Jun 22, 2023
Finding Inspiration in Curious Places
Michael Hearst and His Band Promise a Curious, Unusual, and Extraordinary Adventure for Families at Wolf Trap’s Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods this Summer Imagine a TED Talk for kids, but with live music. Family music artist, author, and Wolf Trap’s Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods performer Michael Hearst is on a mission to captivate the hearts and minds of young audiences with educational performances dedicated to only the world’s most...
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Jun 20, 2023
Sharing the Language of Love Through Intergenerational Family Music
Jazzy Ash and The Leaping Lizards Will Perform on the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods Stage Sunday, June 25 as Part of the Out & About Festival at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts It’s hard to imagine that family music performer Jazzy Ash (née Ashli St. Armant) ever has a bad day. From spirited playground rhymes to soulful lullabies and classic New Orleans-style melodies, Jazzy...
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Jun 14, 2023
Family Music Artist “Musiquita” Celebrates Language and Diversity with Music
Spanish and English-speaking music duo Musiquita is fresh on the family music scene with a mission to celebrate diversity and nurture different cultures and languages with their music, performed in both English and Spanish. Musiquita is comprised of husband and wife duo Blanca Cecilia González, a Juilliard-trained violinist and Colombia native, and Jesse Elder, a professional pianist and the former Music Director of the band...
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Jun 01, 2023
Putting a Fun Twist on Science Learning Through Music
“Kindie” Performer Marsha Goodman-Wood Uses Music to Teach Complex Concepts─and Draws Inspiration from Surprising Places Marsha Goodman-Wood knows her science! She’s a trained cognitive neuroscientist, and she uses this knowledge as a foundation for her work with children. Goodman-Wood is a teaching artist with Arts for Learning Maryland and Maryland Wolf Trap, and is also the lead in a “Kindie” (kids + indie rock) band,...
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Jun 01, 2023
Incorporating the “A” in STEAM: Five STEM-Centric Arts Strategies for the Early Childhood Classroom
What does the “A” in “STEAM” represent and why is it so important? Hedda Sharapahn, an early childhood education advocate who is well known for her work with Fred Rogers Institute, has likened STEAM learning for young children to “appreciating the world around us”: science nurtures a sense of wonder and curiosity in young children; technology teaches them about tools; engineering encourages creative problem solving;...
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May 04, 2023
Teachable Moments
Teaching Partners from Greenbelt Children’s Center Share the Lessons They’ve Learned after 40 Years of Working in the Early Childhood Classroom For many young families with children at Greenbelt Children’s Center (GCC), located in Greenbelt, MD, preschool teachers Donna Bell Nance and Christine Grabisch aren’t simply educators and caregivers, they are their trusted partners. In fact, that partnership is a key part of GCC’s mission,...
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May 03, 2023
This Is Me.
Washington, DC Area High School Teachers Help Students Bring their Stories to the Stage with Wolf Trap’s Grants for High School Performing Arts Teachers What do you do when you don’t see your story reflected in the world around you? You tell your own story. This year’s Wolf Trap Grants for High School Performing Arts Teachers are challenging their students to do just that by...
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May 02, 2023
Taking Ownership and Focusing on Flexibility
A Conversation with Wolf Trap Teaching Artist Gabriela Cohen Meet Gabriela Cohen, a Spanish and English-speaking Wolf Trap Teaching Artist who is passionate about early childhood arts integration. With a background steeped in music, Cohen has a deep appreciation for the impact that music can have on young minds. In this interview, Cohen shares her strategies for connecting with educators and children, and offers advice...
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Mar 01, 2023
Making the Time that Matters, Matter
Advice on Cultivating a Successful Internship Every year, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts’ nationally recognized Internship and Apprenticeship Program employs dozens of young professionals looking to gain a competitive edge in their prospective careers. Paid positions─offered seasonally in the spring, summer, and fall─span a wide range of concentrations including communications and marketing, development, education, human resources, information technology, ticket services, stage management, and...
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Feb 15, 2023
Expanding Education in Virginia
When Fairfax County first grade teacher Kristin McClure first entered the field, she chose early childhood education because of the important role that high quality early learning plays in academic success. Today, McClure is an active participant with Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts’ classroom residency program, where she works closely with Wolf Trap Teaching Artists to adopt arts-integrated classroom techniques aligned...
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Dec 19, 2022
10 New Year’s Resolutions for Live Performance Lovers
With such a jam-packed year full of great concert experiences, it’s almost hard to believe 2023 is already upon us. To make the most of the new year, here’s a music-inspired resolution list fit for any live performance enthusiast. Use these ideas to create your own resolutions, and let us know which ones you’ll adopt! Start a “Playlist of the Month” Club For those who...
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Dec 07, 2022
Ring In the Holidays with Music
If it seems like every musician and their friends have released holiday music, that’s probably correct. The upside of it: no matter what your taste is, there’s sure to be a sub-genre of festive tunes for you. Read on to expand your holiday music horizons and discover (or be reminded of) celebratory songs from some of your favorite Wolf Trap artists. Soul Meets Santa There’s...
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