At the heart of every great city are its arts institutions— the centers of culture where residents and visitors can share great works of music, dance, and theatre from the classics to the cutting edge. Now in its third season, the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts at Town Center provides arts experiences to students in Virginia Beach and beyond.
There is something for everyone this season with a fantastic array of world-class artists and performances. Bring the whole family to experience Monterey Jazz Festival: On Tour featuring Grammy Nominee Kurt Elling, the Ballet Folklorico de Amalia Hernandez, and Tomie dePaola’s Strega Nona: The Musical.
Expansive yet intimate, with not a bad seat in the house, the Sandler Center is the perfect setting for every kind of performance, from classical recitals and symphony concerts to modern dance, theatre, and more. And while audiences of every kind are welcome, the Sandler Center offers a special invitation to the region’s young people. With the ultimate goal of “every child, every grade, every year,” the Sandler Center, in partnership with the Virginia Arts Festival’s WorldClass® Education Department, presents educational outreach opportunities, workshops and master classes geared towards school-aged children in grades K–12. As part of this comprehensive program, the Sandler Center offers specially priced student performances for area young people.
Last season, local children were able to learn alongside the actors of the American Shakespeare Center, young musicians had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study and play with Midori, and young singers learned breathing techniques from the Boston Brass. For teachers, the opportunities are immeasurable, offering exciting new ways to inspire and enhance their classroom teaching as they weave the arts into their lessons on history, language arts, math and science. The Sandler Center and the Virginia Arts Festival’s Education Department work closely with public schools arts administrators on scheduling and programming to make sure that these programs compliment the district’s curriculum. Free Comprehensive Study Guides are available to help teachers prepare students for the programs. This is a very valuable tool that includes several age-appropriate student worksheets that help teachers incorporate the arts into the school’s curriculum and align with the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs).
Join us this season and spark your child’s imaginations with the joy and power of the performing arts. Reserve performances and master classes now! For more information, call 757-605-3071, email education@sandlercenter.org or download our 2009-2010 Education Brochure at www.sandlercenter.org