San Jacinto College Newsroom

San Jacinto College partners with the Houston Symphony, increasing arts education

November 2, 2009 by Jeannie Peng-Armao
Filed under: Arts, Central Campus, Community, North Campus, South Campus 
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PASADENA, Texas –San Jacinto College is partnering with the Houston Symphony to provide students with the finest symphonic music Houston has to offer.

SJC students will receive exclusive access into this year’s Symphony season with a performance of The Planets – An HD Odyssey, directed by Hans Graf, at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 22 in Jones Hall.

Set to the musical score of Gustav Holst, this production is a celebration of the exploration of the solar system. A high definition film by acclaimed filmmaker Dr. Duncan Copp will accompany the music to provide audiences with the latest NASA images from the Mars rovers and past probe missions Magellan, Voyager and Galileo. The Symphony will sponsor a private lecture with Copp, who has previously served as a member of NASA’s Venus mapping team responsible for creating the first detailed geological maps of the planet. His 2005 film “In the Shadow of the Moon” earned him a 2007 Sundance Film Festival award, and he has appeared on BBC, Discovery and National Geographic.

“This may be the first time for students to have a close impression of professional musicians, which can be life changing,” said Brandon VanWaeyenberghe, director of corporate relations for the Symphony. “The Symphony tends to have a public perception of being strictly a downtown institution, but through this collaboration with San Jacinto College, we have an opportunity to expand that reach.”

Other Symphony events will include the “Sounds Like Fun!” educational concert and instrument petting zoo in June and ensemble concerts at each of the College’s campuses. Discounted tickets will also be made available to SJC students during the 2009-2010 season.

Alison Hennessey, director of the Aerospace and Biotechnology Academy at San Jacinto College, said she envisioned a partnership between the two entities after learning more about the collaborative efforts between the Symphony and NASA for the creation of “The Planets.”

“After learning about ‘The Planets,’ I felt this could provide the perfect opportunity to spark student interest in the Symphony,” Hennessey said. “This is a wonderful collaboration, not only for our students, but for our community as a whole.”

Part of the Symphony’s vision statement is to become an entrepreneurial cornerstone of the performing arts in Houston through performances, partnerships, outreach and educational activities.

“The Houston Symphony has made a concerted effort to deepen our roots to our community by creating partnerships,” said Steven Brosvik, general manager for the Symphony. “This new partnership with San Jacinto College brings together the Symphony’s focus on educational and musical connections with our community, our desire to introduce great symphonic music to young audiences, and be part of our partner organization’s success.”

About the Houston Symphony

The Houston Symphony has played a central role in Houston’s cultural and civic life since 1913. Each year, the Symphony performs approximately 170 concerts for more than 350,000 Houstonians. For tickets and more information regarding the 2009-10 season, please visit www.houstonsymphony.org or call 713-224-7575.

About San Jacinto College

San Jacinto College serves more than 27,000 students in over 140 degrees and certificates in university transfer and technical programs. The College also serves the community through workforce training. Students come with various goals and aspirations and we are committed to their success. San Jacinto College. Your Goals. Your College.

For more information about San Jacinto College, please call 281-998-6150 or visit www.sanjac.edu.

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One Comment on San Jacinto College partners with the Houston Symphony, increasing arts education

  1. Elisabeth Harthcock on Wed, 4th Nov 2009 3:37 pm

    2. I find this fabulous. I love going to concerts and having a discount or any sort of encouragement is just icing to the cake. I was particularly thrilled about the “Sounds Like Fun” event because I have a 31/2 year old and he sure likes music. Talking about that, would you be offering any discount tickets for the 2009 performances of the Nutcraker?
    Thank you,
    EH

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