VIRGINIA CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
37^th Season

Luis Haza, Music Director

The VCO was honored to be the first musical organization to partner with the Fairfax Network, the nation’s leading provider of high quality educational television programing for grades K-12. Other distinguished Fairfax Network collaborators include NASA and the Smithsonian Institution, to name just two. The Musical Side of Thomas Jefferson was praised by General Manager Donna Franklin as “one of the most successful Electronic Field Trips produced by the Fairfax Network." The program continues to air several times each year, and is part of a permanent FCPS media library.

Wonders of Geography: A Musical Atlas of America, takes the viewer on another innovative and unique musical journey into a traditional classroom subject. The late Joseph McLellan of the Washington Post, in his on line column, aptly described Wonders as “a marvelous enhancement of two subjects by having them interact.” Although it was specifically designed for students, McLellan felt “it should interest anyone who cares for classical music.” Time has proven this to be true, as the colleges have requested that the programs targeted to young public school students be offered on the National Community College Network, and the arts administrators of the Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax public schools have requested videos of the college programs for their media libraries. Ted Libby, the distinguished classical music commentator for National Public Radio and a former music critic for the New York Times, was a guest panelist for the Wonders program.

Those successes resulted in an invitation to produce Music From the Age of Enlightenment for the National Community College Network, which reaches all community colleges in the northern Virginia area and nationwide. Again the VCO was honored with the presence of an esteemed media figure. Robert Aubry Davis, host of the Emmy award-winning AROUND TOWN program of cultural commentary on Public Television Channel 26 (WETA) served as Guest Moderator.

The Enlightenment program inspired a group of programs which are beneficial for students and educators when used singly or as a series. Music From The Baroque Epoch (2002), Music From The Romantic Era (2003), and Music By Modern Masters (2004) follow a similar format. Each production focuses on a major period in music history, touching briefly on literature, philosophy, fine arts, and general history of the period, which relates the musical content to other college subjects as well. Dr. Linda Monson, Associate Chair, Department of Music, George Mason University joined the panel for two productions. Panelists from area Northern Virginia Community Colleges include Professors Robert Webb, Robert Petrella, and Mark Whitmire.

In response to a request for a program focusing entirely on music appreciation, the most recent production was designed especially for the youngest public school students, a group the VCO had not previously targeted. All narration is provided by their older peers. I Heard That! Listening to Classical Music is structured so that it can be used in segments as well as in its entirety. Spoken material, musical examples, and award-winning graphics illustrate basic musical concepts. To quote just one Fairfax County teacher: “It was quite a remarkable job. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! When are you doing the next one?” In the words of the Network Manager, “Once again the excellent quality and artistry of the music videotaped from the VCO’s live concert have enhanced this project.” Although I Heard That! was designed for young students, it proved to be so lively and informative that it was rebroadcast 85 times in a nine month period on Channel 21, where individuals of all ages and entire families could view it. Videos of all of the educational television programs extend their benefits far into the future.

Wonders of Geography