Jan Nigro, guitar teacher on the faculty of CSMA since 1982 is also a co-founder, songwriter for, and performer with Vitamin L, a youth choral group which performed extensively year-round at schools, education conferences, festivals, and camps doing 1195 concerts from 1989-2020. For more info see the website: www.vitaminL.org. He is also the founder and musical director of Mostly Motown, (1998 to present) a vocal ensemble doing songs from the 60s and 70’s. Since 1999, he has been an Artist in Residence (Songwriter) for the Empire State Arts Partnership Program in conjunction with the Hangar Theater and the Ithaca City School District. This dynamic program enables fourth graders to write and perform a musical play about something they are studying in history with the help of a professional director and a professional songwriter. From 1996 to 2003 he served as a composer for educational videos (National Geographic, Cornell University, and others). Jan and his wife, Janice Nigro have been co-recipients of the Tompkins County Human Rights DeWinter Youth Award for their efforts (through music) on behalf of equal rights (1992) and a Certificate of Recognition from the governor of New York “for being in the forefront of helping to promote the ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by promoting peace in our schools and communities.” (2007). He has played guitar in various bands over the years and on a number of recordings.