Acclaimed Dance Troupe ‘Brian Sanders’ JUNK’ Takes the Stage in Blue Bell

Brian Sanders’ JUNK. Photo by Bill Hebert

Brian Sanders’ JUNK is at it again, bringing its unique choreography, innovative use of props and fun spirit to Montgomery County Community College with a performance on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 8 p.m. in the Science Center Theater, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. Tickets cost $28. Visit mc3.edu/livelyarts or call 215-641-6518 for more information and tickets.

Back by popular demand, JUNK performances feature ingenious use of found objects and clever inventions that bridge the gap between dance and physical theater. Founded by Sanders in 1997, the troupe performs in its home base of Philadelphia and throughout the world. Dance Magazine has praised JUNK’s “thrilling comic dance turns” and “accessible, technically flawless” work, while critics have declared Sanders Philadelphia’s “most exciting choreographer” and “most imaginative perpetrator of dare-devilish physical theater.”

The choreographer strives to produce approachable, artistic work while exploring new ideas and encouraging audiences to view the world from a different perspective. “I like to find the dance inside these pieces of junk―something unique and unexpected that gives us a new and inspiring look on life,” he says.

A native of Princeton, Sanders channeled his love of gymnastics, dance and the creativity of Bob Fosse and MOMIX’s Moses Pendleton to develop his own inventive choreographic style using discarded objects. After choreographing and performing worldwide with MOMIX for a decade, Sanders choreographed two nationally televised mini-series, a touring show and numerous independent projects before founding JUNK―a perennial sell-out favorite at the FringeArts Festival.

This performance is part of the College’s 2014-15 Lively Arts series. Upcoming performances include Latin American folkloric and jazz musician Miguel Zenón on March 21 and legendary harmonica player Grégoire Maret on April 18.

The Lively Arts programs have connected the community for more than a quarter century. In addition to performances from internationally acclaimed artists, each season features a Young Arts Explorers series; student choral, jazz ensemble, guitar, dance and theater performances; the Presidential Symposium and Richard K. Bennett Distinguished Lectureship for Peace and Social Justice; and the Betzwood Film Festival.

For more information, visit mc3.edu/livelyarts, email livelyarts@mc3.edu or call the Box Office at 215-641-6518. Follow the College’s “Destination Arts” page on Facebook at facebook.com/DestinationArts.

~ by Lauren Somers

PHOTOS: Music Faculty Concert

Montgomery County Community College’s Music faculty presented a free concert on Friday, Nov. 7 in the Science Center Theater at the Central Campus. Photos by Sandi Yanisko

Papo Vázquez Mighty Pirates Troubadours Brings Latin jazz and Afro-Puerto Rican Rhythms to Blue Bell

by Lauren Somers

Papo Vázquez

An exciting brew of Latin jazz and Afro-Puerto Rican rhythms will take center stage at Montgomery County Community College as internationally known trombonist, composer and band leader Papo Vázquez performs with his orchestra, Mighty Pirates Troubadours, on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 8 p.m. in the Science Center Theater, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. Tickets cost $30. Visit mc3.edu/livelyarts or call 215-641-6518 for more information and tickets.

Heralded by The New York Times for its “jolting energy,” the group’s sound has been described as “high-powered, Afro-Puerto Rican small-group jazz…building jazz harmony on top of bomba rhythms.” The orchestra is led by Vázquez, whose remarkable career spans more than three dozen years. The Grammy-nominated artist, who grew up in Puerto Rico and North Philadelphia, discovered his talent with the trombone as a child and was playing professionally in New York by the age of 17.

A co-founder of Jerry Gonzalez’s Fort Apache Band and of Puerto Rico’s popular Latin fusion band Batacumbele, Vázquez has traveled with Tito Puente’s Latin Jazz Ensemble as principal trombonist and toured Europe with the Ray Charles Orchestra and Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra.
He received composer commissions by Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra and was invited to direct the U.S. Marine Band in its first Afro-Caribbean jazz performance. His expert playing can be heard on several film soundtracks, including “The Mambo Kings” and Spike Lee’s “Mo’ Better Blues.”

This performance is just one of many in the College’s 2014-15 Lively Arts season. Upcoming performances include master guitarist Lionel Loueke on Jan. 24; Grammy-winning jazz-soul fusion artist Gregory Porter on Feb. 8; Thelonious Monk Competition winner Cécile McLorin Salvant on Feb. 21; Latin American folkloric and jazz musician Miguel Zenón on March 21; and legendary harmonica player Grégoire Maret on April 18.

