Students to participate in live educational concerts this school year

For more than 10 years, MIM’s Artist Residency concerts have connected visiting students with teaching artists who deliver inspiring and educational performances at the MIM Music Theater. Now, after two years of virtual programming because of the pandemic, on-site concerts have returned with a full schedule for the 2022–2023 school year. 

Over the years, MIM has presented more than 60 residencies featuring local, regional, and national teaching artists and ensembles. Thousands of enthusiastic young audience members have learned directly from these artists through a concert as part of a field trip to MIM.

“There is a certain energy and excitement to a live performance that simply can’t be replicated in a recording,” says Brian Dredla, director of education and public programs. “Combine that with skillful presentation by a teaching artist, and music becomes a powerful educational tool.”

MIM’s education team partners with resident artists to craft exceptional experiences for teachers and students. Each program is specially designed with clear learning objectives that align with educational curricula. MIM educators develop an audience guide for each concert to help students and teachers gain a deeper understanding of the music and cultures they experience.

PHXJAZZ

Two Artist Residency events have already taken place this semester. In August, PHXJAZZ delighted students with its arrangements of contemporary hits in historical jazz styles, such as bossa nova and swing.

“We at PHXJAZZ relish the opportunity to share our music, spirit, and joy for jazz (and pop!) music with students, the community, and the MIM staff and volunteers,” says PHXJAZZ’s Keith Kelly.

In an October performance with Ugandan multi-instrumentalist Giovanni Kiyingi, students experienced fusion music that blended traditional East African styles with jazz, Afropop, and more. 

“It’s always magical seeing students’ faces filled with joy and wonder about sounds or the new music,” Kiyingi says. He hopes students took away something new from the residency—a dance move or musical riff, or even a few new words in his language, Luganda.

Giovanni Kiyingi

In December, the fall semester will conclude with a performance from Yellow Bird Productions celebrating the Apache, Arikara, and Hidatsa nations through song, dance, and stories. This spring’s educational concerts will feature Japanese taiko drumming with Ken Koshio, a high-energy performance fusing vocal storytelling and classical percussion from Cory Hills, and the instruments and dances of Hawaii with Kaimikahu Hale O Hula.

The revival of live Artist Residency concerts completes the return of all of MIM’s in-person field trip offerings.

“We were thrilled to see a strong demand for on-site field trips resume in the previous school year,” Dredla says, “and we are delighted that the 2022–2023 school year now includes these live concert options.”

MIM thanks presenting sponsor the Revada Foundation for its support of the Artist Residency Program and The Molly Blank Fund for its support of the Cory Hills performance.

     Molly Blank Fund Logo

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MIM’s on-site field trip program welcomed its 500,000th participant this fall! Students visiting on field trips sponsored by The Molly Blank Fund helped MIM celebrate the occasion.