One cello, four trombones, seven guitars (three electric, two with amps),two conga drums , two alto saxophones, three trumpets, one Flugelhorn, six violins, 11 clarinets,  eight flutes and three keyboards.

The instruments will be repaired as needed and loaned to students from low income families next school year. Thanks to generous community donations, the Center’s Music For Schools program allows children, whose families can’t afford to rent or purchase an instrument, to participate in their school music programs and learn to play music!

With the donations made this past weekend, the Music For Schools instrument lending library now includes more than 450 instruments to benefit hundreds of students a year from five counties.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS!

P.S.  If you have an instrument to donate, please email Tracy Sawyer, Arts & Education Manager, or call 707.527.7006, ext. 154.

Wiglesworth oversees the Center’s nationally-recognized Education Through the Arts program. This program serves 30,000 students a year from five surrounding counties. Click here to learn more about this leading program and how integrating the arts in education is helping to create better students…

Click here for a review of the concert and a peak at what’s coming up next season…

New subscriptions to the 2012-13 Clover Stornetta Family Fun Series go on sale May 18.

Concert photo by Steve Jennings

Instrument Drive
Saturday, May 12, 10:30am to 3pm
Village Court at Montgomery Village

Your donations put instruments into the hands of students from low-income families, so they can learn to play music! Please donate your used (or brand new!) instrument to the Center’s Music For Schools instrument lending library. We’ll make repairs as necessary and loan it to a student next school year. This program allows hundreds of students annually to participate in their school music programs, giving them the opportunity to play music!

Please stop by tomorrow at Village Court in Montgomery Village and bring an instrument to donate. Monetary donations for instrument repairs also help a lot. Plus, we’ll be enjoying great music by some talented young musicians, so plan to stay awhile!

Check out the musical line-up for Saturday…
10:30am: Elsie Allen High School Mariachi Club
11:00am: Windsor High School String Orchestra11:30am Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified Schools Band
12:00pm: Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts String Ensemble
12:30pm: Mark West Union School District Music Program – Strings and Alexander Valley & Mark West Union School District – Combined Chorus
1:00pm: Sonoma State University Flautist
1:30pm: Live Oak Charter School 3rd Grade String Ensemble
2:00pm Live Oak Charter School 4th Grade String Ensemble
2:30pm Novato Unified School District Elementary Band
3:00pm Hamilton Middle School Beginning Band and Advanced Band

Click here for more information about this and other exciting summer programs for kids at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts…

For Immediate Release:  March 14, 2012

Media Contact:  Kristi Buffo, Public Relations Manager

707-527-7006, ext. 150 or email

High resolution images: http://wellsfargocenterarts.org/press.html

Santa Rosa, CA (March 14, 2012) – Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, the North Bay’s, community, non-profit arts center for 30 years, today announced a full schedule of summer fun and learning with the arts for children. Presented through the Center’s Education Through the Arts program, the line-up of 2012 summer programs for kids includes a FREE week-long theater residency with Missoula Children’s Theatre, New Song Music Camp, and the brand new Draw It! Paint It! Sculpt It! Art Camp.  “These summer programs for children fulfill a vital part of the Center’s mission to enrich, educate and entertain. They’re designed to be a lot of fun while also providing educational opportunities for kids,” says the Center’s executive director Rick Nowlin. “All are led by teaching artists who are highly skilled at using the arts, whether it be music, dance, theater or visual art,to help children to grow and thrive. With the arts, children learn to tap into their creativity, develop communication skills, come to understanding emotions and learn to work as a team.”

Now in its 7^th year, the Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) summer residency at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts is a popular annual tradition that’s presented free-of-charge. This weeklong program takes student actors from auditions to a professionally staged production in just six action packed days. This year, the students will present an original musical adaptation of “The Pied Piper.” Auditions for children entering 1^st through 12^thgrades will be held on Monday, June 18 at 10 a.m. in the Center’s Lytton Rancheria Grand Lobby. No advance preparation or acting experience is necessary. Up to 50 child actors will be selected to work with MCT’s professional actor/directors. They’ll receive extensive theater training and will participate in the performances of “The Pied Piper” on June 23 at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit wellsfargocenterarts.org or call 707-546-3600.

Brand new this summer is the Draw It! Paint It! Sculpt It! Art Camp to be held July 9-13. Children entering grades 4^th through 7^th are invited to experience life in the studio, like Picasso and other great artists! Led by teaching artist Inya Laskowski (BFA, MA), they’ll explore the world of art through hands-on projects, working with a variety of mediums, including clay and paper mache. They’ll also study sculpting and different painting techniques. Each camper will complete a number of works of art during the week including a fired clay piece, a large table-top sculpture, and several paintings. The week will culminate with an art exhibit!

Inya Laskowski (BFA, MA) is a professional artist who exhibits extensively. She has worked in Sonoma County schools for over 20 years and is the recipient of numerous grants for her work with children. No previous art experience is necessary. Space is limited to 20 participants. The cost is $150. To enroll, visit wellsfargocenterarts.org or call 707-546-3600.

New Song Music Camp is entering its third year at the Center and is expanding to two sessions due to popular demand. In this hip and educational day camp, students create and record their own CD of original music! Directed by professional musicians and teaching-artists Andrew DeVeny and Erick Weidenhamer, the camp presents an opportunity for children to tap into creativity and learn about cooperation as they experiment with music. They’ll have hands-on experience with a wide variety of instruments, make their own instrument to take home, record their own original music using professional equipment, sing, play games, and receive a t-shirt as a souvenir. No previous musical experience is necessary. Space is limited to 27 participants per week. Two sessions are offered; July 23-27 for children entering 2^nd through 5^th grades and July 30 – August 3 for children entering 6^th through 8^th grades. The cost is $230 each. To enroll, visit wellsfargocenterarts.org or call 707-546-3600.

Calendar Info

The Pied Piper by Missoula Children’s Theatre

A FREE Weeklong Theater Residency

June 18 – 23 / for children entering 1^st through 12^th grades

Auditions:  June 18 at 10 a.m.

Performances:  June 23 at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Click here for more information

Draw It! Paint It! Sculpt It! Art Camp

July 9-13, 1 – 5 p.m. / for children entering 4^th through 7^th grades

Cost: $150

Click here for more information and to register

New Song Music Camp

July 23-27, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. / for children entering 2^nd through 5^th grades

July 30 – August 3, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. / for children entering 6^th through 8^th grades

Cost: $230

Click here for more information and to register