Words from the Director:  June Bloom

Katie Manger and Darion Flores dance a scene from Coppelia at the Spring Dance Festival.

The first two weeks of June have been among the busiest and most rewarding of my tenure at the Hartt Community Division.  I attended several outstanding performances, including the Concert Winds and String Ensemble, the vocal honors concert, the Suzuki group class concert and the Spring Dance Festival.  The performances were first-rate, reflecting the Community Division’s well-earned reputation for excellence in music and dance.

The Community Division also hosted its first spring audition day for music students.  Nearly 300 students from outsidethe Hartt Community Division auditioned for our various ensembles and chamber music program.  We can look forward to a strong group of performing ensembles in the next school year.  The Community Division is increasingly being considered the go to institution for performing arts education for all of Connecticut.

Behind the scenes, I have been working on a number of important projects that will have a large impact on the performing arts in our region.  As a member of the Hartford Public Schools Arts Task Force, I am helping to create a long-term vision for arts education for Hartford youngsters. The work of this group complements our already strong commitment to the Hartford residents through such programs as the Fund for Access, Dance Program For City Youth and the Blue Hills Suzuki Project.

I have also been closely involved in planning the 2009 Hartt Gala - slated for Saturday, November 14th at the Handel Center for the Performing Arts.  For the first time ever, all proceeds from the Gala will be directed toward Community Division programs.  You should all receive “Save the Date” cards in the near future.

Finally, plans are developing for a proposed Community Division alumni association.  Imagine being able to connect with Community Division students from nine decades dating back to 1920!  Locating our alumni will be a fun and exciting project that we will combine with special ceremonies and performances.

I look forward to seeing you all in our summer music and dance programs.  Good things continue to happen at the Hartt Community Division because of the support and dedication of our students and families.

Dr. Mark George, Director
The Hartt School Community Division

 

Summer is on its Way!  Register Now for Private Music Lessons!

Summer will be here soon!  The summer session begins next week!. 
If your summer plans include some private lessons, be sure to talk to your teacher
soon to make arrangements.  Then contact the HCD Office at (860) 768-4451
or harttcomm@hartford.edu to register. 
Or
CLICK HERE to download a registration form.

The tuition rates per lesson are as follows:
30 minute lesson:                      $36.50
45 minute lesson:                      $50.50
60 minute lesson:                      $67.00

A $15.00 registration fee is also assessed for all summer students taking 3 or more lessons.

We hope to see you over the summer!

2009-2010 Private Lesson Registration Mailing

Check your mailbox next week for the 2009-2010 Private Lesson Registration materials.


AUGUST 1st ~ Early Registration Deadline
    
Save $25 by sending your signed form in on or before August 1st!

We can no longer accept registration over the telephone
 because we need your signature on the registration form.
Please return your forms in person, by fax or mail.

News from the HCD Dance Department

Our Fall Schedules are almost ready and we are aiming to have them up on our website July 1st.   Our Fall classes will begin Tuesday, September 8th. In the meantime, if you have not signed up for any of our summer programs yet, here is a brief reminder of all the programs the Dance Department is offering this summer.

For young children 3-5 we have two Music & Movement Workshops lined up.  These workshops are a great way to stimulate children’s creativity and imagination using music, stories and songs.

The Children’s Ballet Workshop returns again this year and is a very popular half-day workshop.  There are two Children’s Ballet Workshops scheduled during the summer for children ages, 3-5 & 5-8.

For the serious young dancer ages 8yrs – 14yrs we have a full day program called the Youth Ballet & Dance Intensive, which begins every morning with a ballet technique class, followed by a pointe class for those students already on pointe or a prep for pointe class for those who are not on pointe yet.   The rest of the day will vary day by day, but examples of classes the students will take are: tap, jazz, modern, improvisation, dance appreciation, dance composition and creative studies. Save $75 dollars by signing up for both weeks before July 7th.

For children age 10 an up & adults we have a terrific program of classes running for 6 weeks in the evenings beginning July 7th.

Love Broadway?  Well, the Dancing on Broadway Summer Workshop returns for 2 full weeks jam packed with classes focused on the musical theater aspect of dance.

More detailed information on these summer dance programs are on our website at: www.hcd.hartford.edu click on summer dance

Hartt Community Division dance students.

Graduating Seniors & their College Plans
Congratulations & Best Wishes!

Congratulations to these graduating seniors!  We wish you all the best of luck in the future!  We hope your musical experiences at the Hartt Community Division serve you well in your future endeavors!

BASS CORNER

Did you know that we have bass Players of all ages at Hartt?

This is Maxwell Thorpe, age 9

Bass players!
Join us for the Hartt Suzuki Institute! 
We will have lots of fun!

People’s Bank Summer Music Concert Series

We hope you will join us!

Hartt Guitar Festival to Feature Concerts, Master Classes


Jason Vieaux

International concert artist Jason Vieaux will join this year's Hartt Guitar Festival.

International concert artist Jason Vieaux will join Hartt Guitar Department Chair Richard Provost and faculty member Christopher Ladd for a week-long Guitar Festival featuring free evening concerts and daily master classes. The festival will take place from Monday, June 22, to Saturday, June 27.

The event is open to classical guitarists of all levels and aspirations who desire to improve and refine their playing and performance skills by studying with professional classical guitarists. For details and registration information, visit www.harttschoolguitarfestival.com.

