Shenandoah Conservatory has received $23,800 in grant support from Mid Atlantic Arts in support of performances and engagement by internationally acclaimed guest artists during its 2022/23 season. Grants will provide support for guest artist visits by Ranky Tanky, who will kick off the season with a performance on Thursday, Sept. 8, as well as spring performances and engagement by new music pioneers Flutronix & Third Coast Percussion and legendary hip-hop dance company Rennie Harris Puremovement.
Mid Atlantic Arts nurtures and funds the creation and presentation of diverse artistic expression and connects people to meaningful arts experiences within the Mid Atlantic region and beyond. Established in 1979, Mid Atlantic is one of six regional arts organizations in the United States. It works in close partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and member state and jurisdictional arts agencies in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia and West Virginia.
“We’re thrilled and grateful for the ongoing support of Mid Atlantic Arts,” said Shenandoah Conservatory Executive Director of Performances and Engagement and Artistic Director of Performing Arts Live Courtney Reilly ’18, M.S. “Their grants make it possible to bring award-winning artists to our region, and to expand our reach both on campus and throughout the greater community.”
Three grants from two distinct Mid Atlantic programs will support programming at Shenandoah Conservatory this academic year. Support for Ranky Tanky (Wednesday, Sept. 7, and Thursday, Sept. 8) is made possible in part through the Mid Atlantic Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Ranky Tanky is a Grammy Award-winning band from Charleston, South Carolina, that draws inspiration from the rich and resilient culture of the Gullah, who have lived in the Sea Islands and coastal plains of the Southeastern United States for centuries, preserving many of their Central and West African roots. Ranky Tanky will conduct a Gullah Music workshop and host a Q&A session for students before launching Shenandoah Conservatory’s season with a live public performance and season kick-off party at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8, in Armstrong Concert Hall.
Support for performances and engagement by Flutronix & Third Coast Percussion (Thursday, Feb. 16, and Friday, 17, 2023) and Rennie Harris Puremovement (Thursday, March 2, and Friday, March 3, 2023) is made possible in part through the ArtsCONNECT program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Both guest artists will conduct a lineup of workshops for Shenandoah Conservatory students and K-12 audiences, including masterclasses, middle school workshops and a composition reading. Each visit by the guest artists culminates with a live public performance.
To view an entire calendar of events, purchase tickets and learn more, visit Conservatory Performs online at www.conservatoryperforms.org, in person at the Shenandoah University Box Office located in the Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre lobby or by phone at (540) 665-4569. Regular box office hours are Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m.
