2009-2010 Season

Dukes of Dixieland
November 6, 2009
7:30 pm

Corky Siegel Chamber Blues
January 22, 2010
7:30 pm

Intersection Trio
February 13, 2010
7:30 pm

Thomas Pandolfi, Piano
February 26, 2010
7:30 pm

Proteus 7, Brass
March 12, 2010
7:30 pm

Into the Schools

DOES IT REALLY MATTER?

The true results of the aggressive program to bring fine arts to children will be known over their lifetime. For now we have the knowledge that we have planted seeds on very fertile soil. Many of the students who attend the programs at their schools may never darken the door of a true concert hall; may never play an instrument; may never conduct a symphony. However, the converse is also possible. Within each of these children may be the next great composer or conductor, or the person who supports and loves the arts. It is imperative that they be given this opportunity.

Each year the education programs supported by First Arts Concert Series reach six to eight hundred school children minimum. To watch their faces and to hear their questions of the artists is a fine result in itself. The artists are excited about bringing their craft to the students and know full well the importance of "growing" a new audience for the arts. It is our responsibility to hand down this important part of our culture and heritage and to know that we leave it in good hands.

With that being said, perhaps the most important result is in the life of a child when he or she is a child. It has been proven over and over that fine music and art, and participation in such programs, changes lives. There have been so many studies tracking test scores and achievement of students who participate in music programs. Even things like dexterity and eye-hand coordination improve with participation in music disciplines. Self-confidence and esteem grow with successes in the arts. Children are to be guided and nurtured into the strong adults that will take over our world. The arts truly are an important part of this growth.

First Arts Concert Series will continue to search for ways to bring the arts to our school children in Okaloosa County. We believe that this is one of our most important reasons for our existence. One child wrote, "I know it wasn't easy becoming a musician because I am learning to play the guitar. Your friend, Haden." Who knows, one day we may be bringing Haden in concert to awaken a love for music in another child.

An objective of the First Arts Concert Series is the development of our audience. What better place to start than with our children. Each year we apply for grant monies to support efforts to take concert artists into the school system.
In addition to the concerts First Arts supports master classes, school workshops, and other events that bring outstanding opportunities to the community for family entertainment. This year's program marks the seventeenth season for the concert series.

Each concert brings an opportunity for additional use of the artists to expand the fine art outreach to the community; however, these additional opportunities require funding to make the opportunity a reality. Children are at such a perfect age to introduce the arts. The school music programs do a wonderful job, but bringing professional musicians gives an awareness of and excitement for music that the schools do not have the resources to bring on their own. We want to share this gift of music with this most precious of our resources, our children. Additionally, adults in our community hunger for the same kinds of education programs. In truth audiences of all ages benefit greatly and are enriched by the programs that bring artists in a classroom environment and we are proud to offer this opportunity.

The following activities have been paid for and sponsored by First Arts Concert Series to add fine arts enrichment to the fine school programs in Okaloosa County Schools:

Rekkenze Brass Quintet from Hof, Germany
Workshop at FWB High School open to all county band students

Donald Davis, Storyteller
Workshops at Shalimar Elementary and New Heights Elementary schools showing how to tell a story: what makes a good beginning, a good ending, and what it needs to hold it together.

Jaquline Mishoe, MIME Workshop with children to teach the art of Mime
Neal Ramsey, Saxophonist Workshops at New Heights and Longwood Elementary Schools introducing them to all but one of the members of the "Sax" family.

John McCutcheon, Folk singer and storyteller. During programs for students from Shalimar, Longwood, and Mary Esther Elementary schools as well as students from two preschools he demonstrated his craft and had the children participating. He taught a folk song in Russian and in American Sign Language.

" Amahl and the Night Visitors"
In house production for the community of this children's opera by Gian Carlo Minotti. Area children participated in and attended the production.

New Century Saxophone Quartet School performances at Wright and Elliot Point Elementary Schools. First Arts commissioned a work for this group with composer, David Ott. Mr. Ott attended the performances and was introduced to the students as a composer.

David Ott, "Meet the Composer" school workshops are offered to school music teachers.

Cavani String Quartet for two days of school and community workshops. During this two-day residency the quartet visited 4 area schools and interacted with approximately 1000 students.

Chamber Orchestra Kremlin presented a school concert for 500 elementary students that not only entertained and taught, but also involved some of the students in directing the orchestra.