Arts-integration and arts-in-education news for educators, artists, and parents

historical, storytelling, and dance and movementresources are within reach of your classrooms.Please contact the individual organizations for fulldetails or call the Lehigh Valley Arts Council at610-437-5915 for ideas on finding a program tosuit your needs and those of your students.

The school matinees–performances–family activities section at the end of this issue gives aspecific schedule (to date) of the school-day mati-nees mentioned in the text, including dates, times,locations, and ticket costs. This section also listsseveral youth- and family-oriented shows so thatteachers may recommend these productions to students and their parents.

Dear Administrators and Teachers: Currentstudies have examined how students of all ages learn; this research has concluded

that arts experiences are essential to the learningprocess. In addition to social and personal benefits,what students learn from the arts can increasetheir achievement in subjects such as math, read-ing, and social studies.

In this issue of artLINKS, we present informa-tion from local arts and historical organizations onoutreach programs provided at their facilities or inresidence at your school. These organizations con-duct interactive classes, workshops, concerts, andtheatrical and dance performances for educationalpurposes. A variety of visual, theatrical, musical,

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LOCAL ARTS RESOURCES FOR CREATIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Special Opportunities for the 2006–2007 School Year

Above: Multimedia artist Heather Sincavage introduces students atSouthern Lehigh Middle School to the fun of creating pop-up books during a session of the Urban/Suburban Connection, a Lehigh ValleyArts Council after-school program.

Left: Repertory Dance Theatre’s Talent Identification Program studentsperform at the Mayfair Festival in the summer of 2006.P

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artLINKSVolume 13, No. 2 Fall 2006

high school groups attend a “Night at the Sym-phony” through the generosity of an anonymousdonor; the evening includes a pre-concert tour ofSymphony Hall and an introduction to the concertby an orchestra musician. A teachers’ manual ofinterdisciplinary lesson plans, created by musician/educators and local teachers, is published annuallyand is given free of charge to schools attendingthe youth concert. The Musicians in Schools pro-gram sends ASO musicians and small ensemblesinto the classroom to give interdisciplinary presentations to grades K–12; these presentations,approximately 45 minutes long, touch upon music,history, geography, and science. Ensembles(duos, trios, or quartets) are composed of string,wind, brass, or percussion instruments or a mixture of instruments to fit the needs of yourschool music program. The Musical TreasureChest program, held at Symphony Hall, combinesstorytelling with music and gives young children,ages 3–5, an opportunity to learn about musicalinstruments, hear short musical pieces, and meetmusicians. The symphony offers free lectures,held from noon to 1 p.m. (bring your own lunch)on the Friday before each symphony concert.Conductor Diane Wittry leads the lecture and dis-cusses the music for Saturday’s concert. ContactGlenn Kressley at 610-432-7961, ext. 205, orgkressley@allentownsymphony.org.

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem presents alively interactive program, Bach to School, tomore than 5,000 children a year in school districtsthroughout the Lehigh Valley and the surroundingregion. Conductor Greg Funfgeld and an ensembleof 30 singers and 15 instrumentalists introducestudents to the genius and joy of Bach’s music.Different versions of the one-hour program aretargeted for elementary, middle, and high schools.Each version draws on a repertoire of seven orchestral and choral pieces, and each has a sec-tion where the “Gloria” from the Mass in B Minoris taken apart voice by voice and instrument byinstrument, and then put back together to demon-strate the genius of Bach’s fugal writing and orchestration. Mr. Funfgeld, who has particularflair for communicating with young people, helpschildren to see the parallels between music, aca-demics, sports, and their own lives by talkingabout the emotions and creativity of the music,the fruits of practice, and the joy of working to-gether on something you love. Students are pre-pared for the assembly through classroom lessons

The Allentown Art Museum’s educationalprograms for students in kindergarten throughhigh school are designed to enhance your visualarts curriculum and can also be integrated into theteaching of history, math, social studies, languagearts, geography, science, and other arts disciplines.On-site, the museum offers one-hour, theme-based,guided visits ($3 per student) and 90-minute,hands-on gallery explorations ($5 per student).Both programs support the Pennsylvania Aca-demic Standards. Off-site, docents visit schools toconduct one-hour, interactive presentations thatuse touchable artifacts and visual aids. Designedfor grades 3–6, each presentation is most effectivein a single-classroom setting of no more than 30students, and each costs $4 per student. Kinder-garten teachers through university-level educatorsmay attend workshops and special events that introduce them to the museum’s collection, museum-based teaching methods, project ideas,and methods for subject integration; selected pro-grams qualify for Act 48 credits. A completeschool-program brochure can be viewed on themuseum’s Web site, www.allentownmuseum.org.Contact Kim Roth at 610-432-4333, ext. 32, oreducation@allentownartmuseum.org.

The Allentown Band presents a youth concert(two performances) at Symphony Hall every fall.Held in November this year, the concert has atheme of “America’s Music” and includes ademonstration of the various instruments found inthe band. This program is designed and conductedby Ronald Demkee for grades 4–7, and is givenfree of charge to Lehigh Valley students. Groupsmay vary in size and can be as large as 1,100pupils; this accommodates an entire grade levelfrom a large school district. Study guides will beavailable on the Web site (www.allentownband.com); on request, guides can be sent toteachers prior to the concert. Contact DebraHeiney at 610-437-3288 or debheiney@aol.com.

