Germantown Poetry Project (Network for New Music)

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poetry, library

PRESS ADVISORY: Network for New Music

GERMANTOWN POETRY PROJECT

Network for New Music announces The Germantown Poetry Project (GPP), a new initiative pairing poets, composers and musicians with Germantown-area teens and adults, with the goal of creating new poetry and music for FREE public performances in April 2017.

Designed to enliven the public space at the Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library, the project invites Germantown/NW Philadelphia community members to participate in weekly workshops, creating poetry and music in a fun and informal setting. The poetry and musical material – infused with the broad theme of “community” and what that means to workshop participants – will be developed in the workshops, and used by the poets and composers in the creation of their new world premiere works.

GPP workshop artists represent some of the finest and most exciting poets, composers and musicians in the region:

  • Frank Sherlock: poet; 2014-15 Philadelphia Poet Laureate; 2013 Pew Fellow
  • Trapeta B. Mayson: poet; 2002 Pew Fellow; Executive Director, Historic Germantown
  • Eric Moe: composer; Guggenheim Fellowship winner; Professor of Music at U. Pittsburgh;
  • Jay Fluellen: composer; singer; pianist; educator with School District of Philadelphia
  • Randall Scarlata: baritone; international opera and recital artist; Fulbright Fellow
  • Maren Montalbano: mezzo soprano; internationally-recognized opera and recital artist
  • Network for New Music Ensemble Musicians: Matthew Levy, sax; Mary Javian, double-bass; Eric Derr, drums; Diane Monroe, violin

Anyone can participate in these FREE workshops! Just come with an open mind and a desire to take part in the creative process. All events take place at the Coleman Library, in “the pit” space.

Info about project events and artists, as well as videos of the workshop process, can be accessed at http://www.networkfornewmusic.org/gpp/

The Germantown Poetry Project culminates in two free 2017 concerts, April 8 at the Parkway Central Library, and April 9 at the Joseph E. Coleman NW Regional Library in Germantown. Workshop participants will be invited to help perform the poetry at the concerts.

WHAT: Germantown Poetry Project Workshops

Two Demo Workshops: Introducing the artists, with a participatory demonstration
Eight Creative Workshops: Making poetry and music, for use in world premieres

WHERE:

Joseph E. Coleman NW Regional Library
68 W. Chelten Ave.
Philadelphia PA 10144

WHEN:

Demo Workshops: Tuesday October 4, 4 PM; and Sunday October 9, 3 PM
Creative Workshops: Tuesdays at 4 PM; Sundays at 3 PM:
Tuesday October 25 Sunday October 30
Tuesday November 1 Sunday November 6
Tuesday November 8 Sunday November 13
Tuesday November 15 Sunday November 20
FINAL PERFORMANCE: Four new works of music and poetry, for performance on two free concerts:
April 8, 2 PM; Parkway Central Library, Logan Circle
April 9, 3 PM; Joseph E. Coleman NW Regional Library, Germantown

This project is made possible by funding from the William Penn Foundation’s New Audiences/New Places initiative. The principal aim of this new program is “…to transform the experience of public spaces and community gathering places by increasing resident and visitor access to dynamic, high quality public and performance art. The hope is that high quality public and performance art will increasingly become part of the everyday experience of the city through its appearance in the public, civic, and community spaces that form the daily geography of Philadelphia residents and visitors.”