The Lively Arts programs have connected the community for more than a quarter century. In addition to performances from internationally acclaimed artists, each season features a Young Arts Explorers series; student choral, jazz ensemble, guitar, dance and theater performances; the Presidential Symposium and Richard K. Bennett Distinguished Lectureship for Peace and Social Justice; and the Betzwood Film Festival. Most Lively Arts events are held at the College’s Central Campus in Blue Bell, with selected events held offsite or at the College’s West Campus in Pottstown. Tickets can be purchased individually or as part of a season subscription. Season subscription benefits include premium guaranteed seating and savings on regular ticket prices.

For more information, visit mc3.edu/livelyarts, email livelyarts@mc3.edu or call the Box Office at 215-641-6518. Follow the College’s “Destination Arts” page on Facebook at facebook.com/DestinationArts.

Lively Arts Series Features Acclaimed American Jazz/Pop Singer, Pianist Diane ‘Deedles’ Schuur

by Lauren Somers

As part of Montgomery County Community College’s Lively Arts season, American jazz/pop singer, pianist and Grammy Award winner Diane “Deedles” Schuur will perform songs from her wide-ranging catalog on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m. in the Science Center Theater, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. Tickets cost $38. Visit mc3.edu/livelyarts or call 215-641-6518 for more information and tickets.

Blind since birth but blessed with perfect pitch and the ability to play piano by ear, Schuur has built a solid following by embracing traditional and contemporary jazz, pop, country and rhythm and blues.

“As far back as I can remember, singing was in my blood,” she recalls. “My parents loved music, and I loved to sing. I was scatting at an early age. I was determined to succeed at what I wanted to do. I wasn’t going to let my disability stand in my way.”

Throughout a distinguished career that has earned her two Grammy Awards and three additional nominations, she has recorded nearly two dozen albums over the past three decades―including her latest, “I Remember You: With Love to Stan and Frank,” which pays homage to mentors Stan Getz and Frank Sinatra. She has toured the world, headlined at Carnegie Hall and The White House, and collaborated with an incredibly diverse cross-section of musical greats, from B.B. King, Ray Charles and the Count Basie Orchestra to Barry Manilow, Vince Gill and Alison Krauss.

Other performers in this year’s Lively Arts season include Afro-Caribbean jazz trombonist Papo Vázquez on Nov. 22; master guitarist Lionel Loueke on Jan. 24; Grammy-winning jazz-soul fusion artist Gregory Porter on Feb. 8; Thelonious Monk Competition winner Cécile McLorin Salvant on Feb. 21; Latin American folkloric and jazz musician Miguel Zenón on March 21; and legendary harmonica player Grégoire Maret on April 18.

The College’s Lively Arts programs have connected the community for more than a quarter century. In addition to performances from internationally acclaimed artists, each season features a Young Arts Explorers series; student choral, jazz ensemble, guitar, dance and theater performances; the Presidential Symposium and Richard K. Bennett Distinguished Lectureship for Peace and Social Justice; and the Betzwood Film Festival. Most Lively Arts events are held at the College’s Central Campus in Blue Bell, with selected events held offsite or at the College’s West Campus in Pottstown. Tickets can be purchased individually or as part of a season subscription. Season subscription benefits include premium guaranteed seating and savings on regular ticket prices.

For more information, visit mc3.edu/livelyarts, email livelyarts@mc3.edu or call the Box Office at 215-641-6518. Follow the College’s “Destination Arts” page on Facebook at facebook.com/DestinationArts.

Acclaimed Country Singer Kathy Mattea Returns to Lively Arts Series

by Lauren Somers

Kathy Mattea, photo by David McClister

As part of Montgomery County Community College’s 2014-15 Lively Arts season, Grammy Award-winning singer Kathy Mattea will perform songs from her eclectic catalog of well-known country pop hits and newer Appalachian music on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 8 p.m. in the Science Center Theater, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. Tickets cost $38. Visit mc3.edu/livelyarts or call 215-641-6518 for more information and tickets.