Allentown Symphony Orchestra’s outreachactivities include concerts, a touring “musical instrument petting zoo,” interdisciplinary presen-tations, a musical storytelling program, andbrown-bag lectures. In the spring, the orchestraperforms a “family concert” for grades 2–6. Theconcert is preceded by the instrument petting zoo,which introduces children to a variety of instru-ments. (This “musical circus” is also available forcommunity events.) Allentown middle school and

artLINKS

Major AIE Program Sponsors: Binney & Smith, Inc. • Holt Family Foundation • Jeras Corporation • Marlene & Beall Fowler • PPL Martins Creek, LLC •Spectrum Health Ventures / Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health NetworkLVAC Program Sponsors: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. • The Baker Foundation • Big Picture Consulting • The Billera Foundation • Blick Art &Craft • Bucks Development & Contracting Corporation • The Century Fund • Charles H. Hoch Foundation • County of Lehigh • Dan’s Camera City • Harry C.Trexler Trust • Keystone Nazareth Bank & Trust • Lebovitz Fund • Lehigh Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau • Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation • Louis P. Pektor III • Minutemen Press of the Lehigh Valley • Pennsylvania Council on the Arts • Pilates of the Lehigh Valley • PPL • Rotary Club of Allentown • Sovereign Bank • Specialty Minerals, Inc. • Tama Fogelman

artLINKS is a newsletterof the Lehigh Valley ArtsCouncil’s Arts-in-EducationCommittee. Article ideasand news about arts-in-education projects andopportunities are welcome.

Edited by Randall Forteand Ann Simmons

© 2006. This publicationmay be reproduced foreducational purposes.

The Arts-in-EducationCommittee strives to promote and support therole and value of the artsin education.

LVAC Executive Director:Randall Forte

Arts-in-EducationProgram Coordinator:Marilyn Hazelton

LVAC Arts-in-EducationCommittee:Ron DeLongGail FarnhamPriscilla JohnsonJan Pinaire

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Our mission: To promotethe arts; to encourage andsupport artists and theirdevelopment; to assistarts organizations; and tofacilitate communicationand cooperation amongartists, arts organizations,and the community.

For membership information:

Lehigh Valley Arts Council1633 Allen StreetAllentown, PA 18102Phone: 610-437-5915Fax: 610-437-5916E-mail: info@lvartscouncil.orgWeb: www.lvartscouncil.org

taught by their school music teachers,who have been given in-service trainingsessions and resource materials (books,videos, CDs, and sample lesson plans) bythe Bach Choir. The children look for-ward to the program with eager anticipa-tion, know what to expect, and knowwhat is expected of them in order to be a truly engaged and listening audience.Bach to School is offered eight timesduring the school year (in November,December, and April); all Lehigh Valleyschool districts are invited to apply forparticipation in the program on a rotatingbasis, except for Bethlehem Area SchoolDistrict, which has an ongoing commit-ment to participate every year. The choiralso performs an annual “family concert,”which this year will be presented in col-laboration with Touchstone Theatre andRepertory Dance Theatre. The Bach atNoon program, a free concert series withengaging introductions to the music byMr. Funfgeld, is another way to introduceaudiences of all ages to the music ofBach; this series is held at Central Mora-vian Church in Bethlehem. Contact Bridget George, Executive Director, at610-866-4382, ext. 11, or bridget@bach.org.

The Banana Factory CommunityArts Center offers many types of artsprograms for all ages. The center’s 28artists conduct in-school residencies thatinvolve a variety of arts-integration pro-jects and last from three to six weeks.Banana Factory artists also work withearly childhood learning programs (Community Services for Children andPASELA) that use the arts to promoteearly childhood literacy. In addition, specialized workshops for the mentallyhandicapped are offered at the center.The B-Smart program is an after-schoolprogram given five days a week for at-risk youth; designed for middle schooland elementary school kids who are inthe ASPIRE program of the BethlehemArea School District, B-Smart teachestraditional fine arts (painting, drawing,pottery) and hi-tech arts (digital imaging,video games). Each summer, in partner-ship with the Private Industry Council ofthe Lehigh Valley, Banana Factory artistswork with youth in BananaWORKS, ajob-skills project in which the youngstersare paid to create public art works.

Another special program invites artistsfrom around the world for a five-weekresidency at the Banana Factory; thesevisiting artists participate in trips to areaschools and in presentations and work-shops at the center. For teachers, the center hosts Art as a Way of Learningworkshops yearly in the spring and sum-mer; a nationally acclaimed program created by Northampton CommunityCollege and featuring integration of thearts into the school curriculum, this pop-ular course awards Act 48 continuing education hours for participation. Through-out the year, the Banana Factory offers awide variety of visual arts programmingfor adults and children: one-day work-shops, in-depth six- and eight-weekclasses, and fun, exciting summer camps.In the fall, the center will open theLehigh Valley’s first hot-glass studio andwill offer classes to beginners and ad-vanced glassblowers and to at-risk youth.The Web site, www.bananafactory.org,carries the full schedule of classes. Con-tact Donna Schudel, Assistant Director ofVisual Arts and Education, at 610-332-1300, ext. 327, or dschudel@fest.org.

