoga-practiced of all ages. Please bring a yoga mat (we will have some to borrow but a beach towel can work as well!)  

Julie has been teaching yoga classes in Montclair since 2004 and you can find her here in town at Yoga Mechanics. Julie believes that the practice of yoga always meets you where you are and she encourages her students to explore their own potential.

Julie is also a professional sommelier and wine educator teaching in New York and New Jersey. She particularly enjoys combining her love of yoga and wine with her signature Vineyard and Vinyasa events and trips to wine regions local and international.

To learn more about Julie, please go to her website here.

Violet is a rising jazz trumpeter and composer  studying at William Paterson University.

Playing her instrument since she was just eight, Violet  was a long-time student at Jazz House Kids, She has played at venues such as the Prudential Center, The Jazz Gallery, NJPAC, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Dizzy's Club, and The Montclair Jazz Festival. 

At William Paterson University, Violet now studies under the great trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, and is a member of the William Paterson Jazz Orchestra. She also performs with her own group, The Violet Mujica Trio, which has performed at the New Jersey Jazz Society, Tavern on George, and the Franklin Showroom in Tribeca. She is also affiliated with The Heart of Jazz Foundation.

Violet teaches privately to all ages, serves as a teaching assistant at Jazz House Kids and works each summer at a camp for children with type 1 diabetes.

Montclair Music Studio on Watchung Avenue right across the street from Watchung Park has been a beloved resource in the community for over 45 years. Their long-standing reputation no doubt has to do with their goal: of providing “the highest quality musical instruction in the warmest, most congenial atmosphere possible.”

Montclair Music Studio’s veteran guitar instructor David Candido has been playing guitar for over 40 years and teaching with the studio since 1985.  

Dave’s teaching combines traditional methods with practical, hands-on examples, believing that students learn best by playing songs in the styles they like, by the artists they like.  He studied at Berkeley School of Music and William Paterson University. 

Dave focuses on the more creative sides of music such as improvisation and songwriting.  In addition to the guitar, David plays the bass, ukulele, drums, and piano and, in his spare time, drives an ambulance several nights a week and enjoys playing baseball, basketball and tennis. 

A Native American Heritage Celebration in collaboration with Montclair Art Museum and Montclair Public library. The afternoon featured Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape performer and playwright Ryan Opalaniet Pierceand visual artist Renelle White Buffalo, Sičáŋǧu Lakota, an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Performances, hands on-art projects, story times and the mobile library, filled with Native American themed books, were all part of the afternoon’s offerings.