Common Language/Common Ground Program Marks First Time/p>

Five Major Downtown L.A. Arts Institutions Unite

In an unprecedented collaboration, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association partners with Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Master Chorale, The Museum of Contemporary Art, and the CalArts Community Arts Partnership in the Common Language/Common Ground program, an interdisciplinary, multi-institution endeavor designed to provide arts training for Los Angeles area educators. This undertaking marks the first time the five major downtown arts institutions unite.

"This truly unique collaboration brings together downtown Los Angeles' leading arts institutions to help area educators understand the arts as a universal language, capable of transcending the boundaries of expression and communication," says Deborah Borda, President of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. "The program represents the Los Angeles Philharmonic's commitment to provide interdisciplinary education programs that benefit the community at large."

Designed for teachers and arts educators, the program provides two days of discussion, performances and interactive workshops, helping Los Angeles area educators learn to connect music, art, and dance by the common vocabulary and expressive elements of each discipline. Taking place on two Saturdays, January 31 and February 7, educators in the program attend workshops at the different sponsoring institutions, each covering a different arts topic.

On January 31, participants will explore African music and dance with the CalArts Community Arts Partnership at the REDCAT theater (located at Walt Disney Concert Hall), then attend workshops on art and poetry at the Museum of Contemporary Art. On February 7, participants attend a workshop hosted by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Master Chorale exploring the translation of art and poetry into music. The program culminates in a final workshop, also on February 7, at the Los Angeles Opera which ties together the information and experience from the previous sessions, making clear the connections between the artistic disciplines.

The Common Language/Common Ground program is offered by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association's Education Department, Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Master Chorale, The Museum of Contemporary Art and the CalArts Community Arts Partnership. The goal of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association's Education Department is to provide cultural and educational programs for the many diverse communities that comprise the city of Los Angeles.

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