The Baum School of Art’s facultyvisit schools to conduct workshops for all ages. Groups usually consist of 15students per instructor. At request, BaumSchool instructors will teach at yourschool in custom-designed programs.Program costs vary according to the requesting school’s available funds.Baum has a full schedule of after-schooland Saturday art classes for preschoolthrough teenage children. These classescost from $180 to $200 for a ten-weekterm. A complete schedule of classes is listed on the school’s Web site atwww.baumschool.org. During theschool day, Baum offers its classes tohome-schooled children. Teachers mayalso attend courses, for which they canearn Act 48 credits. Contact Ann Lalik,Executive Director, at annL@baumschool.org or Laurie Guarino, Assistantto the Directors, at laurie@baumschool.org. Either contact may bereached by phone at 610-433-0032.

Binney & Smith, maker of Crayola®products, inspires children to realize theirdreams through the Crayola® Dream-

Makers® program. Dream-Makers® is a national professional development program that focuses on creative hands-on learning for teachers of students inkindergarten through sixth grade. Dream-Makers® teacher resource guides offersupplemental lessons that link visual artto science, social studies, mathematics,literacy, character development, andafter-school programs. Each Dream-Makers® guide contains colorful, crea-tive standards-based lessons that provideclassroom and art teachers with original,hands-on art activities designed to encourage students to formulate ideas,design solutions, and learn abstract con-cepts. The guides include full-color images of child-created art based on various themes, and many of the guidesfeature fine art and craft reproductionsthat support the lesson content. In addi-tion, the guides provide valuable infor-mation about prospecting for funding tosupport arts-based educational program-ming in schools and organizations.Guides cost $6 each and can be orderedfrom the Web site at www.crayola.com/dreammakers. Contact Ron DeLong,Manager, Educational Curriculum & Resources, at 610-253-6272, ext. 4347,or rdelong@binney-smith.com.

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Instructor Thomas Unger demonstratessculpting to a class of young students at the Baum School of Art in Allentown.

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Civic Theatre of Allentown willoffer weekday student matinees of several of its productions during the the2006–07 season. A Christmas Carol—the Dickens classic and Civic’s annualcontribution to the Lehigh Valley holidayseason—returns in December. In Febru-ary, Seussical the Musical is enacted in aspecial “Theatre for Young Audiences”version. Civic Theatre School studentspresent The Wizard of Oz in May. TheCivic Resident Company is also availableto give drama workshops for children ofall ages and levels of experience. Moreinformation is online at www.civictheatre.com. Contact Scott Snyder at610-433-8903 or scott@civictheatre.com.

The Crayola FACTORY® is ahands-on discovery center that offers thematic, cross-curricular, art-based activities; these activities spark students’creativity and imagination, and encouragelearning through a variety of experiences.Themes change on a quarterly basis. Avisit to each activity area immerses

students in the creative process throughprojects that feature art techniques likesculpting, printmaking, collage, andpainting. Lesson plans for these activitiesare available and are often inspired bythe standards-based Crayola® Dream-Makers® program guide. At the center,students learn about the history of theCrayola® brand that spans from 1864 topresent day and has an important role inart education. They witness the step-by-step Crayola® crayon and marker manu-facturing process at an assembly-linedemonstration area, where they see themagic of red crayons being molded andappearing before their eyes. In the Visionsand Voices exhibit, students explore thecreativity of world-renowned folk artistsand learn art history. In the Cool Movesarea, they discover color and math con-cepts by dancing to create colorful linedrawings on a wall. There is even asweater worn by Mr. Rogers on displayin the Hall of Fame exhibit. Admission to the facility includes a visit to the National Canal Museum, where students

discover America’s canal heritage. Here,the new Waterways exhibit provides astrong educational experience for studentsas they learn about gravity and other con-cepts while examining the dynamics ofloading cargo onto a canal boat and thennavigating it down miniature canals. TheCrayola FACTORY® is appropriate forpreschool, elementary school, and middleschool students. Admission is $9.50 ($9for seniors); infants, age 2 and younger,are free. Special school group rates areavailable and chaperones are free (onefor every five students). To book a classtrip, call group sales at 610-515-8000.The center is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday,9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to5 p.m. Beginning Saturday, September16, morning art classes for children andadults will be offered. In-service trainingfor teachers can be scheduled; there is afee of $50 per person for a three-hoursession. For more details on special pro-gramming opportunities and for a calendarof events, visit www.crayola.com. Con-tact Sylvia Woolf-Gallop at 610-559-6608or swoolf-gallop@binney-smith.com.

The Da Vinci Discovery Center ofScience and Technology is an indepen-dent nonprofit organization dedicated toadvancing inquiry-based learning in science and technology, and to promotingexcellence in these crucial disciplines.The Da Vinci Science Center uses athree-part approach toward accomplish-ing its goals. The first element is its newdemonstration facility in Allentown,which opened on October 30, 2005. Thefacility contains nearly 200 fun, interac-tive hands-on exhibits that stimulate curiosity and intellectual exploration.Field trips to the center may be sched-uled weekdays; these visits are guided bycenter staff and last from three to fourhours. The second element comprisesoutreach programs, such as the VisitingScientist Laboratory and the After-SchoolLaboratory, which bring inquiry-basedlearning to your classroom. The thirdcomponent consists of professional development programs—including theDa Vinci Institute—that assist schoolteachers in incorporating this style oflearning into their classrooms and

During a session of the Urban/Suburban Connection program facilitated by poet/photographer Marilyn Hazelton, Trexler Middle School students experiment with digital photography to create still lifes.

improving their bodies of knowledge inscience and technology. Visit www.davinci-center.org or contact Guest Servicesat 484-664-1002, ext. 121.

