Starting on March 1st, 2021, Music in the Mountains and The Center for the Arts will partner to bring new music education programming for free to our community, based on Carnegie Hall’s Musical Explorer’s curriculum.
This spring, join Music in the Mountains and The Center for the Arts on a musical safari. Led by an expert adventure guide, students ages 5-12 will explore the music and cultures of India, Mali, & Greece. “Music for Young Minds” is a new program using the Musical Explorers curriculum designed by Carnegie Hall. This 12-week program requires no previous musical experience and is free to kids and their families.
With weekly activities available on demand, there’s no set class times to worry about, so kids can choose when they want to tune in to learn the material and to have some fun.
Shannon Devir, an accomplished music teacher and flutist, will be the safari guide for this program. This musical adventure will be experienced through an easy-to-use interactive digital platform where knowledge can be shared and creativity expressed. Students will be assisted by Carnegie Hall and Music in the Mountains’ musicians for lessons from three different cultures. They will learn songs, dances, recipes, and stories that will get them up and away from their screens and on their feet singing, learning, and having fun. In-person, small-group meetings will be optional if safety regulations allow.
Students will complete the experience by participating in a concert where they can sing and dance alongside the same musicians who have guided them through the course. A virtual presentation is in the works if celebrating in person is not possible due to safety regulations.
“In terms of it impacting their normal classroom activities and social time, we know kids have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic,” said MIM Executive Director, Jenny Darlington-Person. “We have designed this program to be a fun, easy-to-use experience for children to learn about music and culture, either in the classroom or from their own homes.”
Additionally, MIM is excited to announce that it is partnering with The Center for the Arts to create a “virtual world children’s choir”. Students will use songs selected from our Music for Young Minds program to create a video which will be featured at WorldFest 2021. “We are thrilled to collaborate on something so important for the kids and share resources at a time when the arts need it the most,” noted Amber Jo Manuel, Executive Director of The Center for the Arts.
The program’s resulting performances and videos will be similar to those that you see trending on Youtube, where individual performances are produced in a safe and step by step manner and then combined for the final presentation. They will provide the perfect opportunity to put a positive timestamp in this interesting chapter of our children’s lives.
Although this program is designed for kids, family members are welcome and encouraged to join in on the fun. All lessons are pre-designed and overseen by MIM’s Education Grants Manager, Shannon Devir. The lessons are ready to present in a home or school classroom setting.
Come have fun and make music!
This program is made possible by the generous support of the California Arts Council.
