Strum Bowing is a method that Tracy Silverman has developed to teach string players how to groove. A Strum Bowing Workshop could be anything from a one-hour Zoom meeting with a school orchestra to a weeklong residency culminating with a concert. Workshops are based loosely on Silverman's book, The Strum Bowing Method. With school or youth orchestras, it’s often effective to have a zoom session a month or two before a live workshop or residency so the group can start working on some of the Groove Studies ahead of time. Tracy also encourages the instructor to take a lesson with him if they can, to familiarize themselves with the techniques. He works with players of all ages and abilities, from elementary school beginners to conservatory pre-professionals to adult learners. He also presents pedagogy sessions and lessons with string teachers. He has lots of improvisation games that are effective for younger players (and great for breaking through inhibitions for older players) and the simplicity of the Strum Bowing method is accessible across age ranges. For school orchestras, Tracy offers a collection of 22 Groove Studies for Strings which are an effective way to apply and reinforce the concepts of Strum Bowing and to practice techniques like Ghosting, Chopping, Subdividing, and developing the 3-D Strum. A favorite format is to work with the orchestra in rehearsals/workshops and then present a shared concert which usually consists of a solo program by Tracy using his live looping and electric 6-string violin, and then a collaboration with the orchestra on several pieces, which could be from the 22 Groove Studies for Strings or any piece that the orchestra is working on. Grooving — awakening our inner sense of rhythm using Strum Bowing, essential to rock, jazz, hip hop, etc. The Chop — non-pitched percussion sounds. Also the Compound Chop and the 3-D Strum Ghost Notes — muted notes within a groove Improvising — cultivating our natural curiosity and playfulness with fun improv games Call and Response — ear training, rhythm training, style training GPS for Strings (Groove Proficiency System) — Silverman's 4 step formula for finding your way to any groove Blues scale and the blues Other Workshop Topics ??Lecture/Demonstration – performance and explanations about technique, equipment, career etc; questions from the audience. General audience. ?Improvisation for Strings – an overview of the blues; call and response; simple scales and approaches for first-time improvisers. String players with instruments.

Lucky's Adventure Series are heartwarming stories about my rescue pup, Lucky, and is inspired by the true story of when Lucky was lost for 4 days. Lucky attends the presentations with me. Students will learn life lessons through Lucky's eyes- making new friends, accepting others, and the importance of community, kindness, gratitude, and teamwork. The kids love to meet the star and inspiration of the books and I feel it really helps to further strengthen the messages. (Lucky sits in her stroller during the presentation). I have created presentations that are both engaging and educational that work well for large assemblies or smaller classroom/library settings. In addition to info specifically related to each of my books, I discuss the inspiration for the books, the writing process, and how a picture book is made. We also discuss the themes of kindness and gratitude. Also a reading of the selected book and Q&A.

After retiring from teaching at the elementary level for 25 years, I decided I still wanted to teach. So, my love for nature and children led me in the direction of writing fictional animal based stories based on facts. I offer school wide readings, as well as class presentations. Depending on the program requested, I also offer activities (crafts and games) as well as some science based videos to aid in the presentation. Book signings are always provided for books purchased before or during the special book talk day. Books are: The Flamingo With Two Left Feet Amari’s BIG Surprise…It’s NOT Monkey Bread! We Can...and We Do!

Stomping Ground is an overnight camp in the gateway to the Adirondacks in Saratoga Springs, New York. We are building radically empathetic communities through humble curiosity, personal responsibility, restorative practices, and unbounded creativity. In the off season, we offer more focused programming around community building, conflict resolution training through circles, and practices focused in empathy and inclusion. Our mission is to partner with young people to inspire the next generation of radically empathetic decision makers. Together we re-imagine a more perfect world.

