The LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra. (Click on photo to enlarge)
The LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra was selected to receive one of 162 NEA grants of $10,000 awarded to organizations in 46 states, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The NEA’s Challenge America Fast-Track (CAFT) program supports projects from primarily small and mid-sized arts organizations that extend the reach of the arts to under-served audiences — those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics or disability.
While the LCSO has been a recipient of state-funded grants through the Indiana Arts Commission, which is supported in part by the NEA, this is a first for them to receive a grant directly from the NEA.
“Taken together, these Challenge America Fast-Track grants provide an extraordinary sampling of the work that arts organizations do to reach under-served communities,” said NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman. “With these grants, we are helping to ensure that art works for all Americans.”
The $10,000 will enable the symphony to invite the award-winning theatrical group Classical Kids Live to perform in LaPorte for the October 2012 Children’s Concert.
“Bringing Classical Kids Live to LaPorte has been a goal of mine for many years,” says music director Maestro Philip Bauman. “This is a nationally recognized program that captivates the imagination of children by bringing classical composers and their stories to the stage. Offering insight into the great composers helps make their music fresh and new again, invigorating a new set of ears for the ‘classics.’ Classical Kids Live blends theatrics and music together in ways we have not explored in LaPorte. I’m very excited to be able to bring a new experience to our community.”
To fill the seats for the LCSO Children’s Concerts at the La Porte Civic Auditorium, it takes corporate and private sponsors, along with the help of a volunteer task force led by V. Michael Drayton. All of the sponsors and volunteers have helped to grow the audience to 6,500-8,000 school children. This NEA grant for 2012 will enhance the already established program of the LCSO.
“Our Children’s Concerts have been a vehicle to bring the symphony orchestra and classical music to a new generation of listeners,” Bauman said. “I’m proud and honored that the LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra has been recognized nationally for our excellence in music education.”
