In the News
Local Kansas City Students Chosen To Participate In First-Ever Music Revolution Project, Aiming To Create The Next Generation of Musicians and Songwriters
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (June 14, 2012) – Additional details about The GRAMMY Museum’s Music Revolution Project, a new education initiative developed by The GRAMMY Museum, have been announced by Bob Santelli, Executive Director of The GRAMMY Museum. In addition to the continued development of the curriculum, local Kansas City- area students have been selected for inclusion in the program.
Scheduled to debut as a pilot program in Kansas City, Mo. on Monday, June 18, 2012, The GRAMMY Museum’s Music Revolution Project offers talented youth the opportunity to engage in musical discourse and performance with their peers, spurring innovative ideas within the realm of American music.
“The student-selection process was a rigorous one, and we found no shortage of talent in Kansas City,” said GRAMMY Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli, who will also be instructing selected courses during the program. “With the commitment of our first-class partners, support from the Kansas City arts community and dedicated students, The GRAMMY Museum’s Music Revolution Project is primed to introduce the world to the next generation of musical talent.”
Created with generous support from AEG, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and The Recording Academy, The GRAMMY Museum’s Music Revolution Project will stimulate creative young musicians by connecting them with GRAMMY-level artists. During The GRAMMY Museum’s summer’s pilot program, 24 young artists will participate in an intensive, four-week curriculum including instruction, rehearsals and mentoring at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and Sprint Center, two venues located in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
The selected high-school and college students have demonstrated not only an enthusiasm for the arts, but also a deep understanding of their craft in a wide-range of genres including Jazz, Pop, Hip-Hop, Rock, Folk and Roots, Sacred and Classical music. Created to broaden musical and creative skill while helping establish relationships, the program is also designed to increase self-esteem, help students develop entrepreneurial skills and grow their passion for music. During the first week of the program, students will be introduced to the scheduled coursework, obtain an overview of the music industry today and focus on the history of the Blues genre.
Selected students for the Kansas City pilot program include:
Olivia Adams – St. James Academy
Brooks Brown – Blue Valley North High School
Blair Bryant – Lee’s Summit West High School
Isaiah Carter – Lee’s Summit West High School
Promise Clutter – Shawnee Mission East
Megan Faber – Pembroke Hill High School
Ryan Ganaban – North Kansas City High School
Gardner Grantham – Shawnee Mission East
Maxwell Griffith – Lawrence High School
Connor Leander – Blue Valley North West
Michael LeFever – Vargas Ottawa University
Shelby Lewis – Staley High School
Damian Malnar – Rockhurst High School
Addison May – Lincoln College Preparatory Academy
Ernest Melton – Lincoln College Preparatory Academy
Madeline Miley – Baldwin High School
Mason Pashia – Shawnee Mission East
Kat Pismenny – Raymore-Peculiar High School
Nick Riffle – Park Hill South High School
Jillian Riscoe – Alumna of Oak Park High School
Houston Smith – Rockhurst High School
Mariah Studebaker – Oak Park High School
Brandon Thomas – Paseo Academy School of Performing Arts
Micah Welch – St. Teresa’s Academy
On Thursday, June 21, three-time GRAMMY Award-winner, Keb Mo will be joining the students to speak about the history of the Blues and serve as a mentor to the program. Born Kevin Moore in Los Angeles to parents from the South, Mo’s music is an expression of the artistic and cultural journey that has transformed the Blues over time. His distinctive sound embraces multiple eras and genres, including pop, soul, folk, jazz and the singer-songwriter movement, with the common bond of the power of song to convey human experiences. Additional artists currently slated to participate include Billy Branch, Phil Collen of Def Leppard, Andy Gibson, Claude Kelly, Jimmy Jam and more.
For more information regarding the Music Revolution Project, please visit: www.grammymuseum.org/revolution.
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ABOUT The GRAMMY MUSEUM
Paying tribute to music’s rich cultural history, this one-of-a-kind, 21st-century Museum explores and celebrates the enduring legacies of all forms of music, the creative process, the art and technology of the recording process, and the history of the premier recognition of excellence in recorded music — the GRAMMY Award. The GRAMMY Museum features 30,000 square feet of interactive and multimedia exhibits located within L.A. LIVE, the downtown Los Angeles sports, entertainment and residential district. Through thought-provoking and dynamic public and educational programs and exhibits, guests will experience music from a never-before-seen insider perspective that only The GRAMMY Museum can deliver. For more information about the GRAMMY Museum, visit www.grammymuseum.org.
ABOUT THE KAUFFMAN CENTER
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, a major new center for music, opera, theater, and dance, opened in downtown Kansas City, Missouri on September 16, 2011. The Kauffman Center will present a wide range of entertainers and performances from around the world, including classical, pop, and jazz music, ballet and contemporary dance, Broadway productions, comedy shows, school matinees and more. In addition, the Kauffman Center will serve as the performance home of three of the region’s leading performing arts organizations—Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City.
