Contemporary Music | Modern Music | Voices of Change


	Marvelous Movie Music 2011-2012 Voices of Change presents a new music program introducing the importance of music in movies. The program is the length of a regular class period, or can be extended, if desired. Students will be introduced to the functions of music in the movies by watching and analyzing age appropriate film excerpts from cartoons, adventure and suspense genres. They will learn about such concepts as: Building intensity of a movie scene with music Telling unspoken thoughts and feelings of characters with music Mickey-Mousing – music directly synchronizing with film action for humor Grades 4 -8. Attendance: 15-30 students. Cost $75. Dr. Francis Osentowski presents a humorous and entertaining interactive session on “Music of the Movies.” Students will view clips from famous movies and discuss why music is important in making us laugh, cry or even scream. How does music tell us the location of the action and the time frame? Film clips include: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Casablanca, Batman, and the classic King Kong. The class begins with an informal quiz featuring music clips from Jaws, Star Wars, Twilight and Kung Foo Panda. Requirements: audio/visual equipment to play audio CD’s and view film clips. Dr. Osentowski is a published composer who received music degrees from University of North Texas and completed a film music composition course at Berklee in Boston. He composes music in a wide variety of styles including orchestral, choral, jazz, electronic, commercials and films. He is currently Professor of Music at North Lake Community College, and has taught in the DCCCD since 1970. Cancellation policy: Cancellations must be made at least two weeks before the scheduled program date. One week notification is required if rescheduling is needed, unless due to inclement weather. Programs may be rescheduled by calling Eileen McKee at 214-378-8670. My Neighborhood Celebration 2010-2011 As a vehicle for drawing the community together through new music composition, during the past school year (2010-2011) Voices of Change new music ensemble of Dallas has engaged students from seven DallasISD schools (selected with the assistance of the DallasISD Fine Arts Department) in the My Neighborhood Celebration project. Students first wrote poems about their personal experiences in their neighborhoods as part of a poetry contest. Then selected classrooms composed musical materials to accompany the winning poems. The results are the basis for the creation of a song-cycle by VOC project director and composer, Mary Alice Rich. Rich visited classrooms once in the fall 2010, and once in the spring 2011. In these workshops, students read the selected poems out loud, discussed the stories and emotions found in the poems, talked about creating music to reflect the stories, and wrote rhythmic and melodic material in teams of 5 or 6 students. Then the composer or the classes themselves created a composition using the musical themes that the students wrote. The length of the entire composition will be about 30 minutes. The final performance, bringing students from all schools together, will be at El Centro College on May 7, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. A grant from Target is assisting this project, and Voices of Change is accepting additional donations to cover remaining costs. The My Neighborhood Celebration engages students from seven recognized and exemplary schools (although considered underserved), representing all parts of Dallas, that have been selected with the assistance of the DallasISD Fine Arts Department. Students from these schools have been encouraged to write poems about their personal experiences in their neighborhoods as part of a poetry contest, and the winning poems will be set to music in a collaboration between students, teachers, and VOC composers. Funded by grant from Target, the program will come full circle when the completed song cycle is performed by the students Saturday, May 7, 2011 at 2:00 pm at El Centro College. Mary Alice Rich, local composer and music teacher, also previously a professional violinist with the Dallas Opera Orchestra, is the project director for Voices of Change. Rich says, “We at Voices of Change are very excited about this project and view it as a way to reach out to the community and its children. We want to add something positive to Dallas schools and to express pride in our city through the theme of "My Neighborhood." The student poems are heartfelt and honest, and for the final concert we have selected some that are funny, insightful and poignant.” photos by Francis Osentowski Rich continues, "One of the participating music teachers called to report that a student, who had been having trouble in school, entered the contest and suddenly began to write prolifically. When her poem was selected as a winner, it meant a great deal to this young girl. The teachers in the Language Arts Department believe she is a born writer whose gift has been uncovered through this project." In addition to the poetry, the project will encourage students to discover basic