| American Masterpieces! |
| Education |  photo courtesy of Arts Horizons |
"The Sylvan Winds experience was unbeatable - better than going to a concert, because it's so personal and intimate. They're within touching distance and that's a very thrilling thing for these kids."
- Barbara Ames
Hunter College Elementary School
"I had the opportunity to observe the Sylvan Winds with the third grade. What a pleasure as the children giggled with glee."
- Dr. Evelyn Castro
Hunter College Elementary School
"The children responded enthusiastically.....creating French horns from plastic tubing and a funnel, and their own straw reeds and kazoos!"l
-West Side Montessori School Newsletter
Programs
Residencies
Arts Horizons
The Sylvan Winds is committed to educating children and plans educational projects to cultivate understanding and appreciation of instrumental music through direct contact with musicians. Children are introduced to the spectrum of colors, richness of sound, and expressive qualities that wind instruments bring to the world of music. Educating children today will ensure the practice and appreciation of the arts tomorrow.
Having performed throughout the New York City metropolitan area under the sponsorship of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Parks & Recreation, as well as the Carnegie Hall Corporation, the ensemble has also been heard at the Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors Festival, the Caramoor International Music Festival, the Music Festival of the Hamptons, and the Parrish, Bruce, and Staten Island Children’s Museums.
All of these experiences have informed the educational programs that the Sylvan Winds have performed throughout the country from California and Idaho, to Florida. Each performance is designed to engage young audiences actively, develop entertaining strategies to listening, and to help young people understand and enjoy classical music.
Highlights of their 45 minute programs include:
"Peter & the Wolf and other tales" *
with mime artist Scottie Davis
'"The Nutcracker" *
with mime artist Scottie Davis
"Babar the Elephant"
(courtesy of Andrejs Jansons)
(Pre-K to 5) with a special version of Peter and the Wolf
"Contrasts in Music"
(Grades 1-5) exploring opposites in music
"Variety in Variations" (Grades 1-5)
"Marching Through History" (Grades 3-8)
"Whirlwind Worldwide Tour" (Grades 3-8)
"Conversations in Music"
(Grades 5-8) about teamwork & interaction
"Composers & Creativity" (High School – College)
"Putting It Together" analysis of a music masterpiece.
(High School or College Lecture/Demonstration or open rehearsal)
"Why Transcriptions? -- an Exploration"
(College to Adult)
* The ensemble continues its association with Arts Horizons and Salt’n Pepper Mime, providing educational programs in the New York metropolitan area.
Residencies - In addition, the Sylvan Winds has developed a 5 to 10 week residency of sequential programs that it brings to schools. For over a decade, the Sylvan Winds have refined this program at Hunter College Elementary School, further exploring work with pre-school children at the West Side Montessori School, and elementary school students at P.S. 199 in Manhattan, and P.S. 230 in Brooklyn. These Arts-in-Ed residencies are important to the continued success of performing arts initiatives, and have been supported with funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, the Josephine Bay Paul and the C. Michael Paul Foundation, the BETA Fund, the Music Performance Trust Fund, and school parents’ associations.
All materials ©2008 by the Sylvan Winds. All rights reserved.
