THE ENGLERT THEATRE LAUNCHES ENGLERT 101 EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY WITH ARTISTS
Iowa City, IA – The Englert Theatre, in collaboration with sponsor West Music, announces a new educational and community outreach program, Englert 101. The program pairs Englert artists directly with community members through lectures, master classes, special performances and one-on-one contact. The next installment of the program will feature a free masterclass by violist Nadia Sirota, who performs May 7 at 8 p.m. at the Englert Theatre.
“We consistently look for ways to make sponsorships relevant to all parties involved – the sponsors, our presenting organization, and the community we serve,” said Englert Executive Director Andre Perry. “This new agreement with West Music – which makes it more feasible for us to create interactions between artists and the community beyond the performances – does just just that.”
Englert 101’s namesake not only plays on the academic course numbering system, but also commemorates the theater’s 101st anniversary in 2013 – the same year that the Englert identified educational outreach as one of the civic theater’s major goals going forward into the next century. The program creates additional ways for The Englert Theatre to serve Iowa City and surrounding communities by providing quality educational events that are dedicated to lifelong learning in and through the arts.
The Englert 101 program and West Music’s sponsorship represents an innovative way to develop and structure long-term partnerships between performing arts organizations and supportive community businesses. The sponsorship, in which West Music’s contributions are applied directly to artist outreach, evolved from a series of conversations between Englert Executive Director Andre Perry, Englert Development Director Katie Roche and West Music Senior Vice President Ryan West.
“As the Englert continues to bring high quality performing arts to their stage, West Music is proud to support the effort to bring these artists out into our community” said West Music Senior Vice President Ryan West.
Englert Development Director Katie Roche spoke further of West Music’s evolving relationship with the Englert and importance to the Corridor arts community at large.
“West Music and the West family have been among our top supporters since the Englert’s restoration, and they understand that the Englert’s role goes far beyond selling tickets and putting on shows, just as their role extends beyond selling instruments and offering lessons,” said Roche. “We share a responsibility to inspire as well as entertain, to empower as well as educate.”
Englert 101’s inaugural event occurred during 2014’s Mission Creek Festival, when Minneapolis-based rapper/singer Dessa gave a songwriting workshop at Iowa City’s Tate High School. The next installment features violist Nadia Sirota, who performs May 7 at 8 p.m. at The Englert Theatre with contemporary composer Missy Mazzoli. Sirota will host a free pre-performance masterclass to adult viola, cello and violin players in the Eastern Iowa Corridor, including students from the Preucil School of Music, the University of Iowa and West Music.
Nadia Sirota is “a one-woman contemporary-classical commissioning machine” (Pitchfork) best known for her singular sound and expressive execution. Her sophomore album, Baroque, has been called “beautiful music of a higher order than anything else you will hear this year” by SPINMedia and website PopMatters. Performing with Sirota is contemporary composer Missy Mazzoli, whose music has been performed all over the world by the Kronos Quartet, eighth blackbird, the American Composers Orchestra, New York City Opera and many others.
The Englert Theatre is a community arts center and performance space that enhances the vitality of Iowa City’s historic downtown as its last historic theater. The Englert Theatre provides diverse programming, educational opportunities and exposure to the performing and visual arts. The organization strives to highlight the talents of local performers, artists and ensembles as well as hosting regional, national and international touring performances. and ensembles as well as hosting regional, national and international touring performances.