DeSales University PerformingArts Department’s Act 1 theatre com-pany gives student matinees of its main-stage productions at the Labuda Centerfor the Performing Arts. Recommendedfor middle to high school students, the2006–07 season will present Alfred Uhry’sTony Award–winning comedy, The LastNight of Ballyhoo; Mark Brown’s hilari-ous Christmas comedy, The Trial ofEbenezer Scrooge; Thornton Wilder’sAmerican classic, Our Town; andStephen Sondheim and James Lapine’senchanting musical, Into the Woods.Talk-back sessions may be scheduledupon request. In the spring, the Act 3company, composed of seniors from thetheatre program, will introduce elemen-tary school students to the magic of livetheatre through morning and afternoonmatinees of Rapunzel. Act 1 also has twoin-school programs. The ShakespeareTouring Company tours on Tuesday andThursday mornings during the fall semester of each academic year. The De-Sales Dance Company gives a 45-minutelecture-demonstration that focuses on thevarious styles and techniques of dance;the presentation encourages audienceparticipation and includes a talk, techni-cal demonstration, performance, andQ&A session. These in-school programscost from $200 to $300. Study guides areavailable. Contact Sophie Regnier, BoxOffice Manager, at 610-282-3654.

Flutations flute choir travels to theschools for concert performances thatteach grades K–12 about musical genres,composers, and instruments. Flutationsworks with the music teacher or band director in the preparation of materials,music, and informational content. Eachpresentation costs $200. By request, theensemble conducts flute workshops forstudents in grades 6–12; the cost is basedon the time required and the school budget. Contact Karen El-Chaar at 610-709-8727 or info@flutations.com.

The Friends of the 1803 Houseoffer free tours for school groups

(children of all ages) at the 1803 Housein Emmaus, a restored and furnishedFederal-style stone farmhouse and National Register landmark. The toursrelate the story of the family who origi-nally occupied the house and take a lookinto the everyday life of colonial Emmaus. Groups are divided into 12children plus an adult chaperone. Eachyear in early September, the 1803 Househosts the Memory Day and Craft Fair,which features period crafts, music, andcreative children’s activities. For a list ofadditional activities, visit www.1803house.com. Contact Alan Hawman at610-967-4747.

The Historic Bethlehem Partner-ship presents interactive programs for students from pre-K through grade 12 atits museums and historic sites: BurnsidePlantation, Colonial Industrial Quarter,Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts,and Moravian Museum of Bethlehem.Fees range from $5 to $7 per student. In-school programs include A Day in theLife of a Colonial Moravian Child ($55per class of 10–25 students) and the Who Was I? traveling trunk ($75, plus$25 refundable security deposit, per two-week rental). All programs link to Penn-sylvania Academic Standards, and studyguides are available. School visits toBurnside Plantation are eligible forMORE for Children funding in LehighCounty. HBP also offers teacher in-service presentations and invites educa-tors to contact its staff for curriculum development ideas. Contact Heather

Weeks, Curator of Education and PublicProgramming, at 610-882-0450, ext. 20,or hweeks@historicbethlehem.org.

Kutztown University PerformingArtists Series gives student matinees atSchaeffer Auditorium on the universitycampus. This year the series focuses on“movement and magic.” The season be-gins in October with Theatreworks USA’sproduction of The Lion, the Witch andthe Wardrobe for grades 1–7. In January,DanceBrazil fills the stage with Afro-Brazilian culture in a combination of livemusic, dance, and capoeira, a martialarts form of dance. In April, the KoreshDance Company presents “Styles ofDance,” a lecture-demonstration thatshowcases the troupe’s unique stylethrough ballet, modern and jazz dance,and hip-hop. Both dance performancesare suitable for grades 1–12. Studyguides are available for participatingteachers. Log on to www. kupas.org formore information. Contact Elaine Bon-fitto, Community Outreach Coordinator,at 610-683-1523 or bonfitto@kutztown.edu.

The Lehigh County Historical Society conducts several tours and programs that are tied to state learningstandards and to local districts’ curricula.Most can be adapted to any grade level.School groups may visit the society’sheadquarters at the new Lehigh ValleyHeritage Center Museum or tour any ofthe society’s historic sites: ClaussvilleSchool, Haines Mill, Lock Ridge Furnace,

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The Bach Choir’sGreg Funfgeld introduces childrento the music ofBach during theBach at Noon concerts at CentralMoravian Church in Bethlehem.

