A Holiday Tradition

What better way to ring in the holidays than with a performance of a time-honored classic? Sure, you've been listening to music by Bing, Andy and Karen for a few weeks now, but you can really get yourself into the right spirit by attending one of Settlement's four performances of The Nutcracker.

With beautiful costumes, a heartwarming story, and talented young performers from across the Philadelphia region, it's a great opportunity to see how much fun dance at Settlement can be. Our dance faculty--Olga Blumenkrantz at the Kardon-Northeast Branch and Kaye Fernandez at the Mary Louise Curtis, West Philadelphia and Camden Branches--have done a terrific job of adapting The Nutcracker for our smaller stages and dancers.

Settlement's dance students have put a lot of hard work into this year's performances. One of the best parts about attending The Nutcracker year after year? Watching the dancers move from role to role. Last year's polichinelle could be this year's Marie. A marzipan from a few years ago might now be the Sugar Plum Fairy. These holiday performances really showcase the progression and increasing skill of these young performers.

Dates and times for the performances are as follows:

Saturday, December 17, 11 AM, Kardon-Northeast Branch
Sunday, December 18, 3 PM, Mary Louise Curtis Branch
Monday, December 19, 6 PM, Camden Branch
Wednesday, December 21, 6 PM, West Philadelphia Branch

Many thanks to West Philadelphia Branch board member Sean Kardon for taking these pictures at the Mary Louise Curtis Nutcracker rehearsal last week. You can see more pictures on our Facebook page!

Settlement Visits the National Guild for Community Arts Education Conference

Last week, West Philadelphia Branch Director Carolyn Fitzgerald attended the National Guild for Community Arts Education Annual Conference. Today, we turn the blog over to her for a summary of the event. Take it away, Carolyn!

There is something magical about being in the same place with people who share your passion. Some people may believe that being with like-minded people limits you, but not when you are with the members of the National Guild for Community Arts Education. The Guild hosted its annual conference in Boston from November 10-12, and offered pre-conference workshops the day before. I was fortunate enough to attend both the full conference and a pre-conference Engaging Adolescents Institute.

The view over Boston

This was my first experience with the National Guild conference, and the experience sent me back to the West Philadelphia Branch with a head full of inspiration, new ideas and viewpoints. The Engaging Adolescents Institute was by far my favorite day of the conference. From 9:30 am through 4:30 pm, members of the Guild discussed, debated and examined the Engaging Adolescents Initiative that the organization researched and published in 2010 (which is available free of charge here).

The Guild invited youth scholars from Boston’s Hyde Square Task Force to facilitate parts of the discussion and actively advise the professionals in the room about what attracts and keeps teens in programs. Presentations from model programs were given by San Antonio’s SAY Si, Detroit’s Mosaic Youth Theatre, and Brooklyn’s Ifetayo Cultural Arts. Each organization has a different strategy for recruiting and retaining teens in their communities and offered valuable guidance and advice to the institutions gathered.

The formal conference kicked off bright and early Thursday morning with introductions by Guild staff and board. This was the largest conference in the Guild’s history! The keynote speaker was Will Power—actor, playwright, and hip-hop artist—who both performed for the opening breakfast and spoke about engaging today’s teens. His speech set the tone for conference – one of being open to dialogue and change.

I attended two luncheons, one with the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Guild where I met organizations from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C. Philadelphia was well-represented with members from Settlement (of course!), Temple Music Preparatory, Mural Arts, Fleischer Art Memorial, Walnut Street Theatre, University City Arts League and many more.

Another highlight of the conference was attending Jazz at Lincoln Center’s presentation on Arts for Life: Marrying Skills-Based and Aesthetic Education Practices. As many students at the West Philadelphia Branch know, I am a huge jazzhead and a big fan of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s programming. Joanna Massey, Eli Yamin, and LaFrae Sci created a wonderful, informative and interactive presentation. They demonstrated the teaching methods that the Middle School Jazz Academy has had success in implementing and had all of us singing, improvising and harmonizing Wade in the Water.

Drum Circle at South Shore Conservatory

My final day, Saturday, was spent visiting the South Shore Conservatory and attending the Annual Guild Luncheon. Jane Golden of Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program was one of the honorees at the luncheon. Jane gave a powerful speech on the power of arts to enact true, positive change in the community. Her program is a testament to arts education that has changed the landscape of Philadelphia. As a resident of Philadelphia, I am thankful I get to view the gorgeous murals her program creates.

A choir performs at the Annual Guild Luncheon

The Guild demonstrates that learning in the arts can be a life-long process. It provides wonderful learning opportunities for its members by holding this conference and various institutes throughout the year. I can’t wait for, and hope I have the opportunity to attend, next year’s conference in Dallas, Texas.

The Myriad Talents of Settlement Faculty on Display

If you missed the Karin Fuller Capanna Faculty Recital on October 16, then you're in luck, because we've made portions of it available on our YouTube channel.

Among the pieces you can see there are two compositions by Settlement faculty members. Roberto Pace, the Robert Capanna Fundamentals of Music Distinguished Faculty Chair, teaches both piano and theory at Settlement, and composed a piece titled Quartet for Piano and Strings. Originally commissioned for the Benjamin and Carol Auger Contemporary Music Advanced Study Ensemble by the group's namesake, the piece was performed in its entirety for the first time at this concert.

Closing the recital, the School featured a piece by Michael Djupstrom, perhaps not coincidentally also a piano and theory instructor, titled Daydreams and Night Visions.