The Festival will feature Jason Vieaux, Richard Provost, and Christopher Ladd in a free concert on Monday, June 22, at 7:30 p.m., in Berkman Auditorium (Fuller Music Center).

There will be three additional concerts as well – the first on Wednesday, June 24, by Peter Clemente, and the second on Thursday, June 25, by Mark Delprorira. A closing concert featuring the students participating in the festival will be held on Friday, June 26. These three concerts will all take place in Berkman Auditorium and will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Classes will meet Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Each faculty member will teach a two-hour class daily. Students will receive lessons from each of the instructors during the week. Lessons will be given in a master class setting. Non-performing students will be given the opportunity to ask questions after each lesson and during the daily question-and-answer sessions.

On Wednesday, June 24, from 1 to 5 p.m., Jerald Harscher from Boston, Mass., will present a four-hour seminar on Body Mapping. Harscher is the leading guitar authority in the study of the use of the correct muscles when playing the guitar. This event is free to workshop participants and is available to the general public for a $50 fee.

New Backstage Café Jazz Series to Debut June 19

The new Backstage Café Jazz Series will kick off on Friday, June 19, with a concert featuring renowned Hartt School faculty members and a number of top students from the school’s Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz.

Hartt faculty member and internationally acclaimed bass player Nat Reeves will headline the concert, which also will feature renowned trombonist and Hartt faculty member Steve Davis.

Also featured will be: Chris Casey, piano and musical director; Jovan Alexandre, tenor saxophone; Josh Bruneau, trumpet; Aja Wilson, vocals; and Jonathan Barber, drums.

The concert will take place on Friday, June 19, at the Roberts Theater in the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center, 35 Westbourne Parkway (corner of Albany Avenue), Hartford.

A reception with a cash bar and hors d'oeuvres will take place at 6 p.m., and the jazz will begin at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $25 and will be available in advance at the University Box Office (860.768.4228 or 800.274.8587) and at the door.

HCD Summer Programs for Children

The Community Division is offering a number of week-long music camps this summer.  The programs are an affordable and convenient way for students to stay connected to the performing arts.  A summary follows. There are also other half-day programs available.

Complete details are available on our website using the links below.

Summer Music Programs:  http://hcd.hartford.edu/Programs/Summer.htm

Summer Dance Programs:  http://hcd.hartford.edu/dance/SummerDance.html

REGISTER ONLINE!

If you have questions about any of these programs contact us
at our main office at 860-768-4451 or harttcomm@hartford.edu
or
our Dance Department at 860-768-6000 dancedesk@hartford.edu.

HCD Email Newsletter Quiz

Last week’s question:      Mendelssohn’s Spring Song is part of his:
a)   Elijah
b)   Midsummer Night’s Dream
c)   Songs Without Words
d)   St. Paul

Correct Answer:       c)   Songs Without Words

Quiz Winner:              John DelVento - Euphonium Player

Thanks for Playing!
The HCD Email Newsletter Quiz will resume in September!

FYI and About our Newsletter

This Hartt Community Division Newsletter is distributed via e-mail to all faculty, staff, and families of the Community Division, who request the newsletter, every Thursday afternoon from September through June.  It is also posted in the lobby of the Community Division Office and on our website: www.hcd.hartford.edu   

Mark George, Director (george@hartford.edu ) – new program ideas, fundraising, general issues and concerns.

Alana Seddon, Associate Director (aseddon@hartford.edu ) – new program ideas, school-wide issues and concerns, current programming ideas or issues, and operational concerns.

Dawn Zumbroski, Registrar (zumbroski@hartford.edu ) -- registration issues, billing concerns and payments.

Jill Burnham, Administrative Secretary (jburnham@hartford.edu ) -- new student referrals and registration.

Judy Chestnut, Budget Administrator (chestnut@hartford.edu ) -- budget and payroll issues.

Jill Vasbinder, Assistant Director of Dance and Off-Campus Programs (jvasbinde@hartford.edu ) -- responsible for managing administrative details for the Simsbury Branch and the Dance Department.

Amanda Kilpatrick, Dance Administrator (kilpatric@hartford.edu ) -- dance department

Emmett Drake, Scheduling Coordinator (hcdevents@hartford.edu ) -- recital programs and room scheduling

Noah Glynn, Events & Programs Coordinator (glynn@hartford.edu ) – managing ensembles and coordinating special events

Cindy Mickens, Jessica Rudman, Eva O’Brien (harttcomm@hartford.edu ) - part-time receptionists at the main campus

Michele Ouellette, Kelley Dineen, Cindy Mickens, and Gretchen Schrader (simsmore@hartford.edu ) – part-time receptionists at the Simsbury location

Krista Rescsanski, Jennifer Fuller and Rosemary Metcalf (dancedesk@hartford.edu ) – part-time receptionists at the Hartford Dance Center

To submit an article, email jburnham@hartford.edu no later than the Wednesday of the week you would like it to appear.  We encourage our faculty, students and staff to submit articles.  Articles will appear once.  The staff of the Hartt Community Division reserves the right to edit articles for content, grammar and length.

Please visit our website at http://www.hartford.edu/hartt/community
To pay your bills online: http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/bursar/payment.html
To find out about Hartt news, activities, and events, please read the News from the Dean, which is published every other week: http://www.hartford.edu/hartth/Hartt_News/NewsfromtheDean.htm

TO UNSUBSCRIBE:  If you do not want to receive the Hartt Community Division’s Email Newsletter, please email jburnham@hartford.edu with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body or subject of the email.