Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Gather the kids -- it's time for the Children's Arts Festival

Kill the Wabbit!


What's Opera, Doc? - The most amazing videos are a click away


What: Annual Children’s Arts Festival: “Adventures in Music,”
Featuring selections from soundtracks to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Fellowship of the Ring and Bugs Bunny’s What’s Opera, Doc?(Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries & Tannhäuser Overture)

When: Sunday, June 7, 2009 at 2 p.m. – activities at 2 p.m., concert at 3 p.m.

Where: Schlesinger Concert Hall, NOVA Community College, Alexandria campus, 3001 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA

Price: $5 general admission

Info: Call 703-548-0885 or visit www.alexsym.org for tickets

This year's Children's Art Festival promises to be a great family day full of arts and crafts, exploration, and music. Art created by Alexandria school children will be displayed. Children will be able to play with orchestra instruments and make their own instruments to take home using paper towel rolls and rubber bands.

Kids -- no matter if they are piano prodigies or just wear a hole in "Kidz Bop" -- will benefit from the experience of listening to a live orchestra. They will hear music from Bugs Bunny, The Lord of the Rings and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

The whole family can listen to powerful live music, dance, create and play all day for only $5 per person!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Help pass Obama's amazing arts budget

Last week, President Obama released his plans for funding the arts, and well, it's pretty fantastic news for those of us who love music and art.

As Americans for the Arts President & CEO Robert Lynch noted in a press statement, "The president's proposed funding of $161 million would take the NEA to its highest funding level in 15 years and will help continue the upward trend of budgetary growth that Congress established several years ago. In contrast to the previous administration, this year's budget includes funding for the Arts in Education program at the Department of Education at $38.16 million."

Of course, this isn't the end. Please send a message to your senator and representatives to urge them to support the president's budget. Let's keep art in our public schools!