Keep your eye on our YouTube channel, and mark it as one of your favorites, because we've got plans to add much more content in the coming months. Interested in seeing something specific about our programs? Let us know in comments here or on our Facebook page, where you can also find pictures from the faculty recital.

Marching to the Beat of a Very Big Drum

As a few of you may already know, there's a vibrant community of Taiko drummers in Philadelphia, and Settlement is a big part of it. And if you don't know what we're talking about? Taiko is a traditional Japanese drumming that uses specially designed drums and incorporates stylized movement into each performance.

Need a visual? Check out members of Settlement's Taiko ensemble in action at last year's Philly Fashion Week.



That's Taiko teacher (and new Mary Louise Curtis Branch Director) Kris Rudzinski leading off the performance. If you like what you see, being a part of it has never been easier.

Just this week, we announced a series of 5-week Taiko classes at our West Philadelphia Branch on Wynnefield Avenue. You can see the full offerings here.

These classes start October 3, but there's still time to get involved. If you have any questions, call our West Philadelphia Branch for details at 215-320-2640 or leave a comment below!

PA First Lady Susan Corbett Visits Settlement

Pennsylvania First Lady Susan Corbett, Chair of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, stopped by Settlement's Mary Louise Curtis Branch on June 2 to take a tour of the Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts Enrichment Program. Along with Executive Director Helen Eaton, Early Childhood Program Director Tarrell Davis, and West Chester University professor Dr. Eleanor Brown, Mrs. Corbett watched a performance, sat in on dance and art classes, and participated in a music class.

Here, Mrs. Corbett and the aforementioned group took in a dance class.

She really got into the spirit of the music class!
One of the great advantages of the Kaleidoscope program is that through its arts-focused curriculum, students enter kindergarten more prepared than children in traditional preschool programs. Dr. Brown's study found that students from Kaleidoscope had vocabulary scores three times higher than their peers from traditional programs.

Later, the Kaleidoscope students presented Mrs. Corbett with a banner celebrating her visit.

For more photos from the event, check out our Facebook page!

Settlement's 103rd Anniversary Gala Featured in Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia has a busy social calendar this time of year, and the School's 103rd Anniversary Gala happens right in the thick of it. The Gala, along with the first-ever Luxury Raffle, was a great success, and our guests danced long into the night.

If you pick up today's Philadelphia Inquirer, you can see a few of the Gala attendees on the Social Circuit page. And if you're impatient, you can see them online, right now, by clicking here.

Of course, if you 'like' Settlement on Facebook, you've already seen a wide array of photos from the event. You do like Settlement on Facebook, don't you? Don't miss out! Visit our page and hit the Like button today!

While you're there, take a look at photos from a recent collaboration between our Gleeksman-Kohn Children's Choir and the Chicago Children's Choir.

Advanced Study Ensembles Hit the Stage

In case you missed it, our Advanced Study Ensembles performed this past Sunday, March 6. As always, the students did not disappoint; it was a rousing evening of classical and modern music.

As is our custom lately, we've posted video of the concert on our YouTube channel. Each of the Advanced Study groups is represented, so take a look and let us know what you think in the comments section of each video.

And don't forget to check out the gallery of photos from the concert on our Facebook page.

If you're following us on Twitter, you'd have all this info already, since we tweeted the photos as they were taken, and we tweeted the videos as they were uploaded. Useful thing, Twitter. Take a second and follow us, if you haven't already.

Settlement Music School is Closed Today, Thursday, January 27

Due to last night's snowstorm, Settlement Music School will again be closed for lessons and classes today, Thursday, January 27.

Updates will be posted on the Settlement website, www.smsmusic.org, on the recorded messages at each branch, and on KYW. The Philadelphia emergency closing number 154 applies to all branches.

We anticipate opening as usual on Friday, January 28, but check the sources listed above to find out for sure.

Settlement is Closed Today, Wednesday, January 26

Due to the current snowstorm, Settlement Music School will be closed for lessons and classes today, Wednesday, January 26.

Updates will be posted on the Settlement website, www.smsmusic.org, on the recorded messages at each branch, and on KYW. The Philadelphia emergency closing number 154 applies to all branches.

All of these sources will be updated as soon as possible on Thursday morning to let you know the status of the School.

Thanks, and stay warm!

Kicking Things Off at Willow Grove

On Saturday, January 8, at the close of the first full week of lessons and classes at the Willow Grove Branch, the School held two performance hours. Not so unusual, as performance hours are a regular Saturday tradition at Settlement. These performance hours were special, though, because they were the first performance hours held at the new Willow Grove Branch.

The performance hour is a special part of the Settlement experience, as it gives every student the opportunity to practice the their skills in front of an audience. A more relaxed setting than a formal student recital, the performance hour is a great opportunity for students of any age and skill level.

You can see more photos from the performance hour at our Facebook page, and videos of some of the performances on our YouTube page.

But the performance hour wasn't the only thing happening at the new Branch this weekend. The School held an exclusive first look for its board members, faculty and staff. A few brave souls ventured out into the Saturday's snow to see the new facility first hand.

Leonard Mellman, pictured above with Executive Director Helen Eaton (left) and Branch Director Marsha Hogan (right), stopped by to take a look at the recital hall that bears his name.

Chair of the Central Board of Trustees, Joseph W. Waz, Jr., also dropped by, along with his wife, Ann Stookey Waz. Along their tour, they surveyed the new percussion studio. An improvement over the basement studio at the Jenkintown, faculty members have noted that students are initially distracted by the room with a view.
Haven't seen the new branch for yourself yet? Stop on by! Check the web site for hours of operation!