Mayta's Movement Programs: Teach to inspire. Touch the heart. “Ye are the fruits of one tree, the leaves of one branch.” Baha’u’llah A philosophy centered on teaching the love of the art of movement, multiculturalism, and helping students become peaceful, global citizens. Fusion Dance: This program has been developed to enable participants to understand, be inspired by and learn about different cultures through dance. It features Flamenco (Spain), Bharatanatyam (India), West African, Modern (USA), Latin, and Caribbean dance styles. The goal of this program is for students to learn the differences, similarities, history and cultural aspects of each dance style. Students engage with this material through an embodied, experiential approach. Spanish Language through Movement: This multidisciplinary program was developed to enable participants to learn, interpret and understand Spanish language through movement. The goal of this program is to foster learning of conversational skills in a new, fun way, for use in travel and daily life. The aim is for each participant to develop a love for Spanish culture and an excitement to learn more about this beautiful language. As a key aspect of cultural immersion, students learn Latin dance styles such as Salsa, Merengue and Bachata. Creative Movement and Yoga: Explore the world of movement! This lively class introduces participants to the basic dance concepts such as rhythm space, and music. Literature, poetry, visual art, props, yoga and storytelling are included to allow the participants to stretch their bodies and their imagination! This class will improve flexibility, creativity, concentration, focus, balance, bodily awareness, and strength. Transcending language prejudice through movement: Let's have a conversation about language, being bilingual, having an accent and how one gets treated because of how one speaks. Lets listen to each others stories about language and its affects. We will be creative and explore the power that language has on the world through movement. My aim is that we find our respect for the languages of the world and to bring awareness that languages bring us together. Through movement explorations and story telling.

David Wong has been called a “Rock Star” in the violin world. With over 6.7 million YouTube views and 33k subscribers, he’s attracted the attention of people around the world with mentions in Time Magazine, Huffington Post, MSN, Good Morning America and features on YouTube’s Home Page. He has performed in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to Hotel Café and collaborated with artists such as The War and Treaty, Cory Wong, and Air Traffic Controller. David is an avid string clinician specializing in live looping, non-traditional techniques, and content creation. He has presented at the Ohio State University String Teachers Workshop, Suzuki Music Columbus, and over 50 public school systems throughout the United States. As a live looping specialist with his violin, David has taught and performed in many schools across the US to great acclaim. He weaves original arrangements as a "one-man-band," playing the music that students know and love from streaming, movies, and other pop cultural phenomenons. David's performances and presentations often include: -introductions to improvising -live looping explanations and demonstrations -extended techniques such as chopping (from beginner to advanced), acoustic distortion, and other non-traditional and non-classical sounds -group layering to build "acoustic backing tracks/loops" -incorporating technology into music David graduated from Amherst College in 2008 with a double major in Music and Asian Studies. He currently resides northwest of Albany, NY

Since 2008 we offer a variety of services and school productions. We specialize in multicultural and multilingual products and services for schools K-12.

Dear School District Administrators and Educators, As both a lifelong musician and a proud product of our public school music programs, I’m passionate about bringing real-world music industry experiences into classrooms across New York State. I’ve had the privilege of working with many districts to design exciting, hands-on programs that inspire creativity, connect to STEAM principles, and align directly with state learning standards. My Music Industry Programs combine songwriting, instrument design and repair, live performance, and recording arts—giving students the opportunity to create, innovate, and explore the many sides of the modern music world. Using tools like 3D printers, CNC machines, and digital audio workstations, students connect engineering, math, technology, and art while building instruments, writing songs, and learning to play. These programs encourage collaboration, problem-solving, and self-expression—skills that reach far beyond music class and into every academic subject. As an educator and professional musician, I’ve shared the stage with legendary artists including Walter Trout, Mike Zito, Dickey Betts (Allman Bros.), Tommy Castro, Blackberry Smoke, Levon Helm (The Band), and Arlo Guthrie. I’ve toured with the Masters of the Telecaster (featuring G.E. Smith (SNL), Jim Weider, and Duke Levine (Bob Dylan)), received recognition from the Louis Armstrong Jazz Foundation, Berklee School of Music, and won Best Blues Recording from the Syracuse Area Music Awards two years in a row. I’ve also performed at major events like the NYS Blues Festival, Taste of Country Festival, Chenango Blues Festival, and countless sold-out venues across the region. Beyond performing, I’m deeply invested in arts education and community development. I’m the founder of a thriving Music School in Norwich, NY, serve on the Board of the Earlville Opera House, and act as Main Stage Music Coordinator for the Colorscape Chenango Arts & Music Festival. I also co-founded the Oxford Academy Summer Theater & Performing Arts Camp, Founder of the Norwich Youth Bureau Summer Guitar Camp and provide specialized backline support for touring artists—all of which help connect students to authentic, working examples of the music industry. Music is not just for the music classroom—it enhances literacy, history, math, science, and emotional intelligence. I believe every student deserves the chance to discover their creative voice, and I’d love to collaborate with your district to design a personalized, engaging, and unforgettable program for your students. Let’s create something extraordinary together!

