Young Singers, Dancers and Musicians Hone Talent at Kimmel Center’s Teen Summer Arts Camp
June 30, 2003
A student rehearses during Chamber Orchestra Camp
"Education is an integral part of the Kimmel Center’s mission and the Teen Summer Arts Camp is the newest offering on our growing list of educational initiatives," said Kimmel Center, Inc. Vice President of Programming and Education Mervon Mehta. "We’ve served thousands of Philadelphia-area middle school students during the past academic year through performing arts classes in the Merck Arts Education Center and the Kimmel Center Youth Jazz Ensemble. Our visiting artists have offered master classes for adults and students. Now we have a summer program that gives aspiring young artists a chance to learn and perform in a world-class professional environment."
The Teen Summer Arts Camp begins July 7 with Choral Music Camp, led by Kimmel Center, Inc. Director of Education Velma Simmons, a career educator with a master’s degree in choral conducting. Simmons conducted the All-Philadelphia High School Choir for 17 years, leading her students in performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra. She has also served as assistant conductor of Singing City Choir, performing with conductors such as Eugene Ormandy, Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, James Levine, Michael Tilson Thomas and Charles Dutoit. Choral Music Camp will focus on developing vocal skills as an ensemble member and soloist.
During Dance Camp (July 14-18), students will take classes in jazz, classical ballet and modern dance under the auspices of master teacher Zane Booker. Trained at PHILADANCO, North Carolina School of the Arts, School of American Ballet and ABT, Booker has performed with PHILADANCO, Netherlands Dance Theater, Les Ballet des Monte Carlo and as a freelance artist with many choreographers. In 2002, Booker was a member of the White Oak Dance Project founded by Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Chamber Orchestra Camp (July 21-July 25) will allow students to study various genres of chamber music in small and large ensemble settings, under the direction of the critically acclaimed Jeri Lynne Johnson, the first female assistant conductor of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. The camp will also feature master classes in strings led by Diane Monroe, a native Philadelphian and former member of Concerto Soloists who has performed with Yo-Yo Ma.
Young instrumentalists at Jazz Camp (July 28-August 1) will perform Dixieland, swing, Afro-Cuban and contemporary music in big band and small ensembles. Accomplished Philadelphia musician and Kimmel Center, Inc. teaching artist Marc Johnson, who is also the director of the Kimmel Center Youth Jazz Ensemble, will oversee the Jazz Camp. Johnson has performed on trombone both here and abroad with such jazz luminaries as JJ Johnson, Slide Hampton, Al Grey and Jimmy Heath as well as vocalists Lena Horne, Lou Rawls and Dianne Shurr.
Nearly 100 students, all selected by audition, will take part in the Kimmel Center Teen Summer Arts Camp. Students range in age from 10 to 17 years old.
The young vocalists, instrumentalists and dancers will spend five intense days developing their artistic and creative skills during sessions in the Merck Arts Education Center. At the conclusion of each week, the students will perform in the Kimmel Center’s Innovation Studio. These "Moments of Sharing" performances, scheduled for 3pm on Friday July 11, July 18, July 25 and August 1, are free and open to the public.
The Kimmel Center Teen Summer Arts Camp is generously supported by the Sidney Kimmel Foundation, Comcast Foundation, the David H. Pleet Foundation and the Grover Washington, Jr. Protect the Dream Foundation.
Kimmel Center, Inc., a charitable, not-for-profit organization, owns, manages, supports and maintains The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, which includes Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, Innovation Studio and the Merck Arts Education Center. Kimmel Center, Inc. also manages the Academy of Music, owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association. The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the Academy of Music serve as home to eight Resident Company performing arts organizations, including The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, American Theater Arts for Youth, PHILADANCO, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and Peter Nero and the Philly Pops®. Kimmel Center, Inc.’s mission also includes arts in education, community outreach and a rich diversity of programming through its Kimmel Center Presents and Citizens Bank Broadway at the Academy series of performances.
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