Spring 2013 - Chicago Website Company

Take Note
Thousands of voices united in harmony
▲
Chicago Public Schools
Launches First
Arts Education Plan
A Message from Josephine Lee
In 2001, David Kersnar and I began
working on Sita Ram, and last December
three productions of the world musical were
performed to an audience of thousands.
Following the success of the production,
select singers served as global ambassadors
during a 10-day tour of India. Through this
tour, singers’ eyes were opened to other
issues around the world, and for many it
was a life-changing experience and a call to
action.
To build on this call to action, we are
dedicating our annual Paint the Town Red
concert to peace in Chicago. This concert
unites all 3,500 of our singers and gives
them the opportunity to express their hopes
to improve their communities. In addition,
this years’s concert will serve as a fundraiser
to support the launch of a new Englewood
Neighborhood Choir Program. While the
national focus on Chicago highlights issues
of violence and school closings, Chicago
Children’s Choir is working toward positive
change in our great city. I hope you will
join us in Millennium Park on May 15 as
we Paint the Town Red and inspire peace
through song.
▲
Sita Ram Success
▲
Spring 2013
Chicago Children’s
Choir Tours India
Paint the Town Red to Support Launch of Englewood
Neighborhood Choir Program
This year’s Paint the Town Red: Inspiring Peace Through Song is dedicated to
empowering our nearly 3,500 singers from 60 In-School Programs, 8
Neighborhood Choirs, DiMension, and Concert Choir to create a more peaceful
Chicago. Our children come together from all areas of the city, using music as a
way to connect with one another and gain an appreciation for the rich diversity
Chicago has to offer. Each singer will be charged with the task of making a
personal commitment to do something positive in their own community, helping
to create a better world. The Choir will continue this effort by launching a new
Neighborhood Choir Program in Englewood.
Paint the Town Red, sponsored by Target, is an annual city-wide event featuring a
performance by 3,500 Chicago children. (Continued on page 2)
Sincerely,
President & Artistic Director
Paint the Town Red 2012 at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park
Board of Directors
Michael A. Nemeroff, Chair
Anne Kritzmire, Vice Chair
Nimalan Chinniah, Treasurer
Randy L. Holgate, Secretary
Keith Cardoza
Caroline Dettman
Shelley McArthur Farley
Robert L. Fealy
Kristen P. Freund
Rose Ann Grundman
Carrie L. Hedges
Ellee Pai Hong
Priscilla Kersten
Melissa Kibler Knoll
David Koo
Ann Marie Lipinski
Micah Materre
James P. Meyer
Madelaine Mooney
Chrysa Moster
Robert J. Musur
Diane Pearse
William C. Ruffin
Brenda A. Russell
James F. Schott
Carol W. Schroeder
Christina Sciotto
Joe Shanahan
Rita Stols
Brian Vandenberg
Monica Walker
Sona Wang
Ron Weiss
Kathleen Wilson-Thompson
Bernie Woytek
Ambassadors Board
Matt Roan, Chair
Erin Slitt, Vice Chair
Michael Teplitsky, Vice Chair
Bridget Adaska
Brian Egwele
Derek Ferguson
Scott R. Hall
William Heard
John Johnson
Richard Peperone
Jose Pluto
Alicia Roman
Laura Scheland
Jack Siragusa
Sara Spiering
Ken Stolman
LaMarr Taylor
Matt Unertl
Alberto Villarreal
Juan Carlos Rodriguez Villava
Justin Ward
Ginger Zee
Paint the Town Red to Support
Launch of Englewood
Neighborhood Choir Program
(continued)
This year’s concert will also feature a spoken word poetry
performance in collaboration with Kevin Coval,
Co-Founder of Louder than a Bomb: The Chicago Teen
Poetry Festival, the largest youth poetry festival in the world.
In order to share this mission with the city at large, our
concert will be followed by a march around the park, waving
red ribbons, and reminding Chicago that RED is the color
of LOVE. In this “parade of peace,” we will continue to sing and show the world what
young people can achieve when working together. Following that, singers will continue to
spread this message of peace with performances throughout downtown Chicago.
One goal of Paint the Town Red is to raise awareness for the Choir’s 9th Neighborhood
Program which will be launched in Englewood this fall. The Choir will be raising
$100,000 to open and operate the new Englewood Neighborhood Choir. On May
15, concert attendees will have the opportunity to donate towards this goal. This new
program will offer a safe haven and positive after-school alternative for students in the
Englewood community.
Paint the Town Red is free and open to the public. Concert attendees are invited to wear
red on May 15 to support our cause. Gifts in support of the Choir’s new after-school
program in Englewood can be made at www.firstgiving.com/15043/paint-the-town-red.
Chicago Public Schools
Launches First
Arts Education Plan
In 2012, Chicago Public Schools began a process of engaging stakeholders to develop
a plan that would increase equity and access to arts education. Through meetings with
principals, parents, students, teachers, arts partners, philanthropic institutions, and
community members, CPS developed a plan that will roll out in stages over the next
three years. The purpose of the plan is to provide “every art for every student in every
grade” in Chicago Public Schools. Five major goals have been outlined to achieve this
result: create district arts policies that support K-12 arts education, develop curriculum
that will provide consistent arts instruction and assessment, provide quality professional
development, support arts partnerships and collaborations, and create a system to track
and analyze data on arts instruction that will facilitate future decisions.
