How Mother and Daughter Eva Ostrovsky-Kaminsky ’06 GD and Olga Kaminsky ’25 Created a Legacy in NEC’s Community Performances and Partnerships (CPP) Program
When Eva Ostrovsky-Kaminsky ’06 GD attended New England Conservatory in the mid-2000s, earning her Graduate Diploma in Collaborative Piano, she was highly active in what was, at that time, a brand-new program on campus: Community Performances and Partnerships (CPP). Founded by NEC’s Dean of Community Engagement and Professional Studies, Tanya Maggi, CPP provides opportunities for students to educate and perform in the community. It has become one of the premier programs in the nation for engaging conservatory students with their community through robust, meaningful partnership activities and high-quality training. During her time as a student in CPP, Eva frequently performed at senior centers around Boston.
Twenty years later, Eva is a successful music educator and performer. Her daughter, violinist Olga Kaminsky ’25, is following in her footsteps — not only is she an NEC student, but she is also heavily involved with CPP. For two years, Olga has participated in CPP’s Teaching Fellowship, teaching music to elementary school students through the Boston Music Project. “Olga has been helping out with many of their youngest students and has been thriving,” said Erik Elmgren, NEC’s Assistant Dean of Community Engagement and Teaching Artistry.
In honor of Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 11, Olga and Eva reflected on their unique mother-daughter CPP legacy.
Describe how you got involved with CPP at NEC.
Eva Ostrovsky-Kaminsky: I love performing for people, and I loved having the opportunity to create educational performances. CPP actually reached out to me as a collaborative piano student and invited me to perform. I became part of the program and never looked back! It was an amazing experience, and I loved it.
Olga Kaminsky: I knew there was a program that gave students opportunities to perform at outreach programs, and my mom always told me that these performances were one of the highlights of her time at NEC. During my sophomore year, I saw a poster advertising several fellowships at CPP, so I decided to sign up for an interview. They told me they saw me excelling in a classroom, which made me really excited because both my parents are music teachers, and I loved having the opportunity to teach!
What was a meaningful CPP initiative you were a part of?
Eva Ostrovsky-Kaminsky: We had many performances at senior centers, and every single one was a great experience. Bringing performances to those places was a life-changing experience for both the people living there and me. Many of the people in the senior center communities were not able to go out into the real world often, and being able to perform music for them was an escape for them, as they were able to listen and appreciate the music.
Olga Kaminsky: I have been a teacher for an elementary school string instrument class. It is a very rewarding experience to teach little kids and show them the world of string instruments. I love seeing them excited about learning new songs, activities, and more!
What have you gained from your experiences with CPP?
Eva Ostrovsky-Kaminsky: I gained a lot from my experiences with CPP. I was inspired by the education part of the performances, and I became more and more involved with communities, which ultimately brought me closer to the education aspect of music and helped me gain confidence in my pathway to become an educator and performer.
Olga Kaminsky: I have definitely become more confident in classroom and performance situations! In general, NEC has provided me with so many opportunities. Studying under the guidance of my amazing teacher, Nicholas Kitchen, has truly been an incredible experience. I am so lucky to be learning something from him every single lesson I have with him, and I feel so fulfilled knowing that because of CPP, I am able to pass on his knowledge and wisdom to the students in my classroom.
What have you shared about your experience in CPP with one another?
Eva Ostrovsky-Kaminsky: I shared my experience with CPP with Olga, which inspired her to also apply. Olga and I have always had a passion for performing for small communities, and we still even perform a few times a year in various senior centers in Massachusetts.
Olga Kaminsky: My mom always told me how much she learned from her involvement with CPP. I have always been very inspired by her initiative to host concerts at various senior centers, and I am so lucky to have these opportunities because of her.
What does being a multi-generational CPP family mean to you, with both mother and daughter making a difference in the community through your participation in the program?
Eva Ostrovsky-Kaminsky: It is an incredible joy and pride to see my daughter making an impact in the community. It is a great feeling knowing that I can see my legacy and that the art I am so passionate about will be continued by her.
Olga Kaminsky: Being the second generation in my family to be making an impact in the community means the world to me. I grew up always being in awe of my parents. I come from a family of musicians — my parents are both classical pianists, and they have always inspired me to give back to the community.
Click here to learn more about NEC’s Community Performances and Partnerships program.