MaryChun Slone turns in her Practice-a-thon materials to receptionist Eva O'Brien.

Congratulations to all the Community Division students and families who participated in the Practice-a-thon.  To date we have collected $4,612.65 for FreshPlace, a new food pantry serving the chronically hungry in the Upper Albany neighborhood of Hartford.  If you are still waiting on pledges to come in, don’t worry.  We will be accepting donations through the end of June.  I am so proud to be associated with a community that cares! When you think about it, the act of giving is practically synonymous with the performing arts. 

I am also pleased to announce the winners of our various Practice-a-thon categories. Your prizes will be sent to you shortly.

Ages 3-6          Most minutes practiced          MaryChun Slone
Ages 3-6          Most money raised                 Jack Bordeaux           

Ages 7-12        Most minutes practiced          Aida Zhu
Ages 7-12        Most money raised                 Caroline Bauer

Ages 13-18      Most minutes practiced          Ian Sunde
Ages 13-18      Most money raised                 Kristen Lauria

Adult                Most minutes practiced          Katherine Trumbull
Adult                Most money raised                 Katherine Trumbull

Teacher           Greatest studio percentage    Jessica Meyer
Teacher           Most studio minutes                Jessica Meyer


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 the week of June 22nd. 
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!

News from the HCD Dance Department

Student Showcase in Roberts Theatre, Handel PAC
Friday, May 29, 6pm
Admission is free.
Performance Includes General Program Students, Creative Dance and Boys & Girls Club Classes.

Spring Festival – Announcement for Simsbury & Hartford Discovery, Children’s Ballet, Tiny Tap, Tap 1 & Foundation classes
Production schedule has been revised and will be available in the Virtual Dance Bag on our website. (http://www.hcd.hartford.edu/dance/dance_bag.htm). 

Production schedules for Intensive Division levels A-F have been handed out in class and are available in the Virtual Dance Bag.( http://www.hcd.hartford.edu/dance/dance_bag.htm). 

Spring Festival Tickets
This year’s Spring Festival will be held at the Hoffman Auditorium at the Carol Autorino Center at St. Joseph College, 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford.

Tickets for this year’s Spring Festival are now on sale at the University of Hartford’s Lincoln Theater Box Office, by calling (860) 768-4228 or online at http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase .  Please do not contact St. Joseph College for tickets. Ticket prices are: $15 for adults and $10 for children under 18.

Please be sure to ask for the correct show when ordering tickets:

Intensive Division Students levels A – F are performing:
Friday, June 12th at 7pm & Sunday, June 14th at 3pm

*Simsbury Discovery, Tap 1, Children’s Ballet I, II & III and Foundation classes + Special Guests:
Saturday, June 13th at 5:30pm

*Hartford Discovery, Tiny Tap, Children’s Ballet I, II & III and Foundation classes + Special Guests:
Saturday, June 13th at 2:00pm

*All students in Discovery, Children’s Ballet, Tiny Tap, Tap1 or Foundation classes are entitled to one complimentary ticket to either A-F student show on Friday, June 12th or Sunday, June 14th.  Please request these at the time of purchase.

Spring Festival Rehearsal Schedule

Thursday, May 28th
D Ballet 4:30 – 5:45pm
D Modern 5:45pm – 7:30pm
Pas de Quatre 7pm – 7:30pm
7:30pm – 9pm
Coppelia
Don Q, All (Including court dance – No Cupids)

Saturday, May 30th
2pm – 4pm
All in
Pas de Trois
Coppelia
Pas de Quatre
Don Q Including Court Dance & Cupids

Next week’s rehearsal schedule will be posted in the virtual dance bag shortly.

Cast Party
The cast party this year will be catered by ‘Café on the Run’ and will be held immediately following the Sunday, June 14th show at 5pm.  The cost per person is $7.  A reservation form is available on our website in the Virtual Dance Bag at http://www.hcd.hartford.edu/dance/dance_bag.htm

Calendar
May 29th – Student Showcase, Roberts Theater, PAC
June 8th – June 14th - Spring Festival Production Week

Summer Programs begin June 27th.  Check our website at www.hcd.hartford.edu
for a program for you or your child.

Suzuki Orchestra Dress Rehearsal & Concert Schedule

Suzuki Orchestra Students please note the following schedule for the Suzuki Orchestra Concert on Saturday, June 13th.   Please arrive in time to be ready for rehearsal at the times listed below.

Saturday, June 13 ~ Lincoln Theater

12:30-12:50     Opus & Vivace
12:50-1:05       Vivace
105-1:30          Opus
1:30-1:50         Intermezzo
1:50-2:10         Da Capo         
2:10-2:30         Appoggiatura
3pm               Concert for all Orchestras

Attention Concert Ensemble Students & Parents

Rehearsal on Saturday, May, 30th has been moved to Lincoln Theater.  (Note: This is NOT a Dress Rehearsal)

The Dress Rehearsal will be held on Sat., June 6, 2009 at 9am in Lincoln Theater.

The Final Concert will be held Sat., June 6, 2009 at 3pm in Lincoln Theater.

