News

2011

October

Youth

Hip Hop class started and Axé Capoeira and Spoken Word classes continue at south Scottsdale Boys and Girls clubs. The Step Team did a commercial for Stomp Out Hunger on Camelback's school news show, Camelback NOW.

Adult

The chamber club is grateful for our new home for our monthly recitals and readings at:

Camelback Bible Church
3900 E. Stanford Drive
Paradise Valley, AZ  85253

At the annual Paradise Valley Town Hall reception to honor this year’s artist, Beth Ames Swartz; Carol Brecker, flute, and Beth Overholt, cello, entertained with impressionist and meditative music.

Carol Brecker, assisted by ikebana student Mary Ann Palmer, did a demonstration for the Master Gardener Fall Festival at Metro Tech High School on October 22, 2011, for an audience of twenty adults, teens, and children. Eager participants learned how to quickly make four arrangements from one bunch of grocery store flowers, plant materials from her desert garden, and simple flower pots. Five arrangements were given to winners of a number game.

September

In early September, Step Dance instructor Alex Morones and teacher advisor Ms. Holliday conducted two weeks of practice sessions for over 60 students at Camelback High School. From this initial group, Step and Dance teams and the Anyone Can Step after school programs emerged. Their first performance for the Homecoming Assembly was a roaring success.

Axé Capoeira and Spoken Word classes began working with youth at south Scottsdale Boys and Girls clubs. Instructors emphasize overcoming the natural fear of trying something new and encourage practicing in small performances with class peers.

August

Youth

Recreative Art Center is sponsoring the coach for the Step Dance Team at Camelback High School. Eighty students signed up and are sorted into teams based on the time and talent they can contribute. Alex Morones is our enthusiastic and committed coach.

Axé Capoeira, Hip Hop, and Spoken Word classes were showcased for the new evening teen club at the Hartley & Ruth Barker Branch of Scottsdale Boys and Girls Club on August 22 and will begin in September.

Adults

Mary Ann Palmer hosted a cool, relaxing ikebana retreat at her Prescott cabin on August 14 and 15. Five ikebanists enjoyed a tour of Carolyn McCord’s lot and cut manzanita for arrangements during class on Mary Ann’s deck.

Chamber Club met on August 17. Vicki, Glen, and Sue played a wonderfully fun piece by Ben Model for flute, clarinet, and piano called “The Spice of the Program” for nineteen musicians, who then played in two breakout sessions.

July

Youth

Mario finished a rewarding six session class of bucket drumming for youths at de Colores Homeless Shelter and Stephanie had eager yoga students in her classes at Tumbleweed Open Hand, both through Free Arts of Arizona.

Adults

The first annual Amateur Chamber Music Workshop, sponsored by Recreative Art Center, was held on July 8–10 in Flagstaff, Arizona. The program emphasized learning in a fun and relaxed setting with positive and supportive coaches. The weekend included opportunities for playing and performing in ensembles; coaching; concerts; Alexander Technique with technician and Phoenix Opera mezzo soprano Harriet Harris; Yoga for Musicians stretches and relaxation; wind, keyboard, and string breakout seminars; and a social following the faculty recital.

Featured guest artist, composer in residence, and piano coach was Catherine McMichael. Catherine is a pianist, arranger, composer, and publisher of a wide variety of choral and chamber music. Her commitment to make playing chamber and ensemble music available to all musicians and her positive and demanding coaching style made her a great match for our musicians. Her melodic, complex, and compelling compositions, performance, and her coaching were very well received.

More photos from the workshop can be found in the Chamber Workshop gallery.

Monthly Chamber Music Club met on Wednesday, July 20, with sixteen musicians reading in two sessions and enjoying Sue Lawson and Glenn Diebert’s lovely final movement from Mozart’s clarinet concerto for our recital.

June

Youth

Frank empowered youth to express themselves in a six-week West African drumming series at Devereux Treatment Center, through Free Arts of Arizona. On Friday, June 24, at summer camp in Prescott, Katie Newman taught yoga with games, partner moves, and water balloons to Phoenix Youth at Risk preteens and mentors, who also made “Treasure Boxes” by transforming cigar boxes with Kristy Baker.

Adults

The Chamber Music Club moved to its summer schedule, meeting on Wednesday evening, June 22. Ikebana class in Arizona met on June 20 and in Ouray, Colorado, on June 29; student arrangements can be seen in the student art gallery.

May

Two exciting workshops at schools had wraps with presentations at end-of year programs. Hip-hoppers, taught by EPIK Dance, showed their group and solo moves at Desiderata. Free Arts of Arizona presented Recreative Art Center with a lovely “thank you” made by the students.

Myrlin did real magic with the students at Alhambra College Prep, who learned the day before the last school day program that their school would be closed. Myrlin helped them write and share their emotions. His performance rallied the students to be brave and make it in spite of the system failure and their feelings of abandonment.

April

April is a busy month. We have five six-week youth programs going at group homes, schools, and treatment centers through April and two Saturday special programs: Mario Barela completed six weeks of drumming on brightly colored buckets with youth at South Scottsdale Boys & Girls Club. Myrlin Hepworth is teaching Spoken Word – guiding students to write and recite their own poetry and prepare for a poetry slam on the last day of school at Alhambra College Preparatory. Youth in the Bayless treatment program are learning yoga poses and inner strength from Stephanie Neuberger.

In partnership with Free Arts of Arizona, we have hip hop classes taught by EPIK Dance Company going at Desirata Alternative Program and a Sunshine group home. Youth from another Sunshine home are learning West African drumming with Frank Thompson.

On 30 April, Kristy guided Phoenix Youth at Risk students and mentors to express themselves through making and decorating a special book. Frank Thompson led two sessions of drumming for youth at a state-wide youth leadership conference for the Boys & Girls Clubs.

March

Chamber Club Recital Music on March 19 featured works by our summer workshop guest artist, composer-in-residence, and piano coach, Catherine McMichael:

• A Gaelic Offering, by the Flute Quartet: Lee Chivers, Karen Merry, Jeanie Pierce, and Nancy Sowers; and
• Song of Ruth, by Harriet Harris (Mezzo Soprano), Carol Brecker (Alto and C flutes), and Susan Lawson (Piano).

Carol’s floral interpretation of Peter Wegner’s Guillotine of Sunlight and Guillotine of Shade received the People’s Choice Award at the Phoenix Art Museum Arts and Flowers, March 28–April 3, 2011.

February

Recreative Art Center is sponsoring four new classes for at-risk youth beginning in February:

• Kristy Baker helped students make their own special book to keep or give as a gift in a book-making workshop at a south Scottsdale Boys and Girls Club.
• Mario Barela is teaching a six-week trash-can drumming and percussion series with the teen club at the same Boys and Girls Club.
• Frank Thompson is engaging the youth in a drumming circle at 1n10, a drop-in center for LGBTQ young people, many of whom are homeless. Frank facilitates the drumming experience to create a safe place for individual and group expression.
• Stephanie Neuberg is giving the youth at the Catholic Charities Refugee School new coping, exercise, and relaxation skills through yoga.

January

In January 2011, Kristy Baker, formerly of Free Arts of Arizona, became part-time Recreative Art Center Program Coordinator. Kristy is teaching art classes and creating new programs and partnerships with community organizations serving at-risk youth. Thanasis Kinias is now managing the Web site and keeping it up to date.

Carol and her students contributed arrangements and large installations at the second annual Ikebana exhibit at the Japanese Friendship Garden on January 29 and 30, 2011. Carol concurrently showed in the Ikebana of Arizona Exhibit at the newly renovated Art of Asia Gallery at the Phoenix Art Museum.