2012-336 Arts - NC Symphony $1,500

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Arts Program Application Narrative North Carolina Symphony Instrument Zoos—Held prior to family-friendly Symphony performances as well as education concerts, instrument zoos give children the opportunity to learn about the instruments from the orchestra and try them out for themselves.Symphony musicians and volunteers demonstrate how to play the instruments and assist each child as they play their first notes. Master Classes—Symphony musicians, conductors, and guest artists lead master classes for young instrumentalists,which provide students the opportunity to perform for and receive feedback from some of the world's top musicians. Internationally-renowned artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, (cello), Leila Josefowicz(violin), Branford Marsalis(Alto Saxophone), Catrin Finch (harp), and Elena Kats-Chernin (composer) have recently given classes. Professional Development for Teachers-The Symphony's professional development programs aim to address North Carolina curriculum standards in education, best practices in the classroom, and important issues facing music educators in our state.Our main program is an annual teacher workshop, which is for music educators preparing students to attend the Symphony's education concerts.The workshops provide teachers valuable activities and techniques for integrating the Symphony's music education curriculum into their classrooms.Teachers receive 0.5 Continuing Education credits for attending the workshop in person or online via our Moodie web site. Young Strings of the Triangle—This program provides eighteen economically disadvantaged students from the Triangle area the opportunity to study privately,free of charge with the state's top string instructors. Past participants have gone on to study music education and music performance at such universities as Oberlin College, East Carolina University, and UNC Charlotte. The Kathleen Price and Joseph M. Bryan Youth Concerto Competition—Nearly 100 students audition each year for the Symphony's youth concerto competition,a highly competitive event which draws the most talented young musicians from across the state.The competition is open to all North Carolina residents,ages 12-21,and includes both a junior and senior division. First and second place winners in both divisions receive a cash prize and the first place senior division winner receives an opportunity to perform with the North Carolina Symphony. 3. Proposed Use of Grant Funds The North Carolina Symphony will perform hour-long education concerts for a total of 1,800 elementary students from Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools in Fall 2012.Students will attend one of four concerts, each of which will take place in Meymandi Concert Hall at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh.The concert dates are currently being confirmed. Introducing great orchestral music to young ears was an unceasing endeavor of Dr. Benjamin Swalin,our music director from the 1940s through the early 70s. In his first-person history of the Symphony, Hard Circus Road, Dr. Swalin,wrote, "Most importantly our musicians have delighted,thrilled and inspired through live performances a host of school children whose lives and leadership continue to enrich the North Carolina way of life."This 70-year tradition—the most extensive music education program in the country—is a crucial component of the North Carolina Symphony's mission and a valued addition to public and private school curriculum for more than 60,000 school students,teachers, and parents across the state. Jessica Myers, Director of Education for the North Carolina Symphony, works with a collection of teachers, school administrators, and arts programming coordinators around the state each summer to 2