Bau’s Blaug
The latest news from “the Big Cheese” – Executive Director Bau Graves.
Got on our Travelin’ Shoes, II
Old Town School may be an institution that is unique to Chicago, but these days its connections to a world of music and dance are getting a lot of exercise. For years, the School has brought in an amazing array of talented performers from all over the world for concerts and workshops, and offered a diversity of classes in various ethnic traditions. But now, the process is accelerating, with artists traveling in both directions.
Consider: So far in 2009, eighteen Old Town School teachers have traveled to Morocco, Mexico, Brazil, Finland, Estonia, Russia and Québec, offering workshops and performances – and building relationships with music schools abroad that are our future partners. Right now, a team of six teachers is in India, and four more teachers are headed to Brazil this fall. In September, fiddler Arto Järvelä was our first international artist in residence, astonishing many of us with both his extraordinary musicianship and his droll personality.
One result of all this international travel is the planning of the School’s first foreign excursion that is open to everyone: a weeklong intensive in Veracruz, Mexico. In January, when the weather is appalling in Chicago, Old Town School will take a group to Mexico’s Gulf coast for a week of son Jarocho, zapateado dancing, great food, beaches and Mexican folk traditions. Interested? Contact sharvey@oldtownschool.org to find out all about it.
Old Town School’s International Expeditions are made possible through generous grants from the MacArthur Foundation and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.
Filed under: Uncategorized by Bau | September 26, 2009 | Comments (0)