The first initiative of the CPS Arts Plan was launched earlier this year. Staff members
from each school were invited to apply for the new arts liaison position. Arts liaisons will
work in each school to advocate for arts programming, communicate with arts partners,
and help schools meet the goals of the CPS Arts Education Plan. Schools that designate
an arts liaison will receive additional resources and recognition for their work to create
quality arts education in their schools.
Chicago Children’s Choir has been actively engaged with Chicago Public Schools
throughout the planning process and is looking forward to new partnerships and
opportunities that will develop with Chicago Public Schools as a result of the plan. For
more information about the CPS Arts Education Plan, visit www.cpsartsplan2012.com.
Global Ambassadors
Sita Ram Success
Chicago Children’s Choir
Welcomes New
Ambassadors Board
Members
We are excited to welcome five
accomplished young professionals to our
Ambassadors Board.
“This is immersive knock your socks off theatre, where you are often surrounded by the
perfectly drilled chorus literally vibrating your bones with the music.”
– Chicago Stage Standard
Based on the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana, the critically acclaimed world
musical, Sita Ram, developed in collaboration with David Kersnar of
Lookingglass Theatre, Josephine Lee of Chicago Children’s Choir, and Krithika
Rajagopalan of Natya Dance Theatre, enjoyed three nearly sold-out shows
December 14 and 15 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance.
“For live spectacle, it would be hard to beat Sita Ram.”
– Chicago Tribune
The production featured nearly 200 performers, including 100 Concert Choir
singers, collaborating with dancers from Natya Dance Theatre, acrobats from the
Inappropriate Theatre Company, and principle actors and actresses, donning
costumes by Chicago-based designer Azeeza Khan of Atelier AZZA.
“Sita Ram wins Chicago’s hearts with fusion of musical styles.”
– Desi Talk Chicago
Chicago Children’s Choir
Tours India
“Music lovers and kids in the City couldn’t have asked for a better evening. The Chicago
Children’s Choir sang their way into many hearts, young and old.”
- Deccan Herald
Following the success of Sita Ram, 45 Concert Choir singers traveled to New
Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Chennai, and Bangalore, India for a 10-day international
tour with concerts presented by the Jaipur Literature Festival and the U.S.
Embassy.
“Dynamic choreography, vocally charged choruses and several stand out
solos made for a packed Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao auditorium.”
- The New Indian Express
The Choir performed four major concerts and provided a number of
workshops for youth and music organizations throughout India. In New Delhi,
the Choir sang for The Salaam Baalak Trust, a non-profit organization that aids
and supports homeless and orphaned children. Additionally, the Choir worked
with Rhapsody – Education Through Music in Chennai and the Bangalore
School of Music, an organization that works with underprivileged girls and
specializes in Western and Eastern classical music. Each workshop involved a
music sharing session which culminated in powerful collaborative performances
that crossed language and cultural barriers.
Derek Ferguson is a Vice President with
Victory Park Capital, a Chicago-based
alternative investment firm focused on
small-cap and middle-market credit
opportunities. Derek is an active member
of the Chicago chapter of the Association
for Corporate Growth as well as the
Kellogg Alumni Club of Chicago. In
addition, he serves on the Board of
Directors for the Kappa Kappa
Corporation of Sigma Chi.
William Heard is Chief Executive Officer
and Chief Investment Officer of Heard
Capital LLC. William is a graduate of the
Marquette University College of Business
Administration with a degree in both
Finance and Real Estate. He has
completed Parts I and II of the
Certified Insolvency & Restructuring
Advisor (CIRA) program.
LaMarr Taylor is a member of the
Investment Management Division of
Goldman Sachs & Co. He is an active
member of the Union League Club of
Chicago and Indiana Society of
Chicago. LaMarr is currently a CFA
Level III candidate. He received his B.S.
in Electrical Engineering from
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
and an MBA in Finance from Indiana
University.
Alicia Roman is a Meteorologist at NBC
5 Chicago. She graduated with a degree in
Broadcast Journalism from Penn State
University and a degree in Broadcast
Meteorology from Mississippi State
University. Alicia is a member of the
American Meteorological Society (AMS)
and in September of 2009, she was
awarded the AMS Seal of Approval.
Alberto Villarreal is a PwC Advisory
Manager in the Technology and
Operations group of Financial
Services. He obtained a BBA with majors
in Accounting and Finance from Georgia
State University in May of 2007 and he
is currently an MBA candidate at The
University of Chicago Booth School of
Business.
78 E Washington Street, 5th Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60602
312.849.8300
www.ccchoir.org
Upcoming Events
Target Community Concert Series
Canto Latino
May 2, 7:30pm
Orr Academy High School
Snap Dazzle Pop!
May 11, 3:00pm
Logan Center for the Performing Arts
Paint the Town Red
May 15, 11:00am
Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park
Neighborhood Choir Open House
May 21-22
All Neighborhood Choir locations
All children 8 and up interested in singing
with the Choir are invited to attend!
Target Community Concert Series
Beverly Neighborhood Choir
May 30, 7:30pm
Trinity United Church of Christ
For a complete list of events, please visit www.ccchoir.org/events
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Chicago, IL
Permit No. 256
Neighborhood Choir
Bridging America
Tours
DiMension
March 22-24
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Lincoln Park/DePaul
April 11-14
San Francisco, California
Hyde Park
April 19-21
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Albany Park, Pilsen/
Little Village, and
Beverly
May 10-12
Nashville, Tennessee
Rogers Park and
Humboldt Park
May 17-19
Chicago, Illinois