We're excited to connect with our alumni through our new Darlington Connects series. Today we hear from Stephanie Schecter (‘09), a songwriter, performer, and board-certified music therapist in New York City.
Stephanie Schecter's music career is about to take off in a big way. Her new single, “Monsters,” will be released Oct. 2 at midnight on all music streaming platforms under the artist name Ellajay. Her name is a nod to her roots in Georgia and to her grandmother, Ella, and father, Jay - both of whom were extremely instrumental in her decision to pursue her musical career. She chose to use an artist name for her performance career to keep her music therapy work separate from her performing.
“My grandmother, Ella, lived with us and was my faithful cheerleader, always encouraging me,” she said. "My father, Jay, is a neurologist and a musician at heart. He played guitar in a band and also taught me how to play."
While there’s certainly musical heritage in her family, Stephanie’s artistic talent was honed at Darlington, where she sang with the Concert Choir and The Darlingtones a cappella group.
“One of my best experiences at Darlington was participating in the choir and a cappella groups," she said. "Having that community harmonize and shape my ear was invaluable to my work today.”
Stephanie's musical interests and talents became a full-time pursuit when she chose music composition as her major at College of Charleston. Darlington directly impacted her collegiate pursuit, especially after taking the AP Music Theory class her senior year.
“Mr. Camp made Music Theory come to life for me; something just clicked and I knew writing and composing was what I wanted to do,” she said.
Stephanie wrote a fair amount of music during college and performed in Charleston and then in Athens, Ga., where she studied and was board-certified as a music therapist. Her move to New York City involved obtaining a master's degree in music therapy at NYU. Upon completing her studies, she began work in public schools in Brooklyn, specifically with students who had experienced social and emotional trauma. Amidst this work with students and other patients, songwriting and performing was always on her mind.
In 2018, Stephanie began performing solo around NYC and with some college friends from Charleston, and they eventually formed a band. The group plays a mix of genres, from alternative indie to rock and pop. She has really enjoyed her recent time spent in the studio recording and writing.
Check out Stephanie's music and follow her on social media, too:
Are you a Darlington alum (or do you know one) with a career or interest that is fascinating and unique? We'd love to spotlight you in a future blog! Please email connect@darlingtonschool.org if you are interested in being featured.