The full-day program costs $1,750; thehalf-day program costs $1,250. The tourmay be booked from October 16 throughNovember 10. Alternatively, schools mayattend the workshops and performance at DeSales University in Center Valleyon October 11, 12, or 13. Workshops and the performance at DeSales cost $27per student; the play alone costs $12 per student; and workshops alone costs $18

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arm of the council publishes artLinks asa resource for educators. The next issueof artLinks will contain information onthe annual Administrators Breakfast, heldin the spring and attended by school andarts-organization administrators, educa-tors, teaching artists, and arts-integrationadvocates. This past spring, the keynotespeaker, Richard J. Deasy (Director, Arts Education Partnership, Washington,D.C.) energized attendees with researchresults on how arts-integration transformsstudents, teachers, schools, and commu-nities. For information on scheduling anin-service on arts-integration and literacyat your school, contact Marilyn Hazelton,Arts-in-Education Program Coordinator,at 610-437-5915 or mhazelton@lvartscouncil.org.

The Lehigh Valley ChamberOrchestra, along with special guestartists, travels to schools throughout theLehigh Valley to perform concerts forgrades K–8. The concerts are presentedat no cost, and to prepare teachers andstudents for the program, a 15–20 pageeducational packet is provided. Thepacket gives information on the works tobe performed, the composers, the histori-cal relationships, and the performing musicians, and it explains what a cham-ber orchestra is and what a conductordoes. LVCO sends key members of theorchestra and its music director into theschools to coach section or full-orchestrarehearsals and to give small-group instruction. When appropriate, studentmusicians may be selected by their musicteachers to sit side-by-side the orchestra’smusicians for an in-school performance;the students meet professionals who playthe same instruments as they do and get afeeling of what it is like to be in a profes-sional orchestra. Contact LoriAnn Wukitsch, Executive Director, at 610-266-8555 or LWukitsch@lvco.org.

The Lehigh Valley StorytellingGuild, a group of professional and ama-teur storytellers, poets, and actors, is dedicated to promoting the art of story-telling, and recommends its members tovisit your classroom to conduct a varietyof programs. In addition, the guild hasdeveloped a guide that explains to teachers and librarians how to set up

storytelling classes/clubs in the schools.Contact Charles Kiernan at 610-799-2742 or cjkiernan@toast.net.

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, a professional theatre in residence at DeSales University and theofficial Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth, produces a special toureach fall for middle and high school students. The annual Linny FowlerWillPower Tour features workshops anda professionally directed performance(complete with sets and costumes) of oneof Shakespeare’s works. This year’s tourilluminates the richness and dimensional-ity of Shakespeare’s characters and thebeauty of his language through an 80-minute production of Hamlet. Highlytrained and experienced actor/teachersconduct full-day or half-day residenciesthat meet academic standards. Each full-day residency comprises a morning ofworkshops, the production of Hamlet inthe afternoon, and a talk-back after theshow. Half-day residencies feature eitherthe workshops or the performance only.The workshops accommodate 120 students, approximately 30 in each offour workshops. Curriculum guides areprovided in advance. The performancemay be attended by as many students asthe school’s venue can accommodate.

Troxell-Steckel House and Farm Museum,George Taylor House, and Trout Hall.Multi-site, daylong, thematic tour combi-nations can be created around the themesof “Colonial Ethnicity in Lehigh County”or “Revolutionary War in Lehigh County.”Each site tour runs 60–105 minutes andcosts $3.25 per person. The society alsooffers programs in your school. A cos-tumed speaker gives a lecture, usingslides and artifacts, on “A Day in theLife of a Colonial Child.” Three “living-history dramas,” complete with costumesand props, come to life in the classroom:Pennsylvania German Immigrant,adapted for various grade levels, andRevolutionary War Militiaman and CivilWar First Defender, both intended forgrades 4 and up. These in-school, inter-active presentations work best withgroups of 60 students or fewer and cost$3.25 per person. Pre- and post-visitstudy guides are provided in conjunctionwith all of the society’s tours and out-reach activities. For educators, LCHSgives teacher-training workshops thatfocus on incorporating local history intothe curriculum; Act 48 continuing educa-tion hours are awarded for participationin these workshops. Contact SarahThayer at 610-435-1074, ext. 15.

The Lehigh Valley Arts Councilprovides innovative arts-integration andliteracy-in-the-classroom programs forteachers. These programs include half-day in-services on Applying Multiple Intelligence Theory; Using StandardsCreatively; and Designing and Planningan Artist Residency. All of the in-servicesprovided by the Arts Council stress theuse and inclusion of local resources. Additionally, the Lehigh Valley ArtsCouncil works with professional teachingartists to create and administer after-school,short-term arts-integration projects. For a second year, the Pennsylvania Depart-ment of Community and Economic Development has approved the ArtsCouncil as an “Educational ImprovementOrganization” to conduct the Urban/Suburban Connection program. In thisinventive arts-integration experience, visual, performance, and word artistswork with urban and suburban schoolstudents who correspond with each othervia their artwork. The Arts-in-Education

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per student. Contact Sally Reith at 610-282-9455, ext. 2, or Sally.Reith@desales.edu.

Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra’sBe Our Guest program makes it possiblefor students and their families to enjoyfull-orchestra concerts at AllentownSymphony Hall via complimentary stu-dent tickets and reduced family-membertickets ($10) that are distributed throughmusic teachers. The program’s objectivesare to expose young people to the excite-ment of an orchestra performance and tooffer an opportunity for quality familyentertainment. This year, the Sinfonia’sguest artists include Michael Gurt, thepopular piano soloist from Louisiana,and the Reese Project, a wonderful,eclectic ensemble that melds classical,jazz, and Celtic influences in a St. Pat-rick’s Day program. Tickets can be or-dered only by forms distributed throughmusic teachers. Letters of invitation aresent to the teachers in August. Call to beincluded on this list. For further informa-tion, visit www.pasinfonia.org. Contactthe Sinfonia office at 610-434-7811 orpasinfonia@verizon.net.

Pennsylvania Youth Theatre offersschool-day performances of all its main-stage productions. The 2006–07 seasonwill present Babes in Toyland for allages, Joan Cushing’s Junie B. Jones anda Little Monkey Business for grades K–5,The Diary of Anne Frank for grades 4–12,and Seussical the Musical for grades1–12. Each production is accompaniedby a standards-based resource guide thatis sent to teachers prior to the perfor-mance. Show-related workshops also areavailable, either before or after the per-formances. In-school programs offer residencies in role-drama, readers theatre,creative movement, and story dramatiza-tion. PYT teaching artists work withclassroom teaches to design curriculum-related teaching units. Examples includeRead and Be, in which children respondto literature through story dramatization;Curtains Up on Reading, which buildsreading fluency through readers theatreand culminates in a readers theatre production; and the Pegasus Project, a creative-movement residency for students with physical disabilities and/

or developmental delays. PYT’s DeafYouth Drama Program provides theatreeducation through signed performancesand summer performing-arts workshops.Contact Pennsylvania Youth Theatre at610-332-1400.

The Pioneer Band of Allentownvisits your middle or high school to rehearse and perform a concert side-by-side the school band. Director Jay Durnerworks with the band director to choose amusical program and to arrange the rehearsal schedule. The Pioneer Band hasapplied for grants to fund this project sothat it may be offered to the schools freeof charge. Contact Mary Paine, President,at 610-691-1726 or pioneerband@rcn.com.

Repertory Dance Theatre conductsa variety of residency programs that usedance as a foundation for interdiscipli-nary programs or that combine dancewith traditional academic areas. Work-shops focused solely on learning the basics of dance are also available. Stu-dents develop their listening skills by exploring rhythm and music; learn move-ment elements, including creative andchoreographic principles and processes;and participate in storytelling and imagi-

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In the Banana Factory’s BananaWORKS program, teens learn job and life skills while creatinga public art project—a mural—at Cottingham Stadium in Easton.

nation exercises. RDT works in advanceof each residency to plan the curriculumwith the school principal and faculty, andto create appropriate curriculum guides.Cost of these programs depends on theextent of the residency and the school’savailable funds. RDT’s professional com-pany also visits schools to give lecture-demonstrations. The dancers demonstratethe basics of ballet and teach a workshopfor elementary school students; studentsmay then audition for RDT’s Talent Identification Program, which offers freedance lessons to at-risk and disadvan-taged youth. RDT’s 2006–07 season willfeature school matinees of The Nutcrackerwith the Allentown Symphony Orchestrain December at Allentown SymphonyHall (morning performances already soldout) and of a story ballet in March at theScottish Rite Cathedral. Study guides forthese performances with exercises set tothe Pennsylvania Academic Standards areavailable. (These performances are partof MORE for Children.) Contact JenniferHaltzman Tracy at 610-965-6216 orRDTDOLLY@aol.com.

SATORI, a mixed chamber musicensemble, whose mission is to presentchamber music in an accessible fashion,

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has five in-school educational programs,with additional programs in develop-ment. Chamber Music—Something forEveryone, for grades K–5, explores theinteraction of music and art with SATORIand a guest visual artist in a blend ofchamber music, visual art, narration, discussion, and audience questions. Inthe Sambas with Attitude! program, anensemble of flute, strings, and classicalguitar performs for elementary and mid-dle school students. The ensemble playsselections from the classical chambermusic repertoire and from the Latin-American and Hispanic traditions; eachselection is introduced and discussed.Music—A Small World, for grades K–5,is an exposure to compositions fromaround the world; performed on flute andguitar, the program is most effectivelypresented with a world map in view fordemonstration. What Do You Hear?teaches grades K–8 to recognize the sixelements of music—melody, harmony,rhythm, tone color, form, and expres-sion—through chamber music, narrativeinstruction, and student participation.These programs cost $250 per singlepresentation, $500 per double presenta-tion. SATORI also gives formal chambermusic concerts for older students; theconcerts feature works from the chambermusic repertoire or can be constructed tocoordinate with curricula. Prices forthese concerts vary with the number ofperformers and the specific requestedmaterial. Study guides are provided inconjunction with all programs. ContactNora Suggs, Artistic Director, at 610-435-6036 or info@satori-chambermusic.org.