Piano Students of Lan-Ya Huang
Performing at the McLean Home in Simsbury
Sunday, May 31st at 2pm! 

A Recital of Piano Duo and Solo Music are to be presented by the students from the studio of Lan-Ya Huang at the McLean Home, 75 Great Pond Road, Simsbury, Connecticut at 2:00 PM on May 31, 2009.

Suzuki Violins & Violas at the NEW BRITAIN ROCKCATS
on JUNE 11

The Suzuki violins and violas performance of "America the Beautiful" at the New Britain Rock Cats has been rescheduled to Thursday, June 11 at 6:30. Performers should plan to be there by 5:45. The Viola Tour group will also perform the National Anthem at the game. Tickets from the rained-out May 5 game will be honored at the June 11 game. Performers receive one free ticket each. Come out to the New Britain Stadium to support the Hartt Community Division musical "team". It will be a great night of music and baseball!

ALL PERFORMERS NEED TO RSVP TO 860-768-4451, ASAP.

Spring Suzuki Group Class Concert Extravaganza:
May 31, 2009

12:15 Guitars
1:45 Cellos
3:15    Violas
4:45 Violins

Bristow Middle School
34 Highland St, West Hartford, CT 06119

Please arrive 20 minutes before your instrument’s concert is scheduled to begin, and wear your group class uniform.  Don’t be late – all instruments need to be tuned before the concert starts.

DIRECTIONS FROM HARTT:
University of Hartford
200 Bloomfield Ave
West Hartford, CT 06117
           
1.         Head southeast on Bloomfield Ave/CT-189 toward University Dr                  0.6 mi
2.         Turn right at Albany Ave/US-44                                                                499 ft
3.         Turn left at Prospect Ave                                                             1.2 mi
4.         Turn right at Fern St                                                                               407 ft
5.         Turn left at Highland St                                                                           0.1 mi

Bristow Middle School
34 Highland St
West Hartford, CT 06119

Refreshments and flowers will be on sale to support Bristow 8th grade graduation events.

***SIGN UP TODAY***

Hartt Suzuki Institute
Monday, August 3 to Saturday August 8
Click Here For Brochure
A motivating opportunity for your child to develop and
have fun using his/her instrument right here in West Hartford!

The String House of Kanack

Since 1970, The String House, dealers in fine vintage orchestral instruments located in Rochester, NY, has been known and respected for its unsurpassed collection of fine old violins, violas, cellos and bows. Our exceptionally large inventory includes fine violins, violas, cellos and other rare string instruments of all sizes and in all price ranges.  Our shop also has many beginner, intermediate, and advanced lines of student grade instruments.  We are a full line shop offering sales, rentals, repairs, music and all accessories needed for your string instrument!  We are happy you have taken the time to view our site.  Please note that our website is only a sampling of our products and know that we are just a friendly telephone call away to help you with all you inquiries.

http://www.thestringhouse.com/

The String House will be at Hartt on Saturday,

May 30, 2009 from 12:30pm-2:30pm

in Millard Lobby.

Openings for Bassoon, Trumpet & Trombone Students
at the Music Camp at Luzerne Music Center
Substantial scholarships exist for bassoon, trumpet, and trombone.

There are openings at the Luzerne Music Center summer music program for middle school and high school aged bassoon, trumpet and trombone students. Please visit the website at:
www.luzernemusic.org

This exciting summer music program is located in Lake Luzerne, NY, one hour north of Albany in the Adirondacks. Come work with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra this summer!  Substantial scholarships exist for bassoon, trumpet, and trombone.

An Evening of New Music Composed
by HCD Faculty Member Jessica Rudman

HCD faculty member Jessica Rudman will be presenting a recital of works she has composed on Friday, May 29 at 7:30 pm in Bliss Music Room on the University of Hartford Campus.  The concert will include works for winds, strings, percussion, voice, and electronics.  Admission is free, and a reception will be held after the concert.   

In addition to teaching private composition lessons through the Community Division, Ms. Rudman is an adjunct at Central Connecticut State University and an instructor for the Inter-District Music Composition Program, which offers group composition classes to junior high and high school students.

Her music has been performed across the US and in France.  Recent honors include a performance by the Omaha Symphony and winning the Con/un/drum Composition Competition. 

Connecticut Doctors Form Orchestra, Play for Patients

The following article can be found at The Hartford Courant’s website using this link.

Latha Dulipsingh and Karen Blank are both doctors and HCD cello students of Carmen Irons. HCD Suzuki Viola Faculty Member Melinda Daetsch conducts the CT Doctor’s Orchestra.  HCD Faculty Members Eric Dahlin (cello) and Katie Kennedy were featured as soloists on our debut concert on May 3, and HCD Faculty Member Sarah Washburn played with the orchestra as well.

By KEN BYRON | The Hartford Courant
May 24, 2009
Motivated by a love of music and caring for others, a group of doctors has formed an orchestra that will play for patients.

The Connecticut Doctors Orchestra formed late last year and its first concert was May 3 at the Alzheimer's Resource Center in Southington, a facility that cares for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. The group played for residents there and their families.