An American country music performer who has incorporated many styles into her songs, Mattea has recorded 18 albums featuring numerous chart-topping singles, including the #1 hits “Goin’ Gone,” “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses,” “Come From the Heart” and Burnin’ Old Memories.” The West Virginia native’s current tour comes on the heels of two recordings, “Coal” and “Calling Me Home,” that have brought her back to her Appalachian roots.

“As I get older and as the culture changes, I realize how special this music is,” she says. “Appalachian music encompasses more than just bluegrass; there are a lot of Celtic, blues and old-time influences. This music got brought over and isolated in the mountains and developed its own flavor. It’s a very rich tapestry.”

Other performers in this year’s Lively Arts season include American jazz/pop singer, pianist and two-time Grammy Award winner Diane “Deedles” Schurr on Nov.15; Afro-Caribbean jazz trombonist Papo Vázquez on Nov. 22; master guitarist Lionel Loueke on Jan. 24; Grammy-winning jazz-soul fusion artist Gregory Porter on Feb. 8; Thelonious Monk Competition winner Cécile McLorin Salvant on Feb. 21; Latin American folkloric and jazz musician Miguel Zenón on March 21; and legendary harmonica player Grégoire Maret on April 18.

The College’s Lively Arts programs have connected the community for more than a quarter century. In addition to performances from internationally acclaimed artists, each season features a Young Arts Explorers series; student choral, jazz ensemble, guitar, dance and theater performances; the Presidential Symposium and Richard K. Bennett Distinguished Lectureship for Peace and Social Justice; and the Betzwood Film Festival. Most Lively Arts events are held at the College’s Central Campus in Blue Bell, with selected events held offsite or at the College’s West Campus in Pottstown. Tickets can be purchased individually or as part of a season subscription. Season subscription benefits include premium guaranteed seating and savings on regular ticket prices.

For more information, visit mc3.edu/livelyarts, email livelyarts@mc3.edu or call the Box Office at 215-641-6518, Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Follow the College’s “Destination Arts” page on Facebook at facebook.com/DestinationArts.

World Renown Jazz Guitarist, Singer John Pizzarelli Kicks Off Lively Arts Season

by Lauren Somers

John Pizzarelli

Montgomery County Community College will launch its 2014-15 Lively Arts season with the classically creative jazz, pop and swing stylings of John Pizzarelli―an internationally known guitarist and singer who effortlessly channels legends from Frank Sinatra to the Beatles―on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 8 p.m. in the Science Center Theater, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. Tickets cost $38. Visit mc3.edu/livelyarts or call 215-641-6518 for more information and tickets.

An Ella Fitzgerald Award winner called “madly creative” by the Los Angeles Times, Pizzarelli has established himself as one of the prime interpreters of classic and contemporary music. He brings to audiences a 21st-century take on standards as well as more contemporary music, paying homage to a wide spectrum of artists and songwriters from Nat “King” Cole to Richard Rodgers to James Taylor. He has performed with the Boston Pops, opened for Sinatra and been hailed by the Boston Globe for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz.” With 10 albums under his belt, Pizzarelli has recorded songs with Paul McCartney, Kristin Chenoweth, Rickie Lee Jones and Rosemary Clooney. In addition to performing throughout the world and on America’s most popular national television shows, he has hosted a nationally syndicated radio program and led a 40-member live orchestra at Radio City Music Hall for a Sinatra tribute.

Pizzarelli fans may also enjoy some of this year’s other Lively Arts performers, including American jazz/pop singer, pianist and two-time Grammy Award winner Diane “Deedles” Schurr on Nov.15; Grammy-winning jazz-soul fusion artist Gregory Porter on Feb. 8 (Sunday, at 4 p.m.); Thelonious Monk Competition winner Cécile McLorin Salvant on Feb. 21; Latin American folkloric and jazz musician Miguel Zenón on March 21; and legendary harmonica player Grégoire Maret on April 18.

The College’s Lively Arts programs have connected the community for more than a quarter century. In addition to performances from internationally acclaimed artists, each season features a Young Arts Explorers series; student choral, jazz ensemble, guitar, dance and theater performances; the Presidential Symposium and Richard K. Bennett Distinguished Lectureship for Peace and Social Justice; and the Betzwood Film Festival. Most Lively Arts events are held at the College’s Central Campus in Blue Bell, with selected events held offsite or at the College’s West Campus in Pottstown. Tickets can be purchased individually or you can Create-Your-Own Subscription by selecting any four shows. Season subscription benefits include premium guaranteed seating and savings on regular ticket prices.

