Seniors Take the Stage
It’s only fitting that the upcoming Concerto Concert on April 14 at Lowell High School will feature graduating seniors — it’s their time to shine, and also their time to say goodbye to high school and what’s familiar. Celeste Melamed (viola) and Karen Tom (violin) are excited about graduating, but the excitement is just a bit bittersweet as they admit they’re going to miss Lowell’s music department, orchestra director Michele Winter, and fellow students, including fellow seniors Julian Enis (violin) and Nathan Leber (cello).
Melamed describes the feeling well, saying, “Music has been an important part of my experience at Lowell High. Playing in the orchestra has helped me relax and stay sane while faced with an intense academic workload.” She credits Winter and the orchestra for helping her grow as a musician, which is a great tribute to the program. Tom agrees. She found working with the orchestra broadened her horizons, stating, “we got to play some modern stuff.” She has loved playing with other people, especially good friend Nate, and having the chance to convey to an audience what the music expresses.
As for what’s next, playing music will still be a part of both of their lives. For Tom, this means attending UOP in Stockton while studying to be a music therapist. And while Melamed won’t be majoring in music, she still plans to continue being involved in chamber music and maybe a non-majors orchestra. Read about the Concerto Concert here.
A Celebration With Cantare con Vivo
At a time when music program after music program is being cut, Cantare Con Vivo is bringing music to under-served students throughout the city of Oakland. These are kids that don’t have access to choral music programs; many have never even seen a choir perform. Cantare Con Vivo provides them with a free musical education, from learning to read music and learning to perform to understanding a range of musical styles and music theory. It also provides the other benefits of learning music and working in a musical group, including self-confidence, improved academic performance, teamwork, a sense of purpose and enthusiasm, and a sense of belonging.
The program today has grown immensely since it began in 1999 with just 40 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students. Today it serves over 1,300 students. There are in-school programs for kindergarten through third grade, afterschool programs for elementary school students, and the advanced treble choir, Nova, for middle and high school students.
The upcoming spring concert on April 15 at the First Congregational Church in Oakland is a milestone in their performing year. Though the individual choirs have performed in smaller concerts, this is when everyone comes together. And it’s big. The performance features seven choirs and over 200 students. For some, this will be their first time experiencing the thrill of performing live with such a large group; for others, it’s a chance to improve over previous performances and show what they can do artistically. Julie Haydon, Director of Cantare Children’s Choirs, says, “I can’t wait to see all of these children on stage together singing! Last year it was so moving to watch some of our new singers caught up in the excitement of performing for the first time.”
As always, the concert will feature a wide range of musical styles. Highlights include the work of the two artists-in-residence for the program. Lydia Mills has been teaching third-graders at Cleveland Elementary the music from the Andes, including using the zampañas, or pan pipes. Melanie deMore will be leading the entire group in a performance of Give a Little Love by Ziggy Marley. She is also working with Nova to perform a piece based on the Gullah stick pounding tradition from the Georgia Sea Islands.
But most of all, this is a celebration of the work of Cantare Con Vivo and of the students themselves. It promises to be festive, joyful, and moving for everyone involved. See more information about the concert here here.
Latin Beat
Photo by Sonia Caltvedt
It’s going to be a Latin music extravaganza on April 9 at the Crossing Bridges Concert. It’s aptly named: Elementary school students from San Rafael will head south across the Golden Gate Bridge while middle school students who are part of the Willard Latin Music Ensemble in Berkeley will head west across the Bay Bridge, meeting up with middle and high school students who are part of the Mission District Young Musicians Program at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts on April 9th.
It’s the second year for this collaborative (and free) concert, which will feature music from all over Latin America, including Mexico, Cuba, and Peru. Put on by the Community Music Center of San Francisco, it’s the outshoot of the Mission District Young Musicians Program, which began about five years ago as a tuition-free program for middle and high school aged students that concentrated on Latin music.
Program Director Chus Alonso has gone on to partner with La Pena to offer the afterschool Latin music program at Willard Middle School and to work with Jane Kramer’s Enriching Lives through Music program in San Rafael; this is the opportunity to bring these three related programs together.
Just like last year, it promises to be a unique experience for students and audiences. It’s also a great opportunity for these students to meet others who enjoy the same music they do, support each other, share what they’ve learned, and to enjoy the music they love. As for audiences, they just need to listen and enjoy. See more information about the event here.