Creating Connections Through Art

Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR to his fans) was the star of one of many free community performances. Photo courtesy of Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center

WHEN COMPOSER AND performer Daniel Bernard Roumain—better known as DBR—wanted to talk with audience members at Gildenhorn Recital Hall, he invited them onstage and used singing, piano and acoustic and amplified violin to enhance the conversation. The event, part of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s free Take Five series and the beginning of DBR’s extended residency, enthralled participants.

Building lasting relationships with community ties is a mission at the heart of the center. Artists from all areas of performance are sought to provide a variety of interactive experiences for audiences. Opportunities for engagement with new and exciting work abound, and many events are free.

“We want to be meaningful and relevant to our communities,” says Ruth Waalkes, director of artistic initiatives.

Take Five features artists who encourage participation and have a lot to say about their craft. “Attendance has been great—a good mix of campus and community members,” says Waalkes. Other no-cost experiences include an instrument petting zoo for children and a salsa dance class. The public can learn about free events both through an insert in the Prince George’s County Gazette and the center’s Web site.

Also online are video interviews, facts about performances and blogs. Waalkes sees student blogs as terrific for acquainting the public with the center’s activities. “They give a window not only into Clarice Smith Center but into what is happening at the university and in the hearts and minds of our students,” she says.

Many events come out of extended residencies—repeated visits from artists over a period of time. They form collaborative, enduring bonds between community, artist and the center. Mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne performed in 2006 and led a master class—one-on-one work with students in front of an audience. The response was enthusiastic, and this year Horne led more master classes and discussions— one with soprano Evelyn Lear and School of Music professor and baritone Dominic Cossa. The events were designed to appeal to all levels of musical interest.

Focused and ongoing collaborations with a few area schools are another part of the center’s outreach. Playwrights of the Future is an annual program with Hyattsville Middle School, and Chamber Music Connections is a program through the center and the School of Music, serving Mount Rainier and Hollywood elementary schools.

The center also brings experiences into the broader community. Blind Summit Theatre recently held a free puppetry conversation at the Puppet Company Playhouse in Glen Echo Park. And last fall the center presented a screening of the 1939 documentary The City, which features the city of Greenbelt, with a live orchestra accompaniment of Aaron Copland’s film score. Audience members were then invited on a field trip that included a panel discussion in Greenbelt. “The most ideal situation is when we can connect with both the campus and the community,” says Waalkes. —KD

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