Public School Outreach Program
Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are?
We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move.
You may become a Shakespeare, a Michaelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel?
You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.
Pablo Casals
MusicUnitesUS and Education
MusicUnitesUS brings public school students to Brandeis University for a series of diverse music performances that reflect social studies lessons in the classroom. The MUUS programs are carefully shaped to reinforce the content of the related classroom lesson plans. In the context of history and culture, music becomes a powerful teaching tool - an authentic voice revealing cultural values, expressing overarching social themes such as freedom and justice, and exploring issues of identity. Not only do these programs enhance the academic curricula, they also address issues of multiculturalism and diversity.
We believe that education must help to meaningfully shape our children’s ability to act ethically and responsibly in an increasingly complex society, and that the Arts can play a unique role in this effort. We believe that in the search for peaceful coexistence throughout the world, we must begin with an understanding and appreciation of the many different histories and worldviews that together, tell the story of humankind. Public education provides the first structured venue for many children to begin learning about different cultures through classroom study of geography, history, and social studies. MUUS seeks to enhance the public school curriculum by offering a unique accounting of diverse worldviews through live performances of music. Linking classroom lessons to the musical voice of a culture, these performances are autobiographical narratives that express the values, hopes, and dreams of diverse cultures, adding an essential perspective to standard classroom education.
MUUS offers two public school outreach programs for participating schools:
MusicUnitesUS Public School Outreach Concert
Thursday, March 27 (for visiting schools)
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Slosberg Recital Hall
Music program with Jiebing Chen, erhu; Yangqin Zhao, yangqin
Thursday, April 3
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon (for Waltham Public Schools)
Mainstage, Spingold Theater
Brandeis Theater Company
Orphan of Zhao theater production