ABOUT AEG
AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Anschutz Company, owns or is affiliated with a collection of companies including over 100 of the world’s preeminent facilities such as STAPLES Center (Los Angeles, CA), The Home Depot Center (Carson, CA), Best Buy Theater (Times Square, New York), Sprint Center, (Kansas City), Rose Garden Arena (Portland, OR), Target Center (Minneapolis, MN), Mercedes-Benz Arena (Shanghai, China), MasterCard Center (Beijing, China), O2 World Hamburg, Allphones Arena (Sydney, Australia), Ericsson Globe arena (Stockholm, Sweden), O2 World arena (Berlin, Germany) and The O2 arena and entertainment district (London, England) which are all part of the portfolio of AEG Facilities. Developed by AEG, L.A. LIVE is a 4 million square foot / $2.5 billion downtown Los Angeles sports, residential & entertainment district featuring Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE and Club Nokia, a 54-story, 1001-room convention “headquarters” destination along with entertainment, restaurant and office space that “officially” opened in 2010. In addition to overseeing privately held management shares of the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA), assets of AEG Sports include franchises and properties such as the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo (MLS), two hockey franchises in Europe, the Amgen Tour of California cycling race and Bay to Breakers foot race. AEG Live, the company’s live-entertainment division, is the world’s second largest concert promotion and touring companies and is comprised of touring, festival, exhibition, broadcast, merchandise and special event divisions with fifteen regional offices. AEG Global Partnerships, a division responsible for worldwide sales and servicing of sponsorships naming rights and other strategic partnerships and AEG Merchandising, a multi-faceted merchandising company are also core business units of AEG. In 2010, AEG launched its AEG 1EARTH environmental program with the announcement of 2020 environmental goals and the release of the industry’s first sustainability report while in 2011, AEG introduced axs Ticketing, the first phase of its new entertainment platform serving as the company’s primary consumer brand which will also feature a mobile service as well as a video content service now in development. For additional information, visit www.aegworldwide.com.
KAUFFMAN CENTER ANNOUNCES TWO BROADWAY LEGENDS TO KICK OFF THE 2012 – 2013 ‘KAUFFMAN CENTER PRESENTS’ SEASON
Iconic performers Bernadette Peters and Ben Vereen to take the stage at the Kauffman Center
KANSAS CITY, MO – Today, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts announced that tickets go on sale July 5th for three-time Tony Award winning Broadway actress and film star Bernadette Peters and Tony Award winning actor, dancer, and television great Ben Vereen.
Bernadette Peters will perform at the Kauffman Center in Muriel Kauffman Theatre on Saturday, August 18 in “Bernadette Peters in Concert” alongside members of the Kansas City Symphony. Ben Vereen will perform in Helzberg Hall on Saturday, September 8 in his one-man show “Steppin’ Out With Ben Vereen.” Both performers are a part of the ‘Kauffman Center Presents – American Legends’ series.
“The Kauffman Center Presents series features diverse performances that showcase excellence in the performing arts. We’re thrilled to be welcome two of Broadway’s finest performers to the Kauffman Center,” said Jane Chu, President & CEO of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
ABOUT BERNADETTE PETERS
Making her Kauffman Center debut, Bernadette Peters will perform in Muriel Kauffman Theatre on Saturday, August 18 as the first presentation of the Kauffman Center’s 2012-2013 American Legends Series, which showcases legendary artist who have mastered their genres and have been instrumental in defining American culture.
Throughout her illustrious career, Tony Award-winning actress Bernadette Peters has dazzled audiences and critics with her performances on stage and television, in concert and on recordings. One of Broadway’s brightest stars, Peters received both the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for her critically acclaimed performance in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical “Song and Dance.” Peters earned her second Tony Award, her third Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for her portrayal of Annie Oakley in one of Broadway’s most popular musicals, the smash Tony Award winning hit Broadway revival of “Annie Get Your Gun.” Peters also received Tony nominations for her work in the 1992 musical “The Goodbye Girl” and Stephen Sondheim’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical “Sunday in the Park With George.”
Recently, Peters guest starred on NBC’s new hit series “SMASH.” She has appeared in the Lifetime movie, “Living Proof“ opposite Harry Connick, Jr.; a guest starring role in the two-hour 2008 season premiere of the ABC-TV hit series, Grey’s Anatomy, and a recurring role on the popular TV hit, “Ugly Betty. “
A performer of amazing versatility, Peters has lit up the silver screen in seventeen films throughout her career. Film credits include “The Jerk“ with Steve Martin, “The Longest Yard“ with Burn Reynolds, “Silent Movie“ with Mel Brooks, “ Annie“ with Carol Burnett, and “Pink Cadillac“ with Clint Eastwood.
ABOUT BEN VEREEN
Few entertainers today are as accomplished or versatile as Ben Vereen. His legendary performances transcend time and have been woven into the fabric of this country’s artistic legacy. On Broadway, Ben Vereen has appeared in “Wicked,“ “Fosse,” “I’m Not Rappaport,” “Hair,“ “Jesus Christ Superstar,“ “Pippin,” “Grind,” “Jelly’s Last Jam” and “A Christmas Carol.” His role in “Pippin” garnered him both the prestigious Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for “Best Actor in a Musical.” For over 40 years, Ben has showcased his versatility and creativity, performing around the world. He was the first simultaneous winner of the “Entertainer of the Year,” “Rising Star,” and “Song and Dance Star” awards from the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA). He also earned a coveted spot in the Casino Legends Hall of Fame.
