Santa Monica College Applied Music Program (AMP) students and faculty will live-host a virtual concert on Friday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m. The concert will feature live introductions to video performances showcasing some of SMC’s most gifted music students in a program that includes solo and group performances in both classical and jazz styles.
The event is free and open to the public, and will be presented online on the Facebook social media platform (Facebook membership is not required to enjoy the concert). A link to the event is available at the listing on the SMC Events calendar at smc.edu/calendar.
“Despite the challenges of technology and remote learning, students are still learning and making music at SMC!” said SMC Music Department chair Brian Driscoll, who co-directs the Applied Music Program with SMC music instructors Jimmy Cheesman and Gina Saputo Bagg. “This concert provides the missing link: the students’ opportunity to share the fruits of their labor with an audience. We hope folks will tune in from the comfort of their homes to see and hear how music is being made in the homes of so many students.”
The Applied Music Program, a part of SMC’s continuing effort to blend top-tier arts education with high-quality performances for the public, is dedicated to fostering the development of outstanding instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers, with the goal of preparing each student for successful transfer as a music major to a four-year university or conservatory.
The academically rigorous program — founded in 2001 by Dr. James Smith — requires students to audition for the program and, if accepted, to take courses in ensemble, music theory, and performance, as well as private lessons.
More information is available by calling 310-434-3005 or 310-434-4323.
Submitted by Grace Smith
