SUMMER ART & MUSIC PROGRAM

RETURNS FOR 17^th SUMMER

Program Brochure                Printable Registration Form

It's time again for the Friends of the Visual and Performing Arts’ annual Summer Art & Music Programs and Festival.  This is our 17th year of providing summertime art and music experiences for youth and adults in the greater Montgomery County region.  All are welcome to experience, appreciate, and participate in our programs.

This year's programs include the Summer Jazz Band, Jr. Jazz Band, Community Choir, and a Tapestry Weaving Art Program.

Back by popular demand is our Summer Jazz Band!!!  This group is geared toward challenging more experienced musicians, while still maintaining a fun and relaxing atmosphere. Families are encouraged to participate in this band together. The music will be a mixture of classic jazz, rock, and much more.  This group will be directed by Mr. Michael Banewicz. A strong advocate for music education, Banewicz has been director of bands at the Schroon Lake Central and Northville Central Schools, taught several music education courses at Ithaca College, and runs a private trumpet studio of students ranging from ages 9 to adult. Mr. Banewicz holds an A.S. in Performing Arts: Music from Schenectady County Community College, a B.M. in Music Education from the Crane School of Music, and a M.M. in Trumpet Performance from Ithaca College

New this year is our Summer Jr. Jazz Band. This group is geared toward our younger musicians, and will focus on playing together as an ensemble, practicing varied styles of music, enjoying performance, and personal satisfaction. It’s also the perfect opportunity for more experienced student musicians to hone their skills on a secondary instrument. The music will be a mixture of classic jazz, rock, and much more. The Jr. Jazz Band will be director by Mr. Justin Fox. Justin is a graduate of F.F.C.S.  He holds a B.S. in Music Education from Hartwick College in Oneonta, and is currently attending graduate courses at the College of St. Rose working toward his Masters in Music Education.  He is a past member of the Catskill Wind Ensemble and the ‘No Strings Attached’ brass group.  He is a current member of the Adirondack Brass Guild and has participated in FOVAPA’s summer programs for several years. He also directed FOVAPA’s Holiday Instrumental Ensemble in 2010.

This year's choir has been expanded to a Community Choir, open to youth entering 3rd grade through adults! This group is being offered to give the members of our communities an opportunity to participate in a multi-generational performing group.  It will be a relaxed and fun way for young participants to “get their feet wet”, and also gives experienced participants a chance to share their knowledge and talents with our youth.  This year's choir will be directed by Mrs. Lisa Vosburgh.  Mrs. Vosburgh will begin her twelfth year of instruction in the Fonda-Fultonville Central School District this September. She holds the position of general/vocal music teacher and choral director. At the high school level, she conducts the Select and Mixed Choruses and teaches two music theory courses.  She also teaches all general music classes for grades K-3. 

This year's art program will be Off-Loom Tapestry Weaving.  In this exciting visual art class, participants will be learning selected off loom weaving techniques to create a tapestry. Each participant will use a frame made of found objects, an old picture frame, a nature based structure, or other suitable frames to create their own unique woven tapestry. There will also be an opportunity to learn about and use a table loom. Participants will each use the table loom to create a larger group piece suitable for display. Expect to be exposed to many different weaving and dyeing techniques that will add additional interest to your pieces. All finished pieces will be displayed at the festival on Sunday August 5, 2012.  The class will be instructed by Mr. Pavlos Mayakis.  Mr. Mayakis holds a B.S. from Skidmore College and an M.F.A. - Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College Plainfield, Vermont. His professional experiences include:

 Teaching Artist: Yates Magnet School, Schenectady, NY 2012

Board member: Business Improvement District (B.I.D.) Gloversville, NY 2012

Board member : Micropolis Gallery, Gloversville, NY 2011

Moderator:  Sustainable Natural Dye Practice 2011

Teaching Artist: Yates Magnet School, Schenectady, NY 2011

Teaching Artist: Aesthetic Education, Capital Region Center for the Arts in Education, Albany, NY, 2008

Teaching Artist, Pro Bono, Mendocino College, Ukiah, CA 2008

Arts Workshop Faculty, NY State Museum, Albany, NY 2008

Arts Workshop Faculty, Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ 2008

Arts Workshop Faculty, Convergence, Grand Rapids, MI 2006

Artist-in-Residence, David and Julia White Artists’ Colony, Costa Rica 2005

Artist-in-Residence, Polytechnic University, San Juan, PR 2005   

Registration begins May 15th.  Registration for all musical groups is $20. The art program is $25 for registration PLUS $25 for supplies for a total of $50.

