Pilot Residency at Sargent Elementary, Beacon

I'm just now going through all of the feedback we received from the 4th Grade. Here are some of the things they said about the residency and the performance:

What are some things you like best about the performance? Give examples:

"I liked it all!!!!! My favorite song was the one that river otter sings about slack tide. I loved how you made the kids so involved in the songs."

"What I liked is when Black Bear had a trash can on his head."

"I liked the vocabulary words (example: ponder) and the songs (example: Black Bear's Bad Luck Blues)."

"I like the songs and singing. I liked the beat. I like how Black Bear looked bedraggled."

"What I liked best about the story was the instruments. I liked the drums and the oboe."

"I liked the way all four instruments went together and made a beautiful sound. The way (Kelly's) voice wasn't off pitch and especially liked the way she danced and got the whole crowd clapping."

"I loved the Hudson Valley Hoe Down!"

"Kelly really used her voice. The wind instruments were excellent. I would love to see it again. Go MADERA VOX!"

"I like how he used to be afraid, and now he is not afraid."

And this from the 1st Grade - including picture at right:

"I liked the part when Black Bear was sleeping. I love your singing. It was fun. Black Bear wanted to go home. He swam across the Hudson River. He was happy to be home."

The 1st Grade teacher had some incredibly inspirational feedback:

"Wow....did we really enjoy the (performance). It was great to have the information you shared prior to the performance. I was able to take the time and share it with the classs which with first graders really helped them with the actual story.

You were all amazing.....!!!!!

We followed the show up with a discussion on Monday. I then asked each student to write about the show and draw a picture to go along with it. I was so excited about their writing that I had to make copies of them so I could also keep one for the class.

We actually will begin writing stories this week in class. We will start by writing and modeling a class story. I am going to try to continue with the tale of Black Bear.

Bravo to you all!!"

Jane Cervone & First Grade Class.

Madera Vox receives grant from Partners for Arts Education to facilitate collaborative planning & to develop lesson plans for pilot residency

We are thrilled to announce that Madera Vox was selected to be the recipient of a $2, 250 Technical Assistance Grant (TAP) from Partners for Arts Education to facilitate collaborative planning with teachers and administration and to develop effective and meaningful lesson plans for a mini pilot residency at Sargent Elementary School in Beacon. Highly regarded Arts-in-Education facilitator Floyd Rumohr and Beacon-based Creative Dance Theater Director and teaching artist Marleen Pennison will be engaged to guide teaching artists from Madera Vox in shaping a cross-curricular arts education experience for 4th graders using the performance of "Black Bear's Hudson Valley Tale" as the source material. It is anticipated that Madera Vox will replicate the program throughout the district and beyond throughout the Hudson Valley. "Black Bear's Hudson Valley Tale" was written by acclaimed Hudson Valley children's author Iza Trapani, with original music composed by Madera Vox's David Gluck. The premiere of this "musical story-telling" piece is Saturday, October 10 at the CENTER for Performing Arts in Rhinebeck.

Rehearsal at the CENTER for Performing Arts Rhinebeck

Our first rehearsal at the CENTER for Performing Arts in Rhinebeck
August 28, 2009

In the pink light of pre-dawn, a pile of leaves and twigs began to stir on the forest floor...


Pokin' around the Ashokan.

Down the waterfall he dropped!


Boats to the left; boats to the right (and a digeridoo, too) !


Bear in a Can.

Yeah!

(Thanks to Production Supervisor Tim Parsaca & Director/Choreographer Marleen Pennison for a great day in the theatre)

www.maderavox.org

BB's HVT Recording Project

Exciting News! Madera Vox has just received a grant from the Sparkplug Foundation towards making the recording of "Black Bear's Hudson Valley Tale." We are grateful and thrilled! We have already recorded most of the music, under the skilled guidance of Composer and Producer David Gluck and Recording Engineer Dan Castellani. Kelly will record the narration later in July. Many Thanks to Iza Trapani for her inspiration and to Marleen Pennison & Dancers, Inc. for fiscal sponsorship.

Black Bear's Hudson Valley Tale - a "music-telling" piece

"In the pink light of pre-dawn deep in the Catskill Mountains, a pile of twigs and leaves began to stir on the forest floor. Black Bear emerged from his den and stretched, and scowled. "Peep, peep, peep" he heard, "peep, peep, peep." Following the sound he came to a scrub-shrub swamp filled with tiny frogs..."

And so begins "Black Bear's Hudson Valley Tale" - a "music-telling" performance piece conceived by Madera Vox, with a story and illustrations by award-winning children's author Iza Trapani and original music by David Gluck. The premiere is set for October 2009 at the CENTER for Performing Arts in Rhinebeck, NY, to coincide with the conclusion of the the Hudson/Fulton/Champlain Quadricentennial.

We recently engaged director/choreographer and visionary Marleen Pennison to help us bring Black Bear's Hudson Valley Tale to the stage. We are thrilled and can't wait to begin the creative process with her.