composition techniques, participate in the creation of music, and perform in the concert. Approximately 400 elementary students will be involved in the project, from these schools: John H. Reagan, T.G. Terry, Stephen Foster, L.L. Hotchkiss, Highland Meadows, Julius Dorsey, and J.J. Rhoads Learning Center. The culmination of the project will be the creation of a series of songs coordinated by Ms. Rich. Winning poems have been selected, and Rich has been visiting classrooms throughout the school year presenting small workshops. Students formed teams for writing short compositions which are then woven into the song settings. In some of the schools, the music teachers have opted to have the students and teachers create every aspect of the music. The completed composition will be about 30 minutes in length. The final performance, bringing students from all schools together, will be at El Centro College on May 7, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. The entire process will be documented on the Voices of Change website, including photos and videos. The My Neighborhood Celebration Project is sponsored by a community grant from Target that covers most of the costs; however, Voices of Change is seeking donations to cover the costs of transportation to the final concert at El Centro utilizing Dallas County Bus Services. Please contact Voices of Change at 214-378-8670 with any offers of assistance, or for further information. — Related Programs — Audience Education Voices of Change is dedicated to educating Dallas audiences about new music by fostering and cultivating the creation of new music by commissioning and performing works by contemporary composers. An educational forum prior to each performance is taught and facilitated by the program annotator and usually includes one or more of the visiting composers. The presentation illuminates themes and styles of the music to be performed which prepares listeners for greater understanding and enjoyment of the concert and modern chamber music in general. Education for Children For the children of Dallas, Voices of Change collaborates with the Dallas ISD ArtsPartners program to bring performances and discussions of modern music into the public schools. The Voices of Change teachers offer schools a choice of programming that connects social studies, science, literature, creative thinking and problem solving skills to music and the imagination. Our professional musicians lead students in the study and composition of new music based on poetry, sounds, game, stories and real-life scenarios. In addition, students explore traditional versus non- traditional uses of instruments and learn how to create their own musical instruments and compositions. All programs are interactive, informal and typically the length of a class period. Study guides provide a review of music history and include fun activities and games to reinforce new vocabulary. In addition, the guides contain ideas for further exploration involving writing projects and other creative activities. Composing Music – Then And Now Although we often think of classical music as something that was written by men in powdered wigs three hundred years ago, new classical music is being composed all the time. Students learn about the lives of composers, the history of music and distinguishing characteristics of both classical and contemporary compositions. After comparing works by a variety of composers from different styles and time periods, they put their skills to the test by creating and performing their own composition. Grades 3-5. Attendance: 10-100 students. Cost $200. Karen Moyer, soprano and member of the Voices of Change Board of Directors. Building A Bridge To New Music Using stories, musical games and class participation, this program demonstrates traditional versus non-traditional uses of musical instruments. Students learn how new music is created, discover ways to construct their own musical instruments from common household items and participate in the creation of a musical composition. Grades 3-12. Attendance: 15-50 students. Cost $50. Mary Alice Rich, violin/composer and member of the voices of Change Advisory Board. Opera Comes To Life Our musicians help students discover the amazing stories behind those operatic sounds on the stage. Believe it or not, our daily lives are filled with the kinds of experiences which can create an opera. Students learn how even a simple phone call or a children's nursery rhyme can turn into a theatrical, musical performance. In this class, they have the opportunity to imagine, design and perform in their own opera improvisation. Grades 3-5. Attendance: 10-100 students. Cost $400. Karen Moyer, soprano and member of the Voices of Change Board of Directors. Young Composers Project Voices of Change Board Member, Russell Horn created the annual Young Composers Award in 1998. In 2006 the Dallas Symphony Orchestra partnered with Voices of Change and multiplied our ability to support young composers. The Voices of Change/Dallas Symphony Orchestra Young Composers Project is charged with identifying and encouraging exceptionally talented young composers in North Texas.