Ars Lyrica Houston Rejuvenates Outreach Programs for Back to School  

Ars Lyrica Houston, the Grammy-nominated early music ensemble,a??has announced its catalogue of community programming that includes bilingual, social-emotional, and a bespoke storybook performance alongside a broad curriculum of supporting materials. The programs focus on helping students explore identity and emotion through the lens of historical performance. Information and booking can be obtained at www.arslyricahouston.org.

Ars Lyrica has invested heavily in their community programming over the last year. Two original programs, Orígenes and Musical Detectives, offer interactive virtual experiences for early and late primary audiences accompanied by a wealth of supplementary learning materials for both parents/teachers and their students. A comprehensive introduction to classical music performance, covering a wide range of topics from studying historical sources to collaborating within a team, is offered through the bilingual Orígenes program that introduces students to Spanish and Latin American cultures with vocal and instrumental music. Musical Detectives explores self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship skills with interactive exercises that incorporate music from the Baroque to illustrate concepts.

Both programs are curated by mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte and percussionist Jesús Pacheco: main stage artists who deliver the highest performance quality and instructional experience. "Even for an ensemble specializing in rarely-heard Baroque masterpieces, the repertoire presented in these performances is exciting. It is outside of the regular rotation of familiar standards, so it is inspiring for both new and seasoned listeners," says Outreach Manager Emma Wine. "I love that children are being introduced to music that even adults have yet to hear!."

In addition to managing these two program suites, Wine has also authored a book that serves as another new engagement tool for in-person audiences. With support from Connie Kwan-Wong and the CKW Luxe Magazine which underwrote the project, Maria's Magical Musical Adventure is a time travel story with vivid illustrations that illuminate the thrill of history coming alive on the stage of a concert hall for a young listener. A graduate of Rice School of Music's composition program, Wine has also written an accompanying string quartet that will be played in addition to music from Vivaldi's Four Seasons to bring the story to life.

For more information and scheduling, please contact Emma Wine ewine@arslyricahouston.org or call (713) 622-7443.

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