Touchstone Theatre offers a numberof residency options for grades 3–12,each of which teaches listening, respond-ing, teamwork, creative problem-solving,group dynamics, and the value of eachindividual voice within a larger group.The Young Playwright’s Lab, a ten-weekprogram for grades 4–12, uses theatre toimprove literacy and to empower youngpeople to share their own stories throughplaywriting. Each student develops his/her work into a one-act play; selectedplays are performed by community andprofessional actors at the annual YoungPlaywright’s Festival in late spring. Finding Your Voice in a New Language

is an eight-week program that assists students (grades 7–12) in ESL and Language Acquisition programs to reachacademic standards through theatre exer-cises; the program culminates in a perfor-mance for peers and teachers. BuildingBridges works with students (grades 4–12)over a ten-week period to develop improved communication, cultural com-petency, teamwork, and trust. This pro-gram also has a performance for teachers,peers, and family. Si Pasa, for grades3–5, is a ten-week program that promotesawareness and appreciation for languagesand cultures through theatre techniques.Touchstone on Tour takes the theatre’soriginal productions to school stages.Each performance runs approximately 60 minutes and includes a talk-back withthe cast and study guides that support thePennsylvania Academic Standards. Oneperformance costs $750 for up to 200students, with discounts given for multi-ple bookings. During the 2006–07 aca-demic year, Touchstone will tour twoproductions for grades K–12. The Talisman: The Fairy Tale Life of HansChristian Andersen tells the story ofyoung Hans as he journeys from hissmall hometown to the large city ofCopenhagen, where he pursues his dreamof becoming a writer. Don Quixote: TheAdventure Begins/Comienza La Aventura,a bilingual production based on the classic novel by Cervantes, incorporatespuppetry, physical comedy, and audienceparticipation. Upon request, Touchstonewill work with teachers to incorporateproduction material into current curric-ula. Special workshops, tailored to meetthe needs of teachers and students, arealso available. Half-day workshops beginat $235. Touchstone welcomes groups(maximum of 75 persons) to visit the theatre for a performance and tour at acost of $600. Contact Vicki Haller, Education Coordinator, at 610-867-1689,ext. 206, or vicki@touchstone.org.

Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University offers education opportunitiesand special performances for students ofall ages. This fall, educational and artisticprofessionals at Zoellner will conduct in-school workshops for grades 1–6. Theseworkshops are connected to the creationof a new dance work, Small Steps, Tiny

artLINKSThis publication is published two times a year. Please continue to submit yourarts-in-education news so that we mayshare it with our readers.

Issue DeadlineWinter/Spring 1/7/07Fall 7/7/07

Mail: Lehigh Valley Arts Council1633 Allen StreetAllentown, PA 18102

Phone: 610-437-5915Fax: 610-437-5916E-mail: info@lvartscouncil.org

Revolutions, which has been commis-sioned to be part of Zoellner’s publicGuest Artists series. This new work isbased on an original poem written by Director of Programs Deborah Sacarakis;it will be set to music by composerSteven Sametz and choreographed byPascal Rioult. After hearing the story ofthe poem and learning about IgorStravinsky and his ballet The Firebird(a special adaptation of which will beperformed with the new piece), students will create their own vision of what theworlds and characters look like; thesestudent creations will be studied by theartistic team and may influence the design of scenery, costumes, music, andchoreography for the final work. The student artwork will be judged, and selected works will be displayed at thepremiere of Small Steps, Tiny Revolutionsin January 2008. For more informationon this project, visit www.zoellnerartscenter.org/commission. In January 2007,the critically acclaimed Quebec perfor-mance company 4D art will give a stu-dent matinee of La Tempête, a stunningversion of Shakespeare’s The Tempest.Presented in French with English sub-titles, the production uses fantastical filmprojections and cutting-edge technologyto create three-dimensional holographiccharacters that interact with live per-formers. Study guides are provided inconjunction with the performance. Tick-ets are $4, free for chaperones. Call 610-758-4074 to order tickets. Zoellner alsooffers tours of the arts center: a generaltour and one that emphasizes technicaloperations. Contact Deborah Sacarakis at610-758-5330 or ds00@lehigh.edu.

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1803 House Memory Day and Craft FairSeptember 9, 2006

“Bach at Noon”September–November 2006January–April 2007

PA Sinfonia Concert SeriesSept., November 2006March, April 2007

Kutztown UniversityPerforming Artists SeriesSchool MatineesOctober 2006January, April 2007

Kutztown UniversityChildren’s SeriesOctober 2006February, April 2007

DeSales University Performing Arts Dept.School MatineesOctober, December 2006February–May 2007

Pennsylvania Youth TheatreSchool MatineesOctober, December 2006March, May 2007

“America’s Music”November 7, 2006

The NutcrackerDecember 7 & 8, 2006

The NutcrackerDecember 13–15, 2006

Celebrating its 27th year of family fun: crafts and antiques, old-time crafts demonstrations, organic producemarket, food and baked goods, live musical entertainment, creative children’s activities, and tours of the 1803House. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at the 1803 House, 55 S. Keystone Avenue, Emmaus. Rain date: September 10. Free.610-967-8911.

Free concert series by the Bach Choir held from 12:10 to 1 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month: September 12, October 10, November 14, January 9, February 13, March 13, and April 10. Central MoravianChurch, Bethlehem. Call for information on how school groups may be accommodated. 610-866-4382.

Music teachers may obtain complimentary student tickets and reduced family-member tickets ($10) to theSinfonia’s series of classical music concerts held September 16, November 18, March 17, and April 21 at Allentown Symphony Hall. Teachers should call to be included on the invitation list. 610-434-7811.