For more information, visit mc3.edu/livelyarts, email livelyarts@mc3.edu or call the Box Office at 215-641-6518. Follow the College’s “Destination Arts” page on Facebook at facebook.com/DestinationArts.

Show Your Support for Student Candace Benson: Vote Now-Aug. 30

by Diane VanDyke

Montgomery County Community College student Candace Benson, of Pottstown, made her final performance on BET’s Sunday Best competition Sunday. Now it’s up to the audience to determine the winner of the two finalists—Benson or Geoffrey Golden—by voting via phone or online.

Click HERE to Vote For Candace

Benson, a 22-year-old music education and audio production major at the College, auditioned last April with hundreds of hopeful singers to compete in the weekly gospel-based singing competition. She was one of 20 contestants selected to sing on the weekly television show starting in July. Throughout the past several weeks, she successfully made it through each round getting closer to her dream of winning the competition.

Now, she seeks the support of her ever-growing fan base, family, and friends and supporters at the College, Montgomery County and beyond to vote for through noon EST on Saturday, Aug. 30. The winner will be announced on Sunday, Aug. 31.

To vote for Benson, call 1-888-5-BEST-01 or 888-523-7801 or go online at BET.com/SundayBest and follow the instructions to complete the voting process. You can also vote by using the BET Now mobile app.

Voting is limited to 15 votes via the toll-free landline method and is unlimited via online and BET Now app. Airtime and roaming charges may apply if using a cell phone to call the landline numbers.

The winner will receive a new Ford Fusion, a national recording contract with Fo Yo Soul/RCA Records and a cash prize. For Benson, this is her opportunity of a lifetime and represents the culmination of singing performances at her church, locally and during Music Wednesdays

Click HERE to Vote For Candace

Dance Program Offered in Pottstown This Fall

by Diane VanDyke

Dance students perform during the fall Performing Arts Showcase at Montgomery County Community College. Photo by Sandi Yanisko

Montgomery County Community College is now accepting registration for its Associate in Arts degree program in Dance to be offered at its West Campus in Pottstown starting Fall 2014.

This 63-credit program provides both a liberal arts background and dance courses comparable to classes offered during the first two years at a four-year institution. Classes include modern dance, ballet, jazz, hip hop, dance improvisation, dance composition, dance repertory and performance, dance wellness and fitness and dance history.

“The program is unique in that it offers courses for dancers of all levels, from beginners to experienced dancers,” said Dr. Melinda Copel, Coordinator of Dance, indicating that novices can take fundamentals-level dance courses while simultaneously taking degree courses.

Dance classes are open to all students, regardless of their majors, and will meet core education requirements for Exercise and Health Sciences and Aesthetic Sensibility and the Arts.

The Associate in Arts degree program in Dance allows students to transfer into a baccalaureate program in dance at many colleges and universities.

“There are a number of career possibilities in dance including performer, choreographer, teacher, dance or movement therapist, dance historian and writer, dance critic, arts administrator, and dance notator,” Dr. Copel said. “There are performance opportunities in a variety of settings including dance concerts, opera, musical theater, musical productions, television, movies, music videos, cruise ships and theme parks, such as Disney World or Sesame Place.”

“Many dancers combine performance with careers in dance education or choreography,” she said. “Dance educators teach in higher education, K-12 schools, private dance studios and community centers. Some open their own studios. Students may wish to combine their studies in dance with a related field such as technical theater or physical therapy. The arts are a big industry in the Philadelphia area, and there are plenty of opportunities.”

Beyond courses, students have performance opportunities with the College’s Dance Performance Ensemble, which is open to all students. Both the Dance Ensemble and the Dance Repertory class perform at the end of each semester.

For more information or to register, contact Dr. Melinda Copel at mcopel@mc3.edu or 215-641-6346.

2014-15 Lively Arts Season Preview

by Lauren Somers

Montgomery County Community College has announced its 2014-15 Lively Arts season, “Old School, New School” ― with a nod to the resurging popular interest in jazz, Americana and eclectic dance and theater, by presenting a generation- and genre-spanning collection of exhilarating performers. From the classically creative jazz stylings of John Pizzarelli―a world-renowned guitarist and singer who effortlessly channels Sinatra, Gershwin and the Beatles―to the innovative choreography of Brian Sanders, hailed as “Philly’s most imaginative perpetrator of dare-devilish physical theater,” the traditional and the modern blend seamlessly in this year’s series. Visit mc3.edu/livelyarts or call 215-641-6518 for more information and tickets.