Pre-registration for the programs is required, and begins May 15, 2012. The Summer Jazz Band is open to youth entering 9th grade through adults who play an instrument. The Summer Jr. Jazz Band Band is for youth entering the 6th grade who have had at least one year of band experience through those entering 9th grade. The Summer Community Choir is open to youth entering 3rd grade adults. The visual art class is open to youth entering 8th grade through adults. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis and is open.  There are no auditions for any of the musical groups, and participants can be residents of any county. The group’s focus is Montgomery County and southern Fulton County, but participants come from Scotia, Schenectady, Little Falls, Middleburgh, Mayfield and other surrounding communities

All participants receive a Kaleidoscope t-shirt.  The program and festival are supported to date by Target Foundation, Children’s Aid Association, NBT Bank, and the Arkell Foundation.

The jazz bands and choir will perform at our festival on August 5, 2012.  Off-stage activities will include art exhibits, a children’s art table, hands-on art workshops, and an interactive art experience. The festival is free and open to the public

Friends of the Visual and Performing Arts is a 501(c)3 non for profit all volunteer  organization dedicated to increasing opportunities for youth and adults to experience and participate in the arts in the Mohawk Valley Region of upstate New York.

FOVAPA is currently planning our 17^th Annual Summer Music and Art Festival, which will take place August 5, 2012.  As a way of raising funds for this event, we like to implement a Public Arts Project.  This year, we have again decided on birdhouses.  Businesses and organizations in the area will sponsor a birdhouse and decorate it.  The birdhouses would then be displayed during our Summer Festival.

Here’s the scoop on the project:

1.) You choose to sponsor a birdhouse to display in your place of business or community location

2.) You choose how many birdhouses you wish to sponsor at $50 each and return the Sponsorship form  along with your check.

3.) You select a decorator: Sometimes an employee decorates the birdhouse; sometimes it is the owner; sometimes you solicit an artist or art student to decorate your birdhouse. We also have a small group of volunteers to decorate for those who have no one to decorate the birdhouse.  It’s your choice!

4.) We deliver the birdhouse, a tag for it, and a poster to place along with it to you.  You have the birdhouse decorated in a design that is pleasing to you, interpreting the theme of Kaleidoscope of the Arts.

5.) You display your birdhouse in your place of business by July 1^st (please make sure that they are indoors during this time so that they aren’t weathered)

6.) A representative of the Friends of the Visual & Performing Arts will come by to pick up the birdhouse the week of August 1^st.

7.) All birdhouses will be displayed for our festival on August 5^th, when festival attendees will vote for the People’s Choice Award.

8.) If you wish to have your birdhouse returned to you, a representative of FOVAPA will do so shortly after the festival.

Please join us in celebrating the arts with your support of this local program.

Thank You in advance for your support!

Linda Emden

Public Art Project Chairperson

FOVAPA is an all-volunteer organization. The small annual cost of membership goes a long way towards supporting our programs.

Membership Dues:

• Student/Senior: $5
• Individual: $10
• Family: $25
• Patron: $50
• Sponsor/Business: $100
• Corporate: $250

All members receive access to exclusive online content, and are welcome to attend all Board Meetings.

Online registration Form 

PDF Version     

 Existing Members please use the same form to renew registration.  

We'd just like to say 'THANK YOU' to all of our particpants, volunteers, families, and community members for making our 16th Annual festival a success.  All of you make our efforts to bring art and music opportunities to our rural area worth it.  Keep your eyes open for pictures and posts about the festival!