Stan F. Mack II Superintendent of Schools
Dr. David Gundlach Deputy Superintendent
Lori Miron Executive Director of Human Resources
Susan Schnorr Executive Director of Business Services
Dr. Andrew Jones Executive Director of Administration
920.424.0160
920.424.0296
920.424.0124
920.424.0120
920.424.0296
215 S. Eagle Street l P. O. Box 3048 l Oshkosh, WI 54903 l 920.424.0395 l www.oshkosh.k12.wi.us
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 9, 2018 OASD Media Contact: Katie Nieman, Communication Director 920.966.0080,
[email protected]
Trans-siberian Orchestra’s String Master to Spend Four Days with Oshkosh Students － Community Concert Scheduled for March 16 Oshkosh, WI － Emmy-winning composer and renowned violinist Mark Wood, former member and co-founder of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, is bringing his electrified music program to Oshkosh students. The week-long artist-in-residency program will culminate in a public performance on Friday, March 16 at 7 p.m. at the Menominee Nation Arena － providing the Oshkosh community with a truly unforgettable rock arena experience. The Oshkosh Area School District orchestras and choirs are bringing in Wood － along with his wife, vocalist Laura Kaye, and choreographer Nathan Blake － as part of their Electrify Your Strings and Choir education program. During the four-day artist-in-residency, more than 450 students from the OASD, including North and West High Schools and all area middle schools, will come together to work with the violin legend. Students will learn music improvisation and choreography, and develop the skills to think and act creatively through music making and music sharing. The week will culminate in an electrified, amplified concert with Wood and Kaye performing side-by-side with the students. Tickets will be available in advance through Ticket Star and the Menominee Nation Arena Box Office, menomineenationarena.com or 920-744-2035. There are limited Gold VIP lounge seating tickets with pre-concert meet and greet available for $42, and limited Silver VIP floor seating tickets with post-concert signing for $22. General admission tickets with bleacher/bowl seating are $12 per ticket. Ticket proceeds benefit OASD music programs. The OASD music department first brought Wood’s innovative programing to Oshkosh in 2015 and is excited to once again bring his special style of music, and his 21st century orchestra experience, to Oshkosh students. In four intensive workshop days Wood and Kaye will play and sing alongside students as they delve into Tina Turner, The Beatles, Metallica, Michael Jackson and the like. During assemblies and workshops, Wood will perform on his 7-string fretted Viper electric violin and discuss the importance of expressing oneself through music and art. In addition, Wood will play his unique sound that fuses rock and roll and classical music, demonstrate improvisational techniques, and answer students' questions about his work. - MORE -
Stan F. Mack II Superintendent of Schools
Dr. David Gundlach Deputy Superintendent
Lori Miron Executive Director of Human Resources
Susan Schnorr Executive Director of Business Services
Dr. Andrew Jones Executive Director of Administration
920.424.0160
920.424.0296
920.424.0124
920.424.0120
920.424.0296
215 S. Eagle Street l P. O. Box 3048 l Oshkosh, WI 54903 l 920.424.0395 l www.oshkosh.k12.wi.us
Electrify Your Strings!™ (EYS) is a music educational phenomenon that fires up students, teachers, and local communities by injecting a high voltage dose of rock into a school’s music education program. The intensive rock and roll workshop for education departments boosts student self-esteem and motivation, increases schoolwide, family, and community engagement, and helps raise money for participating schools. Created by international recording artist, electric violinist, and music education advocate Mark Wood, EYS accomplishes this by having its team of teaching artists work with orchestra, choir, and band students to put on real life, real world rock concerts at their schools, local theaters, or arenas; with ticket sale proceeds directly benefiting the participating music departments. The musical selections are surprising – and include Wood’s own compositions and arrangements of classic rock and contemporary music such as Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” Queens’ “We Will Rock You,” and Kansas’ “Carry On My Wayward Son.” ### About the OASD: The Oshkosh Area School District is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, serving 10,000 students and operating 14 elementary schools, five middle schools, two high schools, two charter schools and an eAcademy. Building community through education, the mission of the Oshkosh Area School District is to create citizens who are critical, creative thinkers, responsible in their actions, and committed to learning for life by working together with families and communities. For more information visit www.oshkosh.k12.wi.us. ###
