Years ago, the Westport Youth Concert began as an opportunity to enrich students’ cultural awareness, through music.
As the school district’s emphasis on global understanding has grown, so has the Youth Concert. It’s evolved into a cross-cultural, collaborative event involving not only music, but Westport Public Schools’ visual arts and world language departments.
Outside organizations like the Westport Library, Westport Public Art Collections and PTA Cultural Arts have signed on as community partners.
A scene from last year’s Youth Concert.
This year’s event exemplifies the music department’s mission. “Music of China” features Staples High School musicians, the award-winning Middle School Percussion Ensemble, and guest artists from the New York Chinese Cultural Center. They’ll perform a lion dance and musical piece using a pipa, guzheng and erhu — with mini-lessons about each instrument.
The feature performance is Tuesday, February 4 (7 p.m., Staples auditorium). On that day, and February 6, in-school educational concerts for 3rd through 6th graders will complement the public concert.
It’s a huge undertaking. Youth Concert planning begins at the start of the school year. Coordinator Candi Innaco creates a classroom guide. It introduces the theme, and includes links to resources and classroom instruction.
Leading up to the event, teachers at Greens Farms, Long Lots and Saugatuck Elementary School had students design China-related art: hanging lanterns, wish kites, brush paintings, Ming Dynasty vases and the like.
Westport student art: Ming Dynasty vases.
All elementary music instructors are teaching the tune and lyrics to “Jasmine Flower.” At the concert, students will sing it from the audience — led by Staples’ Orphenians.
Staples’ world language department is involved too. Mandarin students will emcee the concert, and photos taken by teacher Chris Fray on his recent visit to China will be shown.
WestPAC, meanwhile, is displaying art and photography from China at their traveling pop-up galleries, at every school.
In March, the Westport Library will bring the same guest artists from the New York China Cultural Center, to perform again.
China lion dance, performed by members of the New York Chinese Cultural Center.
The public is invited to the free February 4 evening performance. For more information about this event and the Westport music program, click here.