ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS

Featured on The Today Show, this innovative program encourages meaningful connections between School of Music students and senior citizens at the Collington Continuing Care Retirement Community. Each year, two graduate students live at Collington and create engaging performances and cultural experiences for residents. Friendships blossom over shared meals and musical endeavors in this unique and mutually enriching program.

Spearheaded by Katherine Murdock, professor emerita of viola, this weekly outdoor performance series brought together local organizations to further the mission of creating a sustainable, walkable and vibrant top-20 college town. Creative programming enhanced public spaces in College Park by bringing the community together around art and music, articulating the area’s history and adding cultural context.

The Music + Film program at the University of Maryland School of Music allowed students, faculty and guest artists to work together and create new music scores for silent motion pictures of all eras. As part of this program, each student worked closely with faculty and guest artists to learn both new and historical methods of film accompaniment. Students also worked closely with national and international film archives and local film experts to ensure a deeper understanding of this process.

The Music Go Program was a collaboration between the School of Music and local schools including College Park Academy, Buck Lodge Middle School, William Wirt Middle School, Cherokee Elementary and Orem Middle School. As part of the program, elementary and middle school music students worked in partnership with School of Music students in a series of private lessons, group music classes and a host of performances. Formerly known as S.H.A.R.P., the project received local and state recognition for its creativity and generosity to disadvantaged minority students in the region.

Through a partnership with WBJC Baltimore and radio host Jonathan Polevski, Music in Maryland shared recordings of live performances of School of Music faculty, students and arts groups with residents from across the region. It was broadcast every Saturday at 6 p.m. on WBJC. This program was made possible by a generous grant from the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation and the Maryland State Arts Council.

The Prince George’s Philharmonic has been a staple in the community for over 50 years. The School of Music was pleased to partner with the Philharmonic and the Riverdale Arts Council to sponsor a student from the string division of the School of Music to participate in the Prince George’s Philharmonic. This individual was be chosen by a committee consisting of professors Robert DiLutis, Rita Sloan and members of the string faculty. The musician received a scholarship from the Riverdale Arts Council for their participation in the orchestra’s rehearsals and concerts, which culminated in a final concert at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.

Riverdale Town Center Market and the Riverdale Arts Council partnered to offer free outdoor concerts at the market during the summer months. Each of the 10 summer concerts, held on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., featured School of Music students, faculty and local musicians. Performances included a wide variety of musical styles ranging from classical to jazz.

Based in the historic Riversdale Mansion, the Riversdale Chamber Music Society provided a plethora of musical programming in partnership with School of Music faculty and students. From a springtime family concert to chamber music from all eras, the Riversdale Mansion offered a wonderful ambiance to accompany an intimate chamber music experience.

Each year, an ensemble from the our chamber music program was selected to travel to Talbot County public schools throughout the school year. The ensemble worked with the teaching staff at various schools to create lesson plans that made creative connections between the core social studies curriculum and music. Each visit involved a presentation by the ensemble as well as time spent in the classroom to help develop a meaningful relationship between the musicians and students. In addition, seventh and eighth grade band students received masterclasses from the visiting artists. This partnership was made possible by the Talbot County Arts Council.