Kalamazoo Valley Museum Hosts November 16 Celebrating in Song Event

Kalamazoo City parade participants are encouraged to follow the holiday parade back to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum on November 16 from noon to 4 p.m. for an afternoon of community music.

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Kalamazoo Valley Museum

Nov 11, 2019, 18:20 ET

KALAMAZOO, Mich., Nov. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Museum Hosts November 16 Celebrating in Song Event

Kalamazoo City parade participants are encouraged to follow the holiday parade back to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum on November 16 from noon to 4 p.m. for an afternoon of community music. Students from the Kalamazoo Academy of Rock and the Orchestra Rouh will be performing in our theater all afternoon.

Orchestra Rouh will take to the stage at 12:30 p.m. Part of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra's (KSO) educational programs in partnership with the Suzuki Academy of Kalamazoo (SAK), it features children of Syrian and other refugee families who have recently settled in the area. The program was designed to nurture the emotional wellbeing of children through social and learning activities that reduce isolation. Students learn musical education while playing an instrument and interacting with children from KSO and SAK. Rouh means both "hope" and "spirit" in Arabic. Led by teachers who are bilingual in English and Arabic, they play music which features Arabic traditions.

Teens from the Kalamazoo Academy of Rock will perform throughout the rest of the afternoon. Kevin Fitzpatrick plays the blues with a little bit of Americana thrown in. He will perform at 1:30 p.m. Kirsten Nelson, 17, has been playing the guitar for 5 years and singing for 6. She will perform a set of indie and rock music at 2:30 p.m. J.P. LaLonde plays guitar and sings his own original music at 3:30 p.m. J.P. has performed throughout Kalamazoo, including the Miller Auditorium lobby as a warm-up for the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.

The Kalamazoo Academy of Rock recently celebrated their 10th anniversary. The academy emphasizes working with others, time management, self-discipline, stage presence, performance style, and perfecting one's musical ability. Founded by instructor Jeff Mitchell and managed by Bob Wallis, the academy began practicing at the old Gibson Guitar factory, a Kalamazoo landmark.

The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is operated by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and is governed by its Board of Trustees.

SOURCE Kalamazoo Valley Museum