Latha Dulipsingh, an endocrinologist at the Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain, and Karen Blank, director of Hartford Hospital's memory disorder center, formed the group. Dulipsingh said she got the idea when she visited Great Britain last year and heard about doctors orchestras there.

"I loved the idea," said Blank, who studies cello with Dulipsingh. "I thought it was a way to get together with like-minded people and bring together doctors from different hospitals because we have few opportunities to interact."
Dulipsingh said the idea of a doctors' orchestra is not unique in this country either and that she has heard of a few others in the United States. A search on the Internet turned up similar orchestras in Houston, Los Angeles, New York City and Philadelphia.

The group Dulipsingh and Blank formed has 13 members, and is a mix of doctors, researchers and students. All are in medicine or related health care fields. Participants include people who play the violin, the viola and the cello, and the group rehearses every other Sunday. The plan is to perform about four concerts per year.

Although she is happy with the participation, Dulipsingh said getting members was tough. They told colleagues in the hospitals where they work and regional medical groups also helped spread the word.

"The challenge for many of the doctors we approached was finding the time," Blank said. "There was a lot of interest but finding the time for them was tough."

Blank and Dulipsingh volunteer at the University of Hartford's Hartt School of music, where their children have studied music, and the orchestra has an arrangement where it can get Hartt musicians for individual shows if they need help.

The May 3 concert was free and the orchestra asked those who came to make a donation to ArtVentures, a program the Alzheimer's Resource Center has which gets patients there to make art. Erica DeFrancesco, the center's director of community services, said the concert raised $480 for ArtVentures.

"We jumped at the chance to have the doctors’ orchestra play here," DeFrancesco said. "Music is such an important part of patients' lives, we were delighted that they chose us."

DeFrancesco said other orchestras have performed at the Alzheimer's center. She said Blank has a relationship with the center and has referred patients there.

Blank said this will be typical of the concerts they want to do.

"Our intent would be to focus on medical related charities and ask people for donations to them," Blank said. "It's in keeping with the medical tradition of raising awareness."

The concert also let the group reach people for whom seeing a concert was no longer possible. "One family thanked our conductor and said they had given up hope of ever going to a concert again with their mother and they had regularly attended the Hartford Symphony together," Blank said.

HSO Closes the 2008-2009 Season with
Beethoven’s 5th & 6th Symphonies!

Edward Cumming conducting the Hartford Symphony Orchestra

The Hartford Symphony Orchestra will close out its landmark 65th Anniversary “Beethoven in the Belding” Masterworks Series in a special all-Beethoven program on Thursday, June 4 – Saturday, June 6, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, June 7, 2009 at 3:00 pm at The Belding Theater in the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts. Led by Music Director Edward Cumming, the musicians of the HSO will be the stars of this show – no guest artists or conductors! The program will open with the sweet, whimsical sounds of Beethoven’s Pastoral Sixth Symphony and close with his Fifth Symphony, featuring the four most famous opening notes in Classical Music. 

HSO Music Director Edward Cumming says,"201 years ago, just a week after his 38th birthday, Beethoven premiered his Sixth and Fifth Symphonies, in that order, just as the Hartford Symphony will be doing on its final Masterworks concerts of the season.  There were other works premiered on this December 22, 1808 concert, including the sublime Fourth Piano Concerto, three movements from the Mass in C Major, the Choral Fantasy, and an extended piano improvisation by Beethoven, bringing in the whole program at just over four hours.   Our concert won't be that long (!), but there may be a surprise or two. . ."

The performance on Sunday, June 7 will feature a special pre-concert chat by Pulitzer Prize winning author Edmund Morris.  Morris is the author of Beethoven: The Universal Composer, which provides a familiar, yet in-depth biography of one of Classical Music’s most complicated and gifted composers.  This pre-concert chat will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 7 and is free to all ticket holders. The pre-concert chats for the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday performances will be hosted by Maestro Cumming.  Mr. Morris’ books will be available for sale at all four performances.

For more information about the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, please visit www.HartfordSymphony.Org.

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 Ensemble Rehearsal Schedules

Please check your ensemble’s web calendar for any last-minute changes or cancellations:  http://hcd.hartford.edu/music/instrumental_ensembles.htm

HCD Email Newsletter Quiz

This week’s question:    Robert Schumann wrote the delightful Träumerei, the title of which means:

a)      trembling
b)      waking
c)      reverie
d)      sleep-walking

Last week’s question:      “A word allow me!   Sweet Ladies and Gentleman,
I pray you hear
Why alone I appear…
I am the Prologue”   to:

a)      Cavalleria Rusticana
b)      I Pagliacci
c)      Il Trovatore

Correct Answer:      b)          I Pagliacci

This week’s prize:    A Hartt Community Division T-Shirt

To submit your answers: Reply to jburnham@hartford.edu with the subject “Quiz Answer”.  Answers must be received before 12 noon on the Tuesday after the Newsletter is sent.  If more than one person answers correctly, the winner will be chosen randomly, using the tried-and-true “pick a name out of a hat” method. Please also note your connection to the Hartt Community Division (teacher/program) when you submit your answer.

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.