February 24, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … Musicians of the Oregon Symphony’s string and percussion sections continue their collaborative residencies in Baker County on March 15, 16 and 17 as part of the Symphony’s two-year-long Community Music Partnership (CMP) with the Baker City 5-J School District, Baker Community Concert Association and Crossroads Art Center. More than 50 residency activities will take place throughout the Baker School District over the course of the three days. Other CMP residencies, concerts and collaborative projects will continue on a monthly basis in Baker County through May 2006. CMP funding is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Oregon Cultural Trust, the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation and MetLife/ASOL.
“Each returning visit confirms Baker City’s commitment to ensuring that the arts remain a central part of their community,” says Director of Education and Community Engagement Emilia Smith. “This is shown through parent and volunteer support at the school level, three generations of people coming out on an icy frozen night for a string quartet concert, and the curricular activities that occur in the weeks prior and after each of our visits.”
Symphony percussionist Chris Perry will be in residence at several Baker City public schools, as will a string quintet featuring Julie Coleman, Keiko Araki, Viorel Bejenaru, Kenneth Finch and Kenneth Baldwin. Perry will focus her activities on the middle and high schools leading sectional rehearsals and a master class.
The string quintet will spend their time in the elementary schools where they will present ensemble performances and “informances,” that will be accompanied by “instrument petting zoos,” in which younger children will learn how individual instruments “work” through hands-on demonstrations. On Thursday, March 16, they will also perform an evening concert at the Haines Elementary art show.
“Our staff has been so excited about this opportunity for our students and our entire community,” says Mary Black, a teacher at Haines Elementary School. “One of the most important things is the exposure to the arts that is not readily available in our small, rural community. We hope to instill an appreciation for many types of music and open up possibilities for learning about many instruments,” Black adds.
The CMP is the most intensive education and community engagement initiative undertaken by the Symphony. It pairs students, educators and community members with the Symphony’s musicians and staff to strengthen existing programs while integrating new arts programming into the curriculum. For more information about the Symphony’s Community Music Partnership, visit the Symphony’s Web site at www.orsymphony.org.
