Voices Within  |  Ten-Week Artist Residency Program

Combining elements of music, music composition, writing, poetry, visual art, and performance, Voices Within has evolved into a unique, multifaceted curriculum design that is delivered in a collaborative format by three professional artists in cooperation with the classroom teacher. Prior to the in-class sessions selected team members will have a site visit to the school to review program needs, expectations, and scheduling. The second step is a planning/training session with the artistic team, participating teacher, and a school administrator to determine the curricular focus and planning of the classroom sessions. During the residency, students work individually, and collaboratively in small groups to develop a theme, express it as a lyric/poem, establish a rhythm, compose a melody, put the lyric and melody together, refine, and then — ultimately — perform the song. Students are matched in teams with their peers, and teams may be paired with corresponding teams from a partner school.

The final session is an all-school assembly performance by the students of their newly composed songs. The students are also joined in the concert by the eight-member professional ensemble, Master Chorale Chamber Singers, performing professional arrangements of the students’ songs as well selections from some the Chamber Singers’ standard repertoire.

During the term of the residency, and scheduled at the convenience of the school and artists, the team will present a participatory in-service session for interested teachers focusing on incorporating collaborative exercises and the creative process into general classroom planning and curriculum. 

Participating students and teachers will also have the opportunity to attend a dress rehearsal of the Los Angeles Master Chorale at the Walt Disney Concert Hall at the Music Center in downtown Los Angeles. The field trip will be scheduled based upon the performance calendar of the Master Chorale. The Master Chorale will furnish all participating students and teachers with the necessary in-class session materials including the curriculum notebook, recording samples and teacher’s guide to the program.