Rural and Community Art Project Grant
Rural and Community Art Project Grant
"Broadway: Past and Present!" Concert featuring classic and contemporary Broadway music to be performed by the Itasca Community Chorus and Pure Energy Dance Studio at the Myles Reif Performing Arts Center on October 29, 2017.
Janeen Carey: vocalist, retired Hibbing Community College librarian and information media specialist; Adam Guggemos: graphic designer, art events promoter; Michelle Ronning: jewelry designer and maker; Tara Makinen: Executive Director of Itasca Orchestra and Strings, musician; Moira Villiard: visual artist; Jeanne Doty: Retired Associate Professor of Music at University of Minnesota-Duluth, pianist; Amber Burns: choreographer, dancer, actor, middle school art teacher; Margaret Holmes: visual artist, poet, former Children's Theatre employee; Tammy Mattonen: visual artist, co-founder of Crescendo Youth Orchestra; Quentin Stille: student liaison, College Music Director at KUMD.
Janeen Carey: vocalist, retired Hibbing Community College librarian and information media specialist; Duane Barnhart: watercolor painter, cartoonist; Mary McReynolds: arts administrator at Lyric Center for the Arts; Chris Marcotte: retired social worker, historian, writer; Maria Brown: art instructor and program coordinator at CHOICE, unlimited!; Margaret Holmes: visual artist, poet, former Children's Theatre employee.
ACHF Arts Access ACHF Arts Education ACHF Cultural Heritage
By collaborating with the Deer River High School and students from the Pure Energy Dance Studio, we will engage more students in music performances and provide another opportunity for the community to hear and develop appreciation for another form of choral music. While past semesters have focused on more traditional sacred choral music, this music will give an opportunity to a different type of singer. One long term goal is to encourage lifelong participation in musical ensembles. Many students participate in musical activities during school years, but feel they don't have an opportunity to continue after they graduate. All participants will benefit from the cross-generation effort of producing a concert for all ages. Chorus members and students will learn and practice new vocal techniques required for a different style of music. Dance students will learn another musical style and form of dance. To measure learning and satisfaction, collaborating directors, performers and audience will be surveyed and asked for feedback. Students in the High School choir will also be asked for feedback on their experience. The number and age of musicians and audience will also serve as a measure of Itasca Community Choir's growing reputation for delivering quality choral music. We hope to increase performer and audience under the age of 50 by 20%. To scrutinize the choral techniques and overall performance, at least two written critiques are solicited from respected area directors and musicians. Suggestions from those providing feedback are considered and acted upon by the Board. Director Evans and the board review the concert via the video recording of the concert produced by Itasca Community Television. High School Choir and dancers will also be able to review their performance using the video recording for their own learning opportunities. New for this concert: Ushers will be asked to gauge the age of our audience to determine if our younger chorus is being followed by younger audience as we seek to grow the appreciation for quality choral music. To assess the effectiveness of different mediums (from social media, to word of mouth, or traditional print media), ushers will also be instructed to ask attendees how they heard about the concert. Overall the Board is looking for a positive response no lower than 90%.
Actual Measurable Outcomes 66 singers participated, up from 47 in the spring. Most had not sung with Chorus previously. Approximately 30 percent of the chorus members are under 40. 51 Students from the Deer River Schools Choir participated in the concert 8 students from Pure Energy Dance performed choreographed routines for 2 songs. 329 adults attended the concert, 53 students attended the concert. Because of the type of music performed, a selection of Broadway hits new and old, the number of participants in the Chorus increased, and younger people joined. According to the results of a survey of the Chorus members, 15% of the respondents said they joined this term because of the type of music being performed. Many of the new members are younger. Dance students had the opportunity to dance a choreographed routine accompanying a large group on Stage at the Reif performing Arts Center. This was a new experience for most of them. They had not performed with a choral group, and they had not performed on stage at the Reif in front of a large audience. They did a fantastic job. The dance instructor coached them and rehearsed them on the dance routines in their classes, then they joined the chorus on stage for a dress rehearsal several days before the concert, and again during rehearsal time just before the concert. The dancers added color, movement and visual appeal to the concert. The Choir from the Deer River School, performing several pieces with the Chorus, had the opportunity to perform with a large, more experienced group on stage in a professional performing arts venue.
Other, local or private