Ben Vereen will be performing his one-man show “Steppin’ Out with Ben Vereen,” featuring the music of Sammy Davis Jr, Frank Sinatra, and the best of Broadway.
While performing worldwide, Ben’s acting credits continue to give us memorable roles that stand the test of time such as the unforgettable Chicken George in “Roots” and Louis Armstrong in “Louis Armstrong – Chicago Style.” Ben’s television guest appearances include “How I Met Your Mother,“ “Grey’s Anatomy (for which he won the Prism Award), “House of Payne,” “Law and Order: Criminal Intent,” “OZ,” “Touched By An Angel,” “Second Noah,” “New York Undercover,” “The Nanny,” “Star Trek – The Next Generation,” “The Jamie Fox Show,” “The Promised Land,” and “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Ben has also had recurring roles on “Silk Stalkings,” “Webster,” and “J.J. Starbuck and Booker.”
On January 30, 2012, Ben was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame. This coming July, he will appear at the new venue, 54 Below, for two weeks, followed by the Broadway debut of his one man show. The Museum of Dance will honor Ben with a lifetime achievement award in August 2012.
ABOUT THE KAUFFMAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, a major new center for music, opera, theater, and dance designed by Moshe Safdie opened in Kansas City on September 16, 2011. The Kauffman Center presents vibrant performances and educational programming, and advances the role of the performing arts as a catalyst for Kansas City’s educational, civic, and economic vitality.
Three of the region’s leading performing arts organizations—Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City—are in residence at the Kauffman Center. The Kauffman Center’s two performance venues, the 1,800-seat Muriel Kauffman Theatre and the 1,600-seat Helzberg Hall, offer audiences engaging and intimate experiences, while at the same time providing resident companies with dramatically enhanced performance capabilities.
Serving as a cultural cornerstone for Kansas City’s dynamic downtown, the Kauffman Center brings a new spotlight to the region’s performing arts community while simultaneously attracting some of the world’s most talented performers and entertainers, further establishing Kansas City as a major cultural destination.
More information on the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is available at www.kauffmancenter.org.
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts would like the thank our official building sponsors, Aristocrat Motors and Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City, for their generous support of our 2012-2013 season.
Music Revolution Project Aims To Create Next Generation Of Musicians and Songwriters
The GRAMMY Museum’s Music Revolution Project, a new education initiative developed by The GRAMMY Museum has been announced by Bob Santelli, Executive Director of The GRAMMY Museum. The announcement was made as part of the Los Angeles-based museum’s GRAMMY week activities. Scheduled to debut as a pilot program in Kansas City, Mo. in June 2012, The GRAMMY Museum’s Music Revolution Project will offer talented youth the opportunity to engage in musical discourse and performance with other peers from across the country, spurring innovative ideas within the realm of American music.
Created with generous support from AEG, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and The Recording Academy®, The GRAMMY Museum’s Music Revolution Project will stimulate creative young musicians by connecting them with GRAMMY-level artists. During The GRAMMY Museum’s summer pilot program, 25 emerging young artists will participate in an intensive, four-week curriculum including instruction, rehearsals and mentoring at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and Sprint Center, two iconic venues located in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
“The enthusiasm, passion and commitment of the music and arts community throughout the region made Kansas City the obvious choice to host this program,” said GRAMMY Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli. “With the commitment of first-class partners, The GRAMMY Museum’s Music Revolution Project will be ideally positioned to develop the next generation of innovative music talent.”
Local high school and college students interested in Jazz, Pop, Hip-Hop, Rock, Folk and Roots, Sacred and Classical music, are encouraged to apply. Created to broaden musical and creative skill while helping establish relationships, the program is also designed to increase self-esteem, help students develop entrepreneurial skills and grow their passion for music.
On February 18th, students ages 15-23 were invited to attend an information session at the Kauffman Center for the performing arts. For those who did not attend the information session, but would like to apply please submit the application form by April 15th. Download Application Forms Here For questions, please email education@grammymuseum.org.
Community Initiative Connects Young People to the Kauffman Center, Encourages School Participation in Arts Programming
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, a new center for music, opera, theater, and dance, opening in downtown Kansas City, Missouri in September 2011 announces the launch of the Open Doors program, a community initiative that will connect kids from throughout the metropolitan area to educational programs and performances at the Kauffman Center.
The Open Doors program is designed to give opportunities for young people, especially those with limited experience of the arts, to attend performances at the Kauffman Center, as well as perform on the stages of the Center’s two performance spaces, the Muriel Kauffman Theatre and Helzberg Hall.
U.S. ENGINEERING COMPANY Sponsors Kauffman Center Children’s WALL, Gives 30 Kansas City Kids a Gift that Lasts a Lifetime
Company contributed $30,000 for local second-graders to participate in the Children’s Wall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
On March 7th, 2011 Kansas City-based U.S. Engineering Company joined with the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts to welcome 30 second-grade students from University Academy to make their mark permanently on the Children’s Wall at the Kauffman Center.
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