Small Wonders

1h 17m 1995

Brief Synopsis

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The inspiring story of Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras and her passion for teaching. A single mother, she moved to East Harlem and began teaching violin to support her family. When the Board of Education eliminated her position due to budget cuts, Roberta refused to stop. Instead she started her own non-p

Cast & Crew

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Allan Miller

Director

Diane Wan

Robyn Creswell

Omar Grant

Karen Briggs

Christian Rios

Film Details

Also Known As
Fiddlefest: Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras and Her East Harlem Violin Program
MPAA Rating
Genre
Documentary
Release Date
1995
Distribution Company
MIRAMAX

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 17m

Synopsis

The inspiring story of Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras and her passion for teaching. A single mother, she moved to East Harlem and began teaching violin to support her family. When the Board of Education eliminated her position due to budget cuts, Roberta refused to stop. Instead she started her own non-profit organization in 1990 to fund a violin program for three East Harlem public schools. The popularity of her program is so astounding that a lottery was established to fairly select 150 students each year for instruction. Roberta's unique teaching technique and immeasurable energy capture the respect and love of her students as well as recognition from such famed violinists as Isaac Stern and Itzhak Perlman. Through rigorous instruction she focuses their attention and instills in them discipline and commitment. But what the kids learn extends far beyond the realm of music and inspires them to achieve in the bigger arenas of their lives.

Director

Allan Miller

Director

Cast

Diane Wan

Robyn Creswell

Omar Grant

Karen Briggs

Christian Rios

Cristina Gomez

Ida Kavafian

Charlene Bishop

Michael Brian Cruz

Nicholas Tzavaras

Billy Taylor

Emma Sacks

Krystal Perez

Sarah Walter

Evin Steed

Sara Carrero

Matthew Stanger-oritz

Aurora Nonas-barnes

Omari Toommer

Erika Castaneda

Andres Tavarez-terrero

Joshua Stephens

Ani Kavafian

Isaac Stern

Fabian Marcano

Aaliyan Sharif

Jason Stanger-oritz

Anaar Stephens

John Blake

Itzhak Perlman

Stefanie-erin Horton

Jairus Steed

Nora Friedman

Aida Morales

Molly Gia Foresta

Michael Tree

Kendra Mack

Emilia Maynard

Midori

Allison Joy During

Anika Tam

Wendy Castaneda

Susanna Gabriela Traverzo

Mark O'connor

Jacob Blitz

Jeffery Horton

Marisa Guttman Bushman

Arnold Steinhardt

Diane Monroe

Roberta Guaspari-tzavaras

Herself

Shantha Susman

Melina Crumbley

Crew

Sharon Alessi

Production Assistant

Felix Andrew

Sound

Judith Arron

Special Thanks To

Danixa Berte-toomer

Special Thanks To

Eladia Riggs Bing

Special Thanks To

Daniel Blackman

Production Assistant

Brett Botula

Production Manager

Alvin Bowens

On-Line Editor

Daniel Carey

Production Assistant

Sara Carrero

Special Thanks To

Gautam K Choudhury

Sound

Guatam K Choudhury

Sound

Jeff Christenson

Photography

Ofer Cohen

Photography

Ife Collymore

Special Thanks To

Elizabeth Costello

Production Assistant

Patricia Crevitz

Sound

Barry Crumbley

Special Thanks To

Melia Crumbley

Special Thanks To

Annette R Danto

Sound

Mark Dichter

Sound

John Dodgin

Other

Philip Dolin

Production Manager

Molly Gia Forresta

Special Thanks To

Lesleigh Forsyth

Special Thanks To

Samuel Friedman

Production Assistant

Omar Grant

Special Thanks To

Tom Guarello

Video

Sophia Estefania Guaspari

Special Thanks To

Ken Hahn

Sound Mixer

Kyle Haver

Special Thanks To

Ted Heys

Gaffer

Yuval Hod

Sound

Bruce Hogde

Other

Charles Horton

Special Thanks To

Jean E Horton

Special Thanks To

Jeffery Horton

Special Thanks To

Jenny Kane

Gaffer

Susan Kaplan

Producer

Richard Kaufman

Special Thanks To

Nathan Kingsley

Special Thanks To

Rachel Kleinberg

Other

Donald Klocek

Editor

Nina Kontos

Production Assistant

Tarikh Korula

Production Assistant

William Kozy

Sound

Tom Lazarus

Sound

Marc Leidy

Gaffer

Marc Leidy

Photography

David W Leitner

Photography

Don Lenzer

Photography

Paul Leo

Production Assistant

Daniel Liss

Production Assistant

Fabian Marcano

Special Thanks To

Edward Marritz

Photography

Sid Massey

Special Thanks To

Lucy Matos

Special Thanks To

Daniel Mcintosh

Sound

Michael Mclaughlin

Photography

Deborah Meier

Special Thanks To

Allan Miller

Editor

Ed Miller

Special Thanks To

Kramer Morgenthau

Director Of Photography

John Pastorius

Production Assistant

Itzhak Perlman

Special Thanks To

Claudia Raschke

Photography

Jose Miguel Rojas

Special Thanks To

Craig Rosen

Production Assistant

Leos Rousek

Production Assistant

Jay Schader

Special Thanks To

Walter Scheuer

Executive Producer

Walter Scheuer

Producer

Katya Shaye

Production Assistant

Isaiah Sheffer

Other

Isaiah Sheffer

Special Thanks To

Barry Solowey

Special Thanks To

Arnold Steinhardt

Special Thanks To

Isaac Stern

Special Thanks To

Nan Strauss

Assistant Editor

Mark Summers

Production Assistant

Alexi Tzavaras

Special Thanks To

Anand Vadehra

Production Assistant

George Vitek

Production Assistant

Dorothea Von Haeften

Special Thanks To

Ellen Weiss

Special Thanks To

Alex Wolfe

Sound

Mitchell Zucker

Special Thanks To

Film Details

Also Known As
Fiddlefest: Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras and Her East Harlem Violin Program
MPAA Rating
Genre
Documentary
Release Date
1995
Distribution Company
MIRAMAX

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 17m

Quotes

Trivia

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States 1996

Released in United States Fall October 4, 1996

Released in United States February 1996

Released in United States October 1995

Released in United States October 9, 1996

Released in United States on Video April 15, 1997

Released in United States September 1995

Released in United States September 1996

Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (market) February 15-26, 1996.

Shown at Boston Film Festival September 6-19, 1996.

Shown at Denver International Film Festival October 11-20, 1995.

Shown at Independent Feature Film Market (IFFM) in New York City September 17-24, 1995.

Shown at Montreal World Film Festival August 22 - September 2, 1996.

Released in United States 1996 (Shown at Montreal World Film Festival August 22 - September 2, 1996.)

Released in United States February 1996 (Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (market) February 15-26, 1996.)

Released in United States on Video April 15, 1997

Released in United States September 1995 (Shown at Independent Feature Film Market (IFFM) in New York City September 17-24, 1995.)

Released in United States September 1996 (Shown at Boston Film Festival September 6-19, 1996.)

Released in United States October 1995 (Shown at Denver International Film Festival October 11-20, 1995.)

Released in United States Fall October 4, 1996

Released in United States October 9, 1996 (Los Angeles)

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