Arts
www.SanTanSun.com
April 16 - May 6, 2016
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CGCC orchestra director looking for string players BY SRIANTHI PERERA
If you are an old hand at the viola—or violin, cello or other string instruments—the Chandler Gilbert Community College would like to hear from you. The college’s new orchestra director, Amber Dudley, is looking for people of any age who are adept at playing a string instrument at an upper high school level to join the program. To make it easier, there’s no daunting audition to overcome. “No audition because that scares a lot of people away,” said Dudley, who also directs orchestra at Campo Verde High and counts 17 years of teaching experience in Gilbert high schools. “We’re trying to give people in the community an opportunity to play in an orchestra setting,” said Randy Wright, division chairman, communication and fine arts. “It’s a community-based orchestra and members can join from school-age kids all the way up to seniors.” The only caveat is that aspirants must be enrolled in the community college, even for just one credit. For seniors, a reduced tuition fee is available. The CGCC has a vibrant performing arts department based at its main college campus at the intersection of Gilbert Road and Pecos Avenue in Chandler. The Arnette Scott Ward Performing Arts Center has been the stage for all manner of arts since 2002. Last fall, the campus remodeled one of its original buildings with an environmentally friendly design and infrastructure. The 39,000-square-foot Agave Hall is used for performing arts instruction and rehearsal for students participating in band, choir, dance,
orchestra and theater. Agave Hall features acoustically adjusted instrumental music and vocal choir rooms. It also has a recording studio, ensemble room, student practice rooms, instrument lockers, piano lab, and a music library and instrument repair room. With the new infrastructure in place, Dudley has been entrusted with developing the music program and building a large string orchestra. Building on the current 30 enrollees, the college wants to establish a day music program with about 50 members and an evening program of music education students, arranged perhaps in a chamber orchestra, consisting of about 30.
Amber Dudley STSN photos by Tim Sealy
Even further down the road is the possibility of extending it into a full symphony. Nowadays, when a symphony concert is presented, the college pulls members from its band program. Among the old timers in the orchestra is Jessi Pederson, a veterinarian at a hospital in East Mesa, who has been playing with the group for six years. Pederson said she took a hiatus of about eight years from her violin when she was in veterinary school and resumed it CGCC String Orchestra at practice in the Agave Hall. easily “like riding a bike again.” She finds the college setting laidback, yet challenging. “It’s not a professional orchestra, but at the same time, we play professional orchestral music. So it’s a challenge, which is a good thing for my brain to do something other than veterinary medicine,” she said. Dudley is seeking others like Pederson—those who have graduated from high school, are home-schooled, or who have played a string instrument in the past and would love to resume at any life stage. Seniors would also fit this bill. Pederson said it could be a good opportunity for seniors to join and would benefit the younger generation as well. age and ability,” she said. “It could be good for the kids, the Dudley said she believes that the location younger people, to have that mentorship of CGCC, straddling Chandler and Gilbert, and to be able to play with someone of that as well as its close proximity to Mesa, will see
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Burst of Butterflies Rolls Out Summer Camp Programs Starting May 31 Burst Of Butterflies Art Studio, located at 141 W. Boston Street in Downtown Chandler, has an exciting summer art program for kids ages 5 to 14. The camps will cover multiple areas of art including Canvas Painting, Clay Hand-Building, Advanced Pottery Painting and Polymer Clay Art, fused glass art, mosaics, yarn art, mixed media and more. Last year was super fun and this year is going to be an absolute blast. Burst of Butterflies has added more projects, more days in each camp and more exciting ways to get creative and have fun with art! There are 8 art camps to choose from, each running two weeks across six days. The camps are set up for ages 5 to 9 in the morning session and 10 to 14 in the afternoon session. Siblings who fall into both age groups may attend together in the morning session. Each class is led by an instructor and will build on tactile skills, use of colors and, most importantly, creativity…all at a great value of only $99 per student. This program is great for Home Schoolers and parents looking to engage kids in art during the summer. Classes are limited in size in order to give the maximum attention to the students. Last year’s camps sold out fast! Don’t delay in signing up. Easy on-line enrollment at BurstofButterflies.com/ Summer-Art-Camps-2016 or simply call Burst of Butterflies at 480-559-8016.
Above are a few of the projects you can expect during this year’s camps!