May 15, 2024
On Friday, May 3rd, art and music came together to create a collaborative gallery event in Arizona. Young Arts Arizona Ltd., Upward and Onward and The Phoenix Symphony’s Mind Over Music© program joined forces under the theme, “What does music look like?” The result was a display of creativity and collaboration that showcased the visual interpretation of sound.
Young Arts Arizona Ltd., known for its dedication to showcasing student artwork, partners with schools and social agencies to bring forth art pieces crafted by students within existing curricula. Upward and Onward, a transitional program focused on preparing students for success and independence, provided a platform for its students to explore the visual representation of music. The Phoenix Symphony’s Mind Over Music© program further enriched the collaboration by integrating music understanding with STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) concepts in content-area classrooms.
Under the guidance of Carly Bacha, leader of the Upward and Onward program, and Phoenix Symphony musician Jenna Daum, students embarked on a journey of artistic expression. Over multiple sessions, they experimented with various mediums such as clay, watercolor and ink to capture the essence of music. The project not only showcased their creativity but also fostered a sense of innovation and collaboration.
Jenna Daum expressed her delight in working with Carly Bacha, highlighting their partnership’s openness to new ideas and projects. Carly echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of modeling experimentation for their students.
Following the gallery event on May 3rd, the artwork is being displayed in over 40 galleries across Arizona, thanks to Young Arts and their President and CEO, Judy Wolf. Keep an eye out for these incredible pieces around the Valley, including Symphony Hall during the 2024/25 season.
To hear more about the students’ experiences and insights into their artwork, listen to a few discuss their work:
