About Opus OP Arts and Education Projects

Opus OP Arts and Education Projects is a fiscally sponsored project of the Partners in Education Foundation for the Santa Fe Public Schools, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

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, Albuquerque, and Northern New Mexico:

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

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

• 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;

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

• public school students, through facilitated classroom presentations with professional musicians.  

Examples of Opus OP Programs:

The following programs adjust in shape and scope to serve the groups and individuals listed above. A presentation for the general audience can become a youth and family program or a presentation for a school classroom. For more information, see the listings elsewhere on the site, or contact us.

Discovering the Music of Paintings; Discovering the Music of Poetry
• Improvising musicians create music based on audience impressions of a painting or poem, as the artwork or poetry becomes the musical score.

Discovering the Music of Bach … Mozart … Ravel … and other composers
• A deep dive into the music and a closer look at the relationships between the audience, the musicians, and the selected work.

Schumann and Romanticism
• Programs that explore a genre or historical period through an exploration of a selected work featuring live musicians.

The Operatic Trumpet; The Virtuoso Violin
• A closer look at the history, the traditions, and the inner workings of familiar instruments we know and love.

In the Director’s Workshop
• Audience members work with singers as we explore possibilities related to costumes, stage direction, or lighting.

Free Workshops for Public School Music Teachers:
• The following workshops are currently available, all free for public school music teachers: Conducting Coaching and Workshops for Ensemble Directors and Elementary Teachers; Using Visual Art or Poetry in the Music Classroom; Practicing Performing; Easy Steps to Improvisation; Reflection in the Music Classroom; Vocal Style for Instrumentalists; Playing in Tune—Singing in Tune; Opus OP Choral Workshops.

Classroom Visits for Public School Teachers and Their Students
• Classroom Visits with Oliver and Opus OP musicians feature opportunities to explore various aspects of music, as well as music in relation to visual art. Oliver also provides workshops on poetry for some classes.

Programs Under Development:

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.