For more than a quarter century, the Lively Arts series has connected the community artistically through breathtaking musical, dance and theater performances, sidesplitting political satire, thought-provoking art, stimulating workshops and lectures, Young Arts Explorers events and meet-the-artist receptions. This year’s series reflects the ageless continuity of the arts, offering an electrifying season of events that include performances by:

• John Pizzarelli, an Ella Fitzgerald Award winner called “madly creative” by the Los Angeles Times, on October 18;
• Kathy Mattea, an American country and bluegrass performer who brings folk, Celtic and traditional country sounds to her music and has recorded 17 albums featuring numerous chart-topping singles, on October 25;
• Diane “Deedles” Schuur, an American jazz/pop singer, pianist and two-time Grammy Award winner who has performed with B.B. King, Dizzy Gillespie and Stevie Wonder, on November 15;
• Papo Vázquez Mighty Pirates Troubadours, a group led by the Grammy-nominated trombonist and composer whose remarkable career spans three dozen years in the jazz, Latin, Afro-Caribbean and classical music and recording worlds, on November 22;
• Monnette Sudler’s Philadelphia Guitar Summit featuring Lionel Loueke, a West African native and veteran of bands led by Terence Blanchard and Herbie Hancock whose performance caps on January 24;
• Gregory Porter, a Grammy-winning jazz-soul fusion artist heralded as “the next great male jazz singer” channeling the “soulful spirit of the ’70s,” on February 8;
• Cécile McLorin Salvant, a prodigy and Thelonious Monk Competition winner who shares interpretations of rare jazz and blues compositions while extending the lineage of Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald, on February 21;
• Brian Sanders’ JUNK, a troupe led by “the city’s most exciting choreographer” performing an innovative dance theater piece featuring the ingenious use of found objects and clever inventions, on February 28;
• Miguel Zenón, a Guggenheim and MacArthur fellow who blends Latin American folkloric music and jazz and has been heralded for “re-establishing the artistic, cultural and social tradition of jazz while creating an entirely new jazz language for the 21st century,” on March 21;
• Grégoire Maret, one of the world’s most sought-after harmonica players who has played with such legendary musicians as Youssou N’Dour, Meshell Nedegeocello, Pete Seeger, David Sanborn and George Benson, on April 18; and
• The Capitol Steps, a popular political satirist group performing song parodies and skits that play off recent headlines in this year’s “Fiscal Shades of Gray,” on May 2.

In its Young Arts Explorers series, the College will engage children and families through several highly entertaining, educational performances, including:

• Janet’s Planet: Tour Through our Solar System, a live performance from Janet Ivey of the popular TV show in which she will explore the wonders of the galaxy through an imaginative, interactive learning adventure, on January 22;
• Cuentos: Tales from the Latino World by David Gonzalez, who paints a vivid picture of the people and rich cultures of the Spanish-speaking world with colorful Afro-Cuban tales from the Caribbean, South America and the Bronx, on February 12 at 9:30 a.m.;
• Finding North by David Gonzalez, who brings the powerful stories of the strivings, sacrifices and dreams to the stage of the African-American Underground Railroad hero John P. Parker, as well as contemporary American immigrants on February 12 at 1 p.m.; and
• SKINK, by Brian Sanders’ JUNK, a collection of 14 fast-paced vignettes designed for younger audiences in which performers use unusual props, costumes, lighting effects, dance and physical theater to create worlds of magic and wonder set to a wide range of music from pop to classical, on February 27.

Each year the Lively Arts season also features student performances in music, dance and theater. The Fall Performing Arts Showcases will be held December 1, 3 and 4 with a special 10^th Anniversary Celebration of the MCCC Choir on December 3. The Spring Performing Arts Showcases will be held April 27, 29 and 30. Dance Performance Ensemble Concerts are December 5 and April 24, and the Chamber Strings Concerts are scheduled for December 7 and May 3. A special Faculty Music Concert will be held on November 7.

