In music, crescendo is a gradual increase in volume and intensity.
A community classroom project and benefit concert to expose music students to professionals and to raise money for Enumclaw School District music programs is also picking up followers and gaining in enthusiasm.
The Music Factor Project, a volunteer-based, grassroots group of involved and informed parents, educators, artists and business people, are bringing in nationally-acclaimed concert violinist Jamie Laval for three days of education and a benefit concert in May. Arts Alive!, the Plateau area’s art support organization, is also on board as a partner.
Once a resident of Puget Sound area who now lives in Asheville, N.C., Laval is one of the premier Celtic violinists on the international scene today. He creates rapt audiences with his intensely passionate performances of traditional music of Scotland, Ireland, Brittany and Quebec, rendered with hints of classical refinement and ethnic music from around the world.
He will present a 45-minute class May 12 at Enumclaw High School followed by a 45-minute performance and lecture. On May 13, he will be at Thunder Mountain Middle School for a 45-minute performance and lecture, followed by another session at Enumclaw Middle School. May 14, Laval will present a 45-minute performance lecture at Southwood Elementary School for its Magic Strings students, followed by an evening performance for the community.
The evening concert in the Enumclaw High School gymnasium is planned as a benefit for music education. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Local music teachers, concessions, souvenirs and an auction of artwork created from discarded musical instruments by Arts Alive! artists will be set up for patrons. The concert is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
Students from Magic Strings will open the concert and middle school musicians will entertain at intermission. EHS’s orchestra will open the second act and share the stage with Laval.
Tickets are $10 for students and seniors and $15 for adults. Students are selling tickets through Sunday and then they become available at Arts Alive! gallery, Enumclaw Music and the Lindon Bookstore through May 14.
Celia Bender, who is organizing the event, said 25 percent of the profit will go to Magic Strings and the remaining 75 percent to other school strings programs.
The group made a conscious effort to narrow its first attempt to benefit strings programs. If successful, the effort would turn toward grant writing and production of other, more tailored, events to fund specialized areas in the arts.
“We can do dance,” Bender said. “We can do drama, visual arts.
“It takes a village,” Bender said. “We can’t expect the school district to do everything. As much as anything else there’s the money part, but there’s the experience. We wanted to create an experience.”
Laval’s unique sound blends the simplicity of an ancient art form with stunning virtuosity and a contemporary flair that resonates with families, youth, seniors and devotees of ethnic, jazz and classicl music.
The making of his trademark style began at the Victoria Conservatory of Music where he studied classical violin. Later he pursued careers as a professional symphony musician, recording studio artist, improvising violinist and contra dance fiddler. But his passion for the haunting sounds of rural Irish and Scottish folk music eventually usurped all other preoccupations, and he has devoted himself exclusively to Celtic music ever since.
“We value arts education and actively seek to enhance educational experiences for our students,” Bender said. “We strive to provide mentorship and performance opportunity where it was not available before. We need to provide opportunities for every student to explore some aspect of music education.”
Reach Brenda Sexton at bsexton@courierherald.com or 360-802-8206.
4To learn more about violinist Jamie Laval go to www.jamielaval.com. For information regarding the Music Factor Project visit the Web site at www.musicfactor.org.
