About Opus OP Arts and Education Projects

Mission:

The mission of Opus OP Arts and Education Projects is to provide unique arts experiences and education programs that deepen participants’ appreciation and understanding of music through exploration, discovery, personal involvement, and reflection.

Who We Serve:

These programs serve the following constituencies primarily in Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico:

• listeners interested in deepening their appreciation and understanding of music and the arts;

• public school teachers who are seeking practical skills and innovative approaches to education, arts learning, and arts integration for their students;

• amateur and professional musicians and creative and performing artists at all levels who are seeking a deeper connection to their artistic practice, their colleagues, and their audiences;

• groups and individuals in our community who seek refreshment, revitalization, and renewal through music and the arts.   

CURRENT PROGRAMS:

The following programs adjust in shape and scope to serve the groups and individuals listed above. For more information, see the listings elsewhere on the site, or contact us.

Discovering the Music of . . . Paintings . . . Poetry . . . Movement

Participants explore the elements of a work of art, poem, or dance performance, as Oliver Prezant and improvising musicians turn their thoughts, feelings, and impressions of the works of art into music. Ultimately, Oliver and the musicians create a final improvised musical composition, using the paintings, or poetry, and/or movement as a “musical score.”

Discovering the Music of … Bach … Mozart … and other composers

Oliver Prezant and high-level musicians provide an interactive exploration of a small amount of music, e.g. a prelude and fugue by Bach, or two short arias by Mozart. During the program, we take time to explore the contours of the music, phrasing and emphasis, text and context, and possibilities for interpretation. Along the way, audience members are invited to share their thoughts and impressions with the performers. Each 90-minute education program explores the relationships between the music, the performer, and the audience, as we prepare to listen to the music in its entirety.

Workshops for Amateur and Professional Musicians; Professional Development Workshops for Music Teachers; In-class Programs for Students and Teachers

The following programs are currently available: Conducting for Ensemble Directors; Discovering the Music of Visual Art, Poetry, or Movement; Practicing Performing; Easy Steps to Improvisation; Vocal Style for Instrumentalists; Playing in Tune-Singing in Tune; Opus OP Choral Workshops; Classroom Visits with Oliver focused on music, visual art, and poetry, or with Oliver and prominent musicians, artists, and poets.

PROGRAM OFFERINGS UNDER DEVELOPMENT:

Field Trips for Students and Teachers

Students and teachers can join Oliver and Friends at local museums and galleries to experience Discovering performances, workshops, and other arts education programs.

The Oasis

Revitalizing arts experiences and performances for teachers and other groups in our community who seek refreshment and renewal through music and the arts.   

The Hold a Tune Project

An easy, experiential approach that can help people connect their ears and their voices simply and directly. Over the years, in informal sessions, it has helped many people regain or establish their ability to match pitches in just minutes. This is a beta test of the approach that is being presented free to the public.