Thousands pack fest for beloved music teacher
Thousands pack fest for beloved music teacher
UPPER DARBY >> Drivers often become frustrated when they need to circle a parking lot numerous times to find a space.
On Saturday, they didn’t seem to mind.
Nearly 5,000 residents and friends visited the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center to support the Brad Schoener Fund – Festival of Upper Darby Arts. The hallways, courtyard and exterior were filled with music, visual arts, dance, theater and fashion surrounded by children’s activities, raffles, food and refreshments.
“I’ve never seen it this crowded,” said arts and education foundation executive director and scholarship committee chair Jen Schoener. “To think we started in 2009 with five people on one committee working with the school district and have grown into an event that involves the entire community.”
Named for the late music teacher and trumpeter who lost his battle with cancer the same year, the festival emerged from Schoener’s idea to celebrate music of all kinds with professionals and students sharing sounds together.
For the second year, it partnered with the school district Arts Fest to provide a venue highlighting the creative talents of students in grades one12. Paintings, drawings, prints, ceramics, sculptures and textile arts lined the walls while models strutted the runway in the Junk to Funk fashion show.
“We find it so supportive to show off our children’s works - it is amazing to think our elementary students only have 30 minutes of art each week,” said high school art department chair and festival committee member Ellen Flocco. “It was once one of the best kept secrets, but now it is such a big event and just gets cooler each year.”
Music was in the air at every turn, as school district jazz bands, orchestras, choirs and piano and ukulele clubs performed on four stages.
They were augmented by 15 professional groups, all of which paused at noon to remember the beloved late music teacher Schoener.
One of those musicians was Emma Kramer, a member of the Garrettford Elementary School choral society. She and her mother, Jennifer, and brother Brandon, who attends the Kindergarten Center, appreciated the display.
“It is wonderful to show art from the entire school district, including our 10 elementary schools and two middle schools,” said Jennifer Kramer. “The children see the types of things they will be doing as they get older and I believe it just keeps getting bigger and stronger.”
The day began with the mascot fun run, captured this year by the Drexel Hill Middle School falcon, followed by a 5K run/ walk. In keeping with the theme, the athletes were serenaded musically as they completed two loops through Arlington Cemetery.
The YMCA Kid Zone joined the festivities, where children enjoyed a moon bounce and helped make a copper and bead chandelier to be given to the performing arts center. The celebration also launched a coffee house for poetry and performances and invited local professional crafters.
Visitors were invited to stay for lunch, as local food vendors offered pulled pork, mini burritos, hot dogs, pizza, cotton candy, water ice and baked goods. Each donated a portion of their proceeds to the fund. The event was sponsored by Gap Inc. and Independence Blue Cross, as well as with numerous financial and in-kind donations.
The festival serves as the lead-in to the Brad Schoener MusicMan Academy, a variety of five-week sessions for children and adults taught by talented local musicians. Participants can choose among offerings such as band, strings, voice and piano lessons, drum circles, guitar 101 and little stars theater.
“The third Saturday in May is for the community,” said Jen Schoener. “All the artists, musicians, crafters and vendors throughout Upper Darby are here on this day.”
The mission of the Brad Schoener Memorial Fund is to support the musical abilities and aspirations of instrumental music students in the Upper Darby School District through the funding of instruments, instruction and experiences to interested and talented students who might not otherwise have the opportunities due to personal circumstances. The fund is supervised by the Upper Darby Arts and Education Foundation, a private, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit udmusicman.udfoundation.org.