Meet JJMS' all-school a Capella group, Not2#

Not2# is one of John Jay Middle School’s performance clubs. Students audition in September. The current group of fourteen--ten girls and four boys--rehearses once a week from 2:10 – 3:00 p.m.  

“These children really want to sing and are so serious about getting their parts right that we can do four and six-part harmony—which is amazing at this level,” said Mrs. Gambulos-Cody, a music teacher at JJMS and conductor of the choral groups.

"Not2# is a place to be with people like you who have similar interests," said one member. "You can just be yourself and sing as much as you want, as loud as you want, as happy as you want. It's a safe space for everyone to be who they are." 

John Jay Middle School choirs took their 29th annual field trips to share holiday cheer this past winter. The 7th grade choir sang for residents of Somers Manor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on December 22, and the 8th grade choir performed at Waterview Hills and Salem Hills Rehabilitation & Healthcare on December 23. The students sang concert material, led a sing-along with residents, and gave out non-denominational ornaments.

Mrs. Gambulos-Cody is a trained opera singer who sang leading soprano roles with the Greater Miami Opera Company, the Opera Company of Boston under Sarah Caldwell, and The Cleveland Opera, and was a featured guest performer at Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's state dinner at the White House.

 She came to John Jay High School in 1986 to give a series of master classes and found her true calling as a teacher. “Receiving a standing ovation is nothing compared to the thrill of seeing children succeed,” she said.