Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, the River Raisin Centre for the Arts will provide curriculum for Saint Mary Catholic Central’s High School’s instrumental, choral, and band programs and Monroe Catholic Elementary Schools 5-8th grade band classes. Additionally, the RRCA will be providing students with a home theatre for annual performances as well as invaluable opportunities to learn from and perform with visiting professional artists who perform on our stage.
In collaborating with SMCC and MCES, the RRCA will provide students with top-notch technical training by degreed and experienced instructors as well as unique opportunities to enhance their arts education. This year the RRCA is putting special focus on bringing in artists for the annual Marquee Season who, in addition to putting on a public performance for the community, will also provide educational outreach to SMCC and MCES’s music students. Outreach will include master classes and possibly incorporate students as opening acts in Marquee Season shows.
Incoming St. Mary Catholic Central High School principal, Mr. Jason A. Linster said, “We are more than excited to be partnering with the premier performing arts organization in southeast Michigan. The experience and dedication of the RRCA’s staff and leaders will have a significant impact on the future of performing arts education at SMCC.”
Tracy Glover, who will become the choir director at SMCC, holds a B.E. from the University of Toledo where she majored in Vocal Music Education, K-12. After graduation, she taught grades 6-12 at Evergreen Schools in Ohio, primarily directing the choirs and the drama department. Over the past 20 years, Tracy has also been an accompanist for everything from the choral department at The University of Toledo, to local solo and ensemble participants, and various community theatre productions as well. In addition to directing musicals at the RRCA (Les Miserables, Footloose, Spamalot, and more), Tracy has also had the pleasure of serving as a music director and stage director for various community theatres in the area including Bedford Community Players, The Toledo Repertoire Theatre, The Village Players, and Mason High School. Tracy is no stranger to the stage herself, appearing in many productions including Into the Woods, The Wizard of Oz, Tommy, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Anything Goes, Chicago, and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Mrs. Glover’s plans are to keep the choir liturgical and have choir participants sing at student Masses. Her curriculum will also include other vocal music literature from classical to Broadway and everything in between to give students a well-rounded education in vocal music. With her extensive theatre background, Tracy will also be lending her expertise and experience to SMCC’s annual theatre production, which the RRCA will produce and present each Spring.
MCES’s Band and SMCC’s Instrumental and Band programs will be led by Paul DeVee, who holds a music degree from Eastern Michigan University. He has 30 years of experience as a music educator teaching saxophone, clarinet, and flute throughout Southeastern Michigan. As Director of the RRCA School of Music, he also teaches woodwind lessons and classes in jazz improvisation. Paul has extensive performance experience working as a musician with artists and touring acts such as the Temptations, Four Tops, Myron Floren, Carol Channing, Ice Capades and the Ringling Brothers Circus among many others. He currently works throughout Michigan and Ohio performing in orchestras for musical theater productions. Paul performs with the Atlas Jazz, Couriers Swing Band, and the Johnny Knorr Orchestra. With the band programs, Mr. Devee plans to be inclusive of all instruments, not just traditional band instruments. He will also be creating chamber ensembles and jazz combination groups at SMCC. All of Paul’s programs will be innovatively tailored to suit the needs of each school and its instrumental music/band students.
MCES Executive Director Alicia Marting stated, “We are delighted to add this partnership to the high quality curriculum of our middle school. By partnering with the RRCA, we are enhancing the arts education and creative thinking development of our students.”
The River Raisin Centre, governed by a board of directors, is a nonprofit performing arts center dedicated to educating, presenting, and producing. The RRCA is home to the River Raisin Dance Academy, RRCA Music Theatre Company, River Raisin Ballet Company, Motor City Jazz Extension, and RRCA School of Music. In addition to the 12 Marquee Shows presented each year, the theatre hosts over 700 children a week through its art education classes, camps, and workshops.