TheatreWorks USA performs The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe on October 4 for grades 1–7. For grades1–12, DanceBrazil fuses traditional and modern Afro-Brazilian dance with acrobatic martial arts on January29, and Philadelphia’s Koresh Dance Company brings its innovative high-energy repertoire to the stage onApril 11. All matinees are given at 10:30 a.m. at Kutztown University’s Schaeffer Auditorium, Kutztown.Tickets (except for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which is $6/student): $4/student (group of 15 ormore); $6/student (group of less than 15). Study guides provided. 610-683-1523.*

Family series: Seussical, enacted by TheatreWorks USA, for ages 4–12, on October 29; Russian AmericanKids Circus, fully staged professional circus with performers between the ages of 6 and 16, for ages 4–12, onFebruary 11; and Cirkus Inferno, celebration of slapstick and mayhem, performed by the Daredevil OperaCompany, for ages 5 and up, on April 22. All shows at 2 p.m. at Kutztown University’s Schaeffer Auditorium,Kutztown. $8/child; $10/adult. 610-683-4511.

The Act 1 company performs 9:45 a.m. shows of The Last Night of Ballyhoo on October 3; The Trial ofEbenezer Scrooge on December 4; Our Town on February 27; and Into the Woods on April 30. $11/person(except for Into the Woods, which is $13/person). Rapunzel, performed by the Act 3 company, runs fromMarch 20 through May 5, Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Thursdays and Saturdays at 10 a.m. $7/person;one free ticket for every ten purchased. Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, Center Valley. 610-282-3654.*

Pennsylvania Youth Theatre offers three productions at the IceHouse on Sand Island, Bethlehem; each produc-tion has two matinees per day (9:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.) during its run. The Diary of Anne Frank, recom-mended for grades 4–12, is presented October 25 and 26. $6/person. Babes in Toyland, for all ages, is performed December 5–7 and 12–14. $6.50/person. Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business, for gradesK–5, is enacted March 19–23. $6/person. On May 21, 22, 23, and 24, PYT performs Seussical the Musical,for grades 1–12, at 9:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 1533 Hamilton Street, Allentown.$6.50/person. Study guides available. 610-332-1400.*

The Allentown Band performs a free concert for Lehigh Valley students at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. at AllentownSymphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth Street, Allentown. Study guides provided. 610-437-3288.

Repertory Dance Theatre and Allentown Symphony Orchestra join for this holiday tradition at AllentownSymphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth Street. School matinees on Thursday at noon and on Friday at 12:15 p.m. Callfor ticket prices. 610-965-6216. (Public performances: December 9 at 1 and 5 p.m. and December 10 at 2 p.m. $17–$33. 610-432-6715.)

Pennsylvania Youth Ballet performs the classic ballet for school audiences at 10 a.m. at the Zoellner ArtsCenter, Lehigh University, Bethlehem. $5.50/student; one teacher or chaperone admitted free per 20 students. 610-865-0353. (Public performances run December 16 at 2 p.m. and December 17 at 1 and 4 p.m.Call the Zoellner box office for tickets: 610-758-2787.)

school matinees • performances • family activities

school matinees • performances . . . continued

* These productions are also performed for the public. For a full schedule of the public shows, consult LVAC’s arts calendar, which is received by members or can be accessed at www.LVArtsBoxOffice.org.

Civic TheatreSchool MatineesDecember 2006February, May 2007

Zoellner Arts CenterSchool MatineeJanuary 16, 2007

“Dances and Fables for the Family”February 3, 2007

“Mr. Bach and Friends”February 10, 2007

Repertory Dance TheatreMarch 23, 2007

“A Different Time, A Different Place”April 19 & 20, 2007

A Christmas Carol is presented on December 5, 6, 12, and 13 at 9 a.m. and noon. Seussical the Musical is performed February 27 and 28 at 9 a.m. and noon. The Wizard of Oz comes to life on May 1 at 9 a.m. andnoon and on May 2 at 9 a.m. Call for ticket information. Civic Theatre, 527 N. 19th Street, Allentown. 610-432-8943.*

4d art, a Canadian performance company, presents La Tempête, a French-with-English-subtitles version ofShakespeare’s The Tempest, at 10 a.m. at the Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem. $4/student;free/chaperone. Study guides available. 610-758-4074.*

The Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra performs its annual “family concert,” accompanied by the Lehigh University Very Modern Ensemble, at 2 p.m. at the Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem.Free/student (limit of 3) with adult ticket holder; $10/adult. 610-432-6715.

Multimedia event for families: Bach Choir, Bach Festival Orchestra, actors from Touchstone Theatre, andyoung dancers from the Repertory Dance Theatre celebrate Bach’s influence on great composers through the centuries at 3 p.m. at the Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem. $6/student; $16/adult. 610-866-4382.

RDT performs a story ballet at 9:45 a.m. and noon at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 1533 Hamilton Street, Allentown. Call for ticket prices. (Public performances: March 24 at 1 and 5 p.m. $12/student or senior;$16/adult.) 610-965-6216.

The Allentown Symphony Orchestra gives school matinees of its annual “family concert” (recommended forgrades 2–6) at 10 a.m. and noon at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth Street. Call for ticket prices. (Public performance on April 22 at 2 p.m. $8/student; $12/adult. Preceded by free Musical Instrument PettingZoo at 12:30 p.m.) 610-432-6715.

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