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News Release

Last modified: Thursday, February 28, 2008

IU Jacobs School to collaborate in launching Finding The Groove™ concert series

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 28, 2007

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Three major Indiana musical entities -- the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Music for All Foundation -- will host the world premiere of the Finding The Groove™ concert series this fall. The concerts are part of a larger project by the same name created to celebrate the formative role music plays in the educational development of children.

Finding the Groove™ -- from Leslie Stifelman, executive producer of the Peabody Award-winning HBO® documentary series, The Music in Me -- is a musical, virtual-world project designed to celebrate kids and music. The project features a safe, online social network where instrumental musicians, composers, singer-songwriters and vocalists, ages 7 to 12 and representing diverse cultures and genres, can share their own musical stories and performances by uploading videos to www.findingthegroove.com.

A handful of young artists who have submitted the most exciting online entries will be invited to perform solo, with their bands, musical friends or families, as part of the live concert series. The multimedia concerts also will feature clips of videos from additional Finding the Groove™ kids.

"We're glad to be a part of this effort to support young talent and music education," said Gwyn Richards, dean of IU's Jacobs School of Music. "Finding the Groove™ fits perfectly with our responsibility and desire to promote American culture and to expand our relationship beyond the traditional college age student to our youngest and oldest audiences.

"Finding the Groove™ will allow exciting young musical talents who have flourished under the nurturing and guidance of their families and mentors to come forward into the spotlight," Richards continued. "We're hoping that young people around the state of Indiana, and elsewhere, will participate in this extraordinary program by uploading videos of their performances and compositions. Who knows who we'll find?"

The concert series, which will debut in Bloomington with the IU Philharmonic Orchestra on Sept. 13 and with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in Indianapolis on Oct. 19, will be held in conjunction with major symphony orchestras, symphony halls, and university and community arts organizations from around the country.

Finding The Groove™ marks the first partnership project of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, one of America's major orchestras; the IU Jacobs School of Music, one of the world's most respected music schools; and the Music for All Foundation, a nationally prominent music education organization.

The Indiana premiere of the concert series is made possible by the generous support of the NAMM Foundation, with a special thanks to MusicCrossroads. Other Indiana organizations working with the project include the Indiana Arts Commission, Indiana Music Educators Association, Indiana State School Music Association and the Indiana PTA.

For additional information about Finding The Groove™, the concert series and its collaborating partners, go to https://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/7635.html

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