Explore Frederic Church’s masterwork, Olana, through a field trip, virtual tour, or professional development! During each program, participants learn more about the art, culture, and history of Olana and the Hudson River Valley through place-based learning activities and lessons. Each offering can be modified to suit classroom and curriculum needs. FIELD TRIPS include a historic house tour and Landscape Walk and cost $10 per student. Add-on art workshops cost an additional $5 per student and include all artmaking materials. Students will leave with a completed work of art. All themes can be tailored to meet specific curriculum goals and student needs. Themes include: 1. "Place as Inspiration" where students learn how Church and his contemporaries were inspired by the Hudson Valley before exploring how they can connect to and advocate for important places in their own lives and communities. 2. "Land as Canvas" where students consider nature as a source of creativity and invention in Olana's designed landscape, collecting natural materials to observe patterns in local flora and fauna. 3. "Sketching as Seeing" where students dive into Frederic Church’s artistic process and experiment with his outdoor sketching (plein air) techniques. 4. "Adventures in Architecture" where students learn more about how global architectural traditions influenced Frederic Church’s design of Olana’s historic house and explore his handling of scale, engineering, and design. VIRTUAL TOURS can be tailored to meet specific curriculum goals and classroom needs and conducted via Zoom or Google Meet, and other platforms by request. All virtual sessions are designed to be 1 hour in length and can be scaled for various age ranges, groups, and audiences. All field trips and virtual tours are for grades PreK-12 and other education groups. $5-$15 per student. FREE for schools in Columbia and Greene Counties. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT days for teachers and administrators can be booked upon request and include a tour of the historic house and landscape, a workshop session, and use of the Wagon House Education Center. Please contact education@olana.org to learn more.

Nurture fun, character, wellness, reading, STEAM, and more with The UP Guys! Nels Ross and Richie Derwald uplift and empower through elementary, middle, and high school assemblies as well as staff development. They have shared 2500+ solo or duo programs to rave reviews from schools, arts centers, libraries, recreation, museums, and others. Applying their diverse training in theater, variety arts, music, and education, they promote laughter and learning! See www.theupguys.com/teaching-artists for more.

A Soldier’s Life uses an interdisciplinary approach to teach students about the daily lives of American soldiers on America’s northern frontier in the early years of the Revolutionary War. This engaging one-hour program incorporates history, geography, and math to provide context to the personal experience of American soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Students will explore the equipment and food of soldiers and discuss the challenges of transporting and supplying the Continental Army, understanding Fort Ticonderoga’s strategic location. We offer this program both in person and online. Please look at our website for more information!

ENTA’s visual and performing artists work collaboratively with K-12 classroom teachers to develop customized arts-in-education programs that concentrate on any curricular content and allow students to express their knowledge and mastery through a creative process (visual, performance, process arts). We work in all subject areas -- ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, etc. We also offer services to Art, Band and Choral classrooms. Our programs are customized to meet the needs and desired outcomes of the classroom teacher(s) and we usually work with all the students in an entire grade level. Through the Arts, students and teachers experience their studies in active, hands-on, problem-solving, challenging environments that produce measurable and meaningful results. Sample Programs include: Improv & the Salem Witch Trials (7th grade Social Studies); Taking A Stand – Art for Social Change (8th grade ELA); Biomimicry & Sculpture (7th grade Science); A Book’s Journey – develop & hand-build original book (4th grade ELA); Sol Lewitt – Math, Language & Art (MS/HS); Geometry & Landscape Drawing (3rd grade Math); Books on the Boards: Theater & Reading (K-3 ELA); Anatomy & Figure Drawing (HS Art) Currently running more than a dozen on-going programs in mid-Hudson region pubic schools. All developed collaboratively with classroom teachers.