Monday, January 11, 2010

At College Park Elementary School, 27 fourth and fifth graders are rehearsing for Folk Traditions, an interactive classical music concert featuring the internationally acclaimed Degas Quartet. To perform with the string ensemble, the students have built their own instruments, "styro-cellos" made from everyday objects such as fishing line and paint stirring sticks. They will perform alongside the professional musicians in a concert for their peers, all NHCS fourth and fifth graders, at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 13 at Kenan Auditorium.

The program uses the violin duos and Hungarian folk dances of composer Béla Bartók to teach students about rhythm, melody and the use of folk tunes in classical music.

It is these kinds of hands-on learning experiences in the arts that have recently won the UNCW-NHCS partnership recognition from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The partnership is one of just 14 teams of arts organizations chosen to participate in the Partners in Education Institute, May 5-8, 2010, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The Institute promotes partnerships in communities across the country between arts organizations and local schools, focusing on the development of arts education programs for teachers.

"We are very proud to have been chosen to participate in the Institute," said Courtney Reilly, assistant director of UNCW's Office of Cultural Arts. "The partnership between UNCW and the New Hanover County Public Schools is very strong and has allowed us to provide high quality arts education experiences for students and teachers. Participation in the Institute will give us even more resources to draw upon in providing professional development in the arts for New Hanover County teachers."

Participants from UNCW and NHCS who will attend the Partners in Education Institute include Reilly, Georgeann Haas, arts education supervisor for NHCS, and Brenda Wheat, assistant professor in the Watson School of Education, who has provided curriculum development for the partnership.

UNC Wilmington is involved in two major arts outreach programs, ARTworks and TAPPS. ARTworks is an initiative of the UNCW Arts in Education Alliance, a partnership between of Office of Cultural Arts and the Watson School of Education, which bring the arts to elementary schools throughout Southeastern North Carolina through free performances, arts integration curriculum guides, professional development workshops and in-school artist residencies.

The Technical Assistance Program for Public Schools (TAPPS) is a new initiative of the Office of Cultural Arts, which strives to enhance the performing arts in local public schools by providing on-site consultation, training, resources, and creative and technical assistance for drama teachers and students. An upcoming TAPPS workshop, Introduction to Rigging and Lighting, will offer high school drama students the opportunity to learn about stage rigging, lighting and safety procedures from technical theatre professionals.

Media are welcome to attend and cover the rehearsal Tuesday, Jan. 12 with Degas Quartet and College Park Elementary students. The quartet and the 4th/5th grade students will begin their rehearsal at about 9:15 a.m. and will play a short rehearsal concert for College Park K-3 students at 10 a.m. Rehearsal and concert will be in the school's cafeteria.

The Degas Quartet is one of America's finest performing ensembles, celebrated by audiences and critics alike for vibrant performances of classical and contemporary repertoire. Founded at the Bowdoin Music Festival in 2000, the Degas Quartet has since performed in many of the world's finest halls, including Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall, Atlanta's Spivey Hall, Aspen's Harris Hall, and the Library of Congress.

The Degas Quartet Residency was supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Media contacts:
Dana Fischetti, UNCW media relations manager, 910.962.7259 or fischettid@uncw.edu

Valita Quattlebaum, NHCS chief communications officer, 910.763.5431 or valita.quattlebaum@nhcs.net

Photo captions:

Photo 1: Violinist Nonoko Okada works with College Park Elementary student Brianna Fennell as members of the Degas Quartet spent part of the week with local students, teaching them about music. The students will perform with the quartet at Kenan Auditorium Wednesday, Jan 13, 2010- UNCW/Jamie Moncrief

Photo 2: Jay Jordan tries his hand at the violin as Ghani Glover patiently waits his turn as members of the Degas Quartet spent part of the week with College Park Elementary students, teaching them about music. The students will perform with the quartet at Kenan Auditorium Wednesday, Jan 13, 2010 - UNCW/Jamie Moncrief

Photo 3: Simon Ertz (left) of the Degas Quartet leads students as they perform on their "styro-cellos" as College Park Elementary students rehearsed Tuesday for their performance with the quartet at UNC Wilmington's Kenan Auditorium Wednesday, Jan 13, 2010 - UNCW/Jamie Moncrief