The Theatre Arts Program and West End Student Theatre will present “Rabbit Hole” Nov. 13-15 and “Black Comedy” April 23-25 in the South Hall Community Room at the West Campus, Pottstown. The Theatre Arts Program and Drama Club will present “The Glass Menagerie” Nov. 20-23 and “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” April 16-19 in the Black Box Theatre, Central Campus, Blue Bell.

The series also features the College’s annual Presidential Symposium with Poet Richard Blanco on March 26 and the Richard K. Bennett Distinguished Lectureship for Peace and Social Justice with investigative journalist and author Sonia Shah on March 9.

The season closes out with a bang on May 9 with the annual Betzwood Film Festival, which celebrates the works and history of Betzwood Studios―Montgomery County’s own version of Hollywood―where more than 100 films were produced and circulated worldwide in the early 1900s. This year’s festival showcases a retrospective of the adventurous life and films of Wilna Hervey, an acclaimed fine artist who starred in “Powerful Katrinka” and hosted some of the Catskills’ wildest parties. The retrospective, which will feature film clips accompanied by live organist Don Kinnier, will be followed by a “Meet the Author” reception and book signing with festival founder Joseph Eckhardt, author of the Hervey biography “Living Large.”

Most Lively Arts events are held at the College’s Central Campus in Blue Bell, with selected events held offsite or at the College’s West Campus in Pottstown. Patrons can create their own subscription by selecting any four performances. Season subscription benefits include premium guaranteed seating and savings on regular ticket prices.

For more information, visit mc3.edu/livelyarts, email livelyarts@mc3.edu or call the Box Office at 215-641-6518 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Follow the College’s “Destination Arts” page on Facebook at facebook.com/DestinationArts.

Chamber Strings Ensemble Performs April 27

by Diane VanDyke

Montgomery County Community College invites the community to come and enjoy a free Chamber Strings Concert on Sunday, April 27, at 3 p.m. in the Science Center Theater, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell.

The Chamber Strings Ensemble will be featuring music selections of Grieg, Vivaldi, Hovhaness and Bartok under the direction of Chamber and Applied Strings Instructor Dr. Elizabeth M. Guerriero. Guest soloist Eric Coyne will also perform.

As a special feature, the Chamber Strings will perform an original composition, “Ode to the Ironwolves, Op.1,” written by student composer Otto Kuehrmann of Glenside. Kuehrmann, who is graduating in May 2014, is dedicating the composition to MCCC in honor of its 50th anniversary this year.

According to Kuehrmann, “Ode to the Ironwolves” is heavily influenced by the video gaming music of Hitoshi Sakimoto, Derek Duke, Russell Brower and C418, as well as the works of 20^th century composer Alan Hovhaness. The piece is about the incarnation of and release of tension and utilizes techniques such as complex rhythmic writing and chorale style.

The College’s Chamber Strings is open to all players of violin, viola, cello, and string bass. The College also offers Jazz, Wind and Choir ensembles opportunities, as well as Music Theory and Digital Music classes held in state-of-the-art music labs.

Soloist Coyne has been an active teacher, performer, and chamber musician in the Philadelphia region since 2001. In addition to teaching cello, he has taught at Community Music School since 2002 and has been a Master Faculty member since 2009. He holds a B.M. in Cello Performance from the University of Iowa, and an M.M. and Performance-Pedagogy Professional Certificate from Temple University.

Dr. Guerriero, in addition to teaching at MCCC, teaches strings at Rider University, N.J. She has also taught applied violin and music education courses at the Westminster Choir College, University of Denver, and Penn State University. Dr. Guerriero serves as assistant director of the New Jersey Suzuki Workshop and director of the Keep It Going Summer Strings Camp. Dr. Guerriero graduated fromPenn State University and completed her B.M. in violin performance at the Hartt School of Music (Suzuki Books 1-4) and M.M. in violin performance and Suzuki pedagogy (Suzuki Books 1-9 and Practicum) from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. For more information about the Chamber Strings Ensemble, contact Dr. Elizabeth M. Guerriero at eguerrie@mc3.edu.

The College’s Music program offers students a broad variety of opportunities to explore music, and classes are open to all students, regardless of their majors. Since MCCC’s music coursework is transferrable, students are able to prepare for entry into a four-year music program. Students completing the AA program have gone on to complete their music degrees at West Chester, Temple, University of the Arts, Mansfield University, and many other fine music schools. For more information, visit mc3.edu.

Chamber Strings Ensemble. Photo by Matt Carlin