Contact: Allison Griffin
Public Relations Associate
503-416-6347
January 9, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … Oregon Symphony musicians and staff will begin residency visits to the city of Estacada on January 23-25 as part of a two-year Community Music Partnership (CMP) between the Oregon Symphony, the city of Estacada, the Estacada School District and the local presenting organization, Estacada Together.
The CMP calls for the Symphony’s extensive roster of musicians and staff to work with students, educators, local arts organizations and business leaders to strengthen existing programs while integrating new arts programming into Estacada’s school curriculum and the greater community by offering resources in music education, live performances and arts advocacy.
More than 60 residency activities will take place throughout the school district during the three day visit. A Symphony brass quintet featuring Jeff Work, Dave Bamonte, John Cox, Aaron LaVere and JaTtik Clark will be performing a chamber concert at the Estacada Auditorium on January 25 at 7 p.m. The 90-minute concert is appropriate for families. Tickets will be sold at the door. Prices are $10 for families, $5 for one adult and $3 for students and seniors. All proceeds benefit future Estacada community arts events.
A percussion trio featuring Chris Perry, Gordon Rencher and Tom Sessa will present ensemble performances for K-12 students at each of the five district schools on January 23, 24 and 25. In addition, the percussion trio will present “informances” to individual classes at the elementary level and will host “instrument petting zoos” where students and teachers are given a hands-on experience with the instruments in the percussion family. A percussion clinic for band students will take place at the Estacada Junior High and High Schools. In addition, an informance on Samba music by Symphony percussionist Chris Perry will be held for students in Spanish classes. At the high school, the trio will visit visual art classes to collaborate with students on breaking down rhythmic patterns in a piece of music that will later be used for a sculpture assignment. The ensemble will also meet with the school choir and work with them on learning and performing a traditional African song.
“I believe the CMP will help continue the evolution of our community’s culture and enhance the experiences we’ll be able to provide for our K-12 students, as well as our citizens,” said Dr. Howard Fetz, Assistant Superintendent of Estacada School District 108. “The word ‘enhance’ is key, because our community has been very progressive in its authorization of funds to build a new school and upgrade a number of existing facilities.”
Following monthly visits from Symphony musicians representing all of the instrument families, year one of the CMP will culminate in May 2007, with two full-orchestra youth concerts and a community concert.
As the Symphony’s leading and most comprehensive education and community initiative, the CMP focuses on rural or remote Oregon communities of 30,000 people or less. Symphony staff work with a local steering committee comprised of school district and city representatives, parents and community arts advocates to craft the orchestra’s presence to meet community music needs over the two-year period.
For more information about the Symphony’s Community Music Partnership, visit www.orsymphony.org.
CMP funding is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ford Family Foundation and the PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning.