Celebrate Abilities with Justin Hines March 12

On Tuesday, March 12 the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center and Celebrating Abilities are proud to welcome Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Hines to the Fox Cities stage.

Hines’ latest album, “Days to Recall,” marks his American debut. His music is uplifting and heartfelt, overflowing with natural optimism, although he is no stranger to challenges. 

Hines has Larsen Syndrome, a joint dislocation condition that requires him to permanently use a wheelchair. He jokes, “I’ll never be a guy who relies on choreography,” but his live performances are delivered with honest emotion and a passion for music that shines through every song.

Hines Embodies Celebrating Abilities
Celebrating Abilities is a local Fox Cities nonprofit that raises awareness about the incredible abilities of individuals in the community, regardless of any apparent disability. 

Since 2003, the organization has raised awareness of the contributions people with disabilities make in our community and the people who help make those contributions possible. 

Each year, Celebrating Abilities presents "A-bilities Awards" which recognize the individuals, organizations and businesses who make a positive difference in the way people with disabilities can develop and celebrate their abilities.

This week, watch our Facebook Page
and join us in celebrating abilities! 

Tickets for Justin Hines are $20!

250 Reasons to Love Spirited Songs February 9

Why do people love choral music?

If you were to ask all 250 singers preparing for Spirited Songs: A Celebration of Choral Music, you would probably get 250 different answers. Here are just a few they've shared!
 

 

 

 

 

 

On Saturday, February 9 three of the leading Fox Cities choral music groups will perfor together onstage for the first time since the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center opened in 2002. Enjoy the experience as the Appleton Boychoir, Lawrence Academy Girl Choir and White Heron Chorale join together in a rare ensemble performance, highlighting the best of each group and combining their talents for a spectacular choral event! 

Tickets are $18 for adults and $10 for students.

 

 

Spirited Songs Hits the Right Note Saturday, February 9

250 MEMBERS OF THE APPLETON BOYCHOIR, LAWRENCE ACADEMY GIRL CHOIR AND WHITE HERON CHORALE PERFORM TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE GRAND OPENING

On Saturday, February 9 205 singers of all ages from the Appleton Boychoir, Lawrence Academy Girl Choir and White Heron Chorale will perform together onstage for the first time since the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center’s Grand Opening celebration in 2002 in a concert called  Spirited Songs: A Celebration of Choral Music.  CREATING CHORAL CONNECTIONS For many members of the Spirited Songs groups, choral music is more than a casual hobby; it's a way of life. Karrie Been has been singing since she was in elementary school and now serves multiple roles in the choir world, performing with the White Heron Chorale and conducting the Primo Lawrence Academy Girl Choir. Her family is in on the choral fun as well. Been says, “We have four musicians in our house. With all of our concerts and performances, we have very full schedules, but life is never dull.” Been met her husband, David, in their college choir, and they are both active in the White Heron Chorale. Their two children enjoy singing as much as their parents. “To share in singing is more than a casual gathering of friends. We share an intrinsic part of ourselves, the part of our person that is vulnerable. As performers we take away from the performance as much as the audience does – perhaps more.”            For vocal music teacher Melissa Mast, the White Heron Chorale offers an opportunity to continue her musicianship at a higher level and provides her students a role model in becoming a lifelong student of music. Mast says, “The choir allows me to perform in a quality ensemble with other musicians from all walks of life. There are business people, educators, recent college graduates and retirees all blending their voices into a balanced, beautiful choir.” People from throughout the community enjoy singing and can connect socially through a shared love of music.  THE BENEFITS OF SINGING If you listen closely to Fox Cities households, the Been’s and Mast’s are not the only ones singing a joyful tune. According to a 2009 study by Chorus America, nearly a quarter of American families include at least one choral member. Approximately 42.6 million Americans regularly sing in a chorus, and that number is growing, up 49 percent since 2003. For children, singing in a choir offers special advantages. Sixty one percent of parents say their child’s academic performance improved after he or she became a member of a choir, and 71 percent of parents believe their child has become more self-confident since joining a choir. Educators also see the benefit with 92 percent of teachers believing that participation in choirs can make students more social or socially skilled.                        CONCERT DETAILS Spirited Songs: A Celebration of Choral Music will be held in Thrivent Financial Hall at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center on Saturday, February 9 starting at 7:00 p.m. The program will feature a diverse mix of choral music including American traditional songs, new compositions from American composers, folk music from world traditions, sacred music and familiar tunes. Tim Sharp, executive director of the American Choral Directors Association, will serve as a guest conductor for portions of the performance.                                                                    Tickets for Spirited Songs: A Celebration of Choral Music  are $18 for adults and $10 for students.

Inspiring Our Educators

Partnership Inspires Educators with Arts Integrated Teaching Techniques

It's back to school today, and the Fox Cities P.A.C. has a wealth of inspiration for educators as they take their spots at the head of the class.

This school year, the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center and the Appleton Area School District have teamed up to inspire educators with the arts in Classroom Connections. 

Educators in any subject, from any school in any district can benefit from Classroom Connections!

For ten years, the Center has welcomed students to daytime education series performances that tie to Wisconsin Model Academic Standards. Now, with the help of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the arts can make learning and teaching more exciting than ever right inside the classroom.

The Classroom Connections workshops listed below are open to all educators from any district. Discover how the arts can engage your classroom and make your job as a teacher even more fulfilling.

To reserve your spot, call (920) 730-3764 or

email education@foxcitiespac.com today!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Drama of Science   Workshop Leader: Karen Erickson For Educators of Grades 1-8 Date: Tuesday, January 15, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Location: Fox Cities Performing Arts Center Fee: $20 / AASD Staff or $25 / Wisconsin Educators

Integrating the concepts of both science and drama into the classroom, Karen Erickson, teaches educators how to transform science classes into active, student-centered explorations. Focusing on earth science, mechanical science and biology, educators will learn new techniques through expressive movement, drama and enacted story. Participants will also examine classroom management techniques and learn how to build group dynamics within their classrooms. Erickson, a theater educator from Chicago, will guide participants as they explore the common threads of science and art.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Writing the Hero's Journey: Building Writing Skills Through Storytelling and Oral Language Workshop Leader: Stuart Stotts For Educators of Grades 4-8 Date: Thursday, February 21, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Location: Fox Cities Performing Arts Center Fee: $20 / AASD Staff or $25 / Wisconsin Educators

Through this workshop, educators will discover how the arts can open the literary world and introduce students to a style of writing beyond the page. Oral storytelling allows organization, descriptive language, voice and sentence fluency to come more easily for students as their creations become a living piece of work. Using the story form of a hero’s journey, Wisconsin native Stuart Stotts, will demonstrate prewriting methods and teach a process for helping students develop stories. His techniques will encourage students to draw on their creative thinking and oral communication abilities. Stotts is a Kennedy Center teaching artist as well as a nationally recognized, award winning songwriter, storyteller, and author from Madison, Wisconsin. These workshops were developed in association with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and are partially underwritten by the U.S. Department of Education and the National Committee for the Performing Arts.

Five By Design Stops at Local High Schools

On Thursday, October 4 Five By Design's Club Swing turned back the clocks to the Big Band Era at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. The group is known for their velvet vocals, singing songs that have stood the test of time like “Cocktails for Two,” “Mona Lisa” and “Sing, Sing, Sing." 

The performance was a hit Thursday night, but before the curtain even rose, Five By Design was out and about in the Fox Cities, visiting with students at Appleton East High School and Kaukauna High School.

At Appleton East High School the group members Lorie Carpenter-Niska, Catherine Scott, Kurt Niska, Michael Swedberg and Terrence Niska sang with the students and gave them great advice on pursuing a career in music. At Kaukauna High School the group introduced students to the music of the '30s and '40s and answered questions.

Five By Design's performance and local student workshops were supported by the Arts Midwest Touring Fund, a program of Arts Midwest, which is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts with additional contribution from the Wisconsin Arts Board.