Connecticut Public Broadcasting & Hartt Present HARTT & SOUL 5/26

WNPR's Colin McEnroe, host of The Colin McEnroe Show and alumnus of The Hartt School Community Division will host "Hartt & Soul," an evening of food, wine, music, and dance. Presented by The Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network and The Hartt School, "Hartt & Soul" will be held at the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center, 35 Westbourne Parkway, Hartford, on Wednesday, May 26, at 6:30 PM. Tickets for Hartt & Soul are $65. For reservations, contact Amy Williamson at awilliamson@cptv.org or 860.275.7540.

This engaging evening, which includes hors d'oeurves and wine, will benefit WNPR/Connecticut Public Radio and will feature special one-night-only performances of jazz, classical music and dance by faculty and alumni of The Hartt School, the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford. The evening's entertainment will include a special performance by Sirena Huang, an acclaimed violin prodigy and alumna of The Hartt School Community Division. At 16 years of age, Huang is the First Prize Gold Medalist of 2009's International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians. She already has performed with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, the Russian Symphony Orchestra, and Connecticut's own Hartford Symphony Orchestra, just to name a few.

"People seem entranced by shows like Glee and Fame, but this is the real deal," says McEnroe. "Some of these young talents like violinist Sirena Huang and vocalist Ta'Nika Slater are living the dream of those fictional programs. We wanted to present them in an intimate setting."

Guests also will be treated to a Mionetto Prosecco wine reception, as well as a selection of heavy hors d'oeuvres artfully prepared by The Pond House Café in West Hartford. Like the evening's performances, which will include everything from classical music to jazz, the hors d'oeuvres will provide a delightful sense of variety.

And of course, guests will be able to enjoy the wit and wisdom of WNPR host and Hartford Courant columnist Colin McEnroe, live and in-person.

"This event really encompasses two different things," says McEnroe. "It's a celebration of the amazing Hartt Community Division and the thousands of professional musicians and dedicated amateurs who have poured through its doors over the decades. If you're one of those people, come back and swap stories with other alumni, and hear acclaimed prodigy Sirena Huang. It's also the first public event we've ever done as The Colin McEnroe Show. It's a chance for listeners to talk to me and the rest of the Colin McEnroe gang and to support the show while enjoying exceptional food, wine, and the talents of top dancers and musicians in an incredible series of linked performances."

"We are thrilled to partner with CPBN in welcoming lovers of public radio to The Hartt School in support of a great cause," says Aaron Flagg, professor and dean of The Hartt School. "As Hartt begins celebrating its 90th year, it is especially exciting to welcome back Hartt alum Colin McEnroe to his alma mater, which now features a vibrant new venue: the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center."

About WNPR/Connecticut Public Radio
WNPR/Connecticut Public Radio is a media service of the Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network (CPBN, www.cpbn.org), an affiliate of National Public Radio, Public Radio International, and American Public Media. WNPR serves more than 200,000 listeners in Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island with news and information. Its award-winning local programming includes The Faith Middleton Show and Where We Live. Overall, the network brings a broad spectrum of public affairs, entertainment, sports, and educational programming to viewers, listeners, and readers. The Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network includes CPTV/Connecticut Public Television, a locally and nationally recognized producer and presenter of quality public television programming, including UConn Women's Basketball, original documentaries, and educational programming. CPTV has built a reputation as a leader in children's programming, including playing a historical role in bringing Barney & Friends^TM, Bob the Builder^TM and Thomas & Friends^TM to public television. The station offers 11 hours of positive, nurturing children's programming each weekday, reaching 50,000 to 70,000 households daily. For more information, visit www.wnpr.org and/or www.cptv.org.

About The Hartt School Community Division
The Hartt School Community Division of the University of Hartford is a comprehensive community arts school providing instruction in music and dance for individuals of all ages and experience levels. It is a division of The Hartt School, one of the seven colleges of the University of Hartford. The Community Division is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Community and Pre-College Art Schools, is an active member of National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts, and is viewed as a national model for community schools based on university campuses. It is one of the largest and most evolved programs of its kind in the country. For more information on The Hartt School Community Division, visit http://www.hcd.hartford.edu/

About The Hartt School
The Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford that offers innovative degree programs in music, dance, and theatre. With more than 400 concerts, recitals, plays, master classes, dance performances, and musical theatre productions a year, performance is central to Hartt's curriculum. For more information on The Hartt School, visit www.hartford.edu/hartt.

Need more Connecticut Theatre News in your life? Sign up for all the news on the Winter season, discounts & more...