Symphony for the Schools Brings Art Forms Together in "Let's Dance!"

Concerts Feature Young Artists' Visual and Performance Art

(PHOENIX) - The Phoenix Symphony's popular daytime educational program Symphony for the Schools continues with "Let's Dance!" May 7-8. These concerts focus on music inspired by or depicting dance, and, coupled with the Symphony's annual Paint, Poetry, and Movement to Music Contest, bring several forms of art together to create a unique educational experience. The Wednesday and Thursday morning performances under the direction of Assistant Conductor Kayoko Dan begin at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. and are sold out.

The selections on the program are drawn from a variety of styles, yet share the common thread of being inspired by dance. Selections such as the "Mazurka" from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Falla's "Dance of the Miller's Wife" from Three-Cornered Hat and the exciting "Sabre Dance" from Khachaturian's Gayane were originally written as part of ballets, while Brahms' mighty Hungarian Dance No. 1 orchestrally depicts a vibrant dance scene. Students will also hear familiar works such as Joplin's The Entertainer and Rimsky-Korsakov's playful "Dance of the Buffoons" from The Snow Maiden.

The Phoenix Symphony's annual Paint, Poetry, and Movement to Music Contest continues this year, encouraging students to respond to classical music in paint, words and dance. Winners selected from the hundreds of submissions in the painting category will have their work projected above the orchestra during the performance and will be displayed in exhibits throughout Arizona as part of a touring gallery with Young Arts Arizona Ltd. Winning poets will recite their works and winning dancers will perform as part of the concerts.

By the end of the end of the season, more than 28,000 children will have experienced a live symphonic performance by The Phoenix Symphony. The Phoenix Symphony Education office provides participating schools with Concert Education Guides that include information and suggest pre- and post-concert curricular activities specific to the concert's program. These teacher resources integrate the concert experience with the Arts and Academics Standards developed by the Arizona Department of Education. The Symphony for the Schools concerts are sponsored by Wells Fargo with additional support from The Arizona Republic and the Phoenix Convention and Theatrical Facilities Department.

For additional information about any of these educational programs, visit The Phoenix Symphony website at www.phoenixsymphony.org, contact the Education Office via email at education@phoenixsymphony.org, or by phone at 602-495-1117, ext. 470.

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About Phoenix Symphony Education programs: The Phoenix Symphony's education and community programs are designed to provide rich cultural experiences of symphonic music for children, students, and adults from around the Valley and greater Arizona. Through The Phoenix Symphony's Education and Community activities, The Phoenix Symphony engages over 85,000 students and adults each year, at over 275 schools valley-wide, and in over 35 cities state-wide. The Phoenix Symphony's Education Programs include "Symphony for the Schools," Classroom Concerts, 21st Century Community Learning Center Program, and a variety of other requested school visits and speaking engagements. Other education initiatives include Student Rush Tickets, Student Discounts, Student Group Rates, and Target Family Concerts. Other community education opportunities include One Nation, Music Mentors, ¡Abraze La Música!, Armonía, Community Ticket Programs, Summer Radio Broadcasts on KBAQ, People's Pops Concerts, and "Musically Speaking."

About Assistant Conductor Kayoko Dan: A versatile conductor, Kayoko Dan is active in the field of orchestra, ballet, and opera. In 2003, Ms. Dan was awarded the David Effron Conducting Fellowship at the Chautauqua Institute, and in 2007 was a recipient of the 2007 Karajan Fellowship for Young Conductors, mentored by the Vienna Philharmonic. She has participated in numerous conducting workshops including the International Bartok Festival, American Symphony Orchestra League's Donald Thulean Conducting Workshop, Conductor's Guild Workshop, and was invited by Maestro Kurt Masur to participate in a seminar at the Manhattan School of Music. Recently she was invited by Maestro Leonard Slatkin as a Debut Conductor to participate in the National Conducting Institute, where she led the National Symphony Orchestra in a live performance in June 2007. Additionally, she was showcased at the 2007 Bruno Walter Conductors' Preview in Florida. A native of Japan, Ms. Dan holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and Arizona State University, and her teachers have included Timothy Russell, Timothy Muffitt and William Reber.

About The Phoenix Symphony: Celebrating its 60th Anniversary Season, The Phoenix Symphony has been proudly serving the citizens of the Phoenix metropolitan area and Arizona since 1947. What began as an occasional group of musicians performing a handful of concerts each year (in a city of fewer than 100,000 people) today serves more than 300,000 people annually, with 275 concerts and presentations throughout the greater Phoenix area and beyond.

Under the artistic leadership of Michael Christie as the Virginia G. Piper Music Director and administrative leadership of President Maryellen H. Gleason, the orchestra is overseen by the non-profit Phoenix Symphony Association under Board Chairman Ed Wolf.

The 76-member Phoenix Symphony presents an annual season from September through the beginning of June, featuring full-length Classical and Pops concerts at Sym­phony Hall in downtown Phoenix, along with a variety of symphonic and community performances in Mesa, Prescott, Scottsdale, and throughout central Arizona. The Symphony performs for more than 50,000 students and children, helping to introduce music to new generations through a variety of education and youth-engagement programs.

LET'S DANCE
Wells Fargo Symphony for the Schools

May 7 - Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. & 12 p.m.
May 8 - Thursday morning at 10 a.m. & 12 p.m.
Symphony Hall

THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY

Kayoko Dan, conductor

Form, Beauty, Grace - music and dance share many Traits. Great dance works, including Falla's "Dance of the Miller's Wife," Sabre Dance from Gayane and Joplin's The Entertainer, illustrate how music can move us! Is the student in your life attending? Contact their teacher today to find out!