Fairfield University students team up with Bose Corporation, Bridgeport Public Schools and the University of Bridgeport to offer music workshops for Bridgeport 5th graders | Press Releases

Fairfield University has joined with the Bose Corporation and the University of Bridgeport to bring educational music workshops to fifth-grade students in the Bridgeport Public Schools.

Bose Corporation's In Harmony With Education program, which was created in collaboration with The National Association for Music Education, provides both lesson plans and state-of-the-art equipment for the students. It is an interdisciplinary music curriculum designed to allow students to see, hear and feel the power and beauty of music as it demonstrates the nature and science of the sounds that surround them in their daily lives. Students learn through hands-on experience, by creating and playing their own instruments and by exploring the connections among music, science and math.

"The program gives students an understanding of some of the principles behind music," said Laura Nash, Ph.D., assistant professor of music and director of the Classical Music program in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts of the College of Arts & Sciences at Fairfield.

Bose has been running the project with Bridgeport Public Schools at the University of Bridgeport for the past four years. This year, several Fairfield University music, education, math and science students will join Bridgeport schoolteachers in administering the workshops to the approximately 2,000 fifth-grade students.

"The Bose In Harmony With Education Program exists as a community outreach program to share Bose Corporation's strong belief in the importance of comprehensive education," said Jason Brisbois, International Operations Manager, Bose In Harmony With Education Program. "By blending concepts of music with important aspects of physical science and mathematics students are able to demonstrate connections across disciplines. Working with Fairfield University, the University of Bridgeport, and the Bridgeport Public School system is an exciting means for us to work with the community for the common good of students in Bridgeport Public Schools. In this way, we are able to leverage each other's resources to offer new learning methods to 5th graders in the city. It is our hope to continue this collaboration for many years to come, and explore additional opportunities similar to this throughout Connecticut."

The workshops, which run about 1-12; hours each, will take place from February 6-10 and February 13-14 at the University of Bridgeport. The workshops are not open to the public; media representatives are welcome to attend. For information, contact Fairfield University's assistant director of Media Relations Dana Ambrosini at (203) 254-4000, ext. 2726.

"Grade 5 Bridgeport students and their classroom teachers have been invited to participate in the Bose In Harmony With Education Program, which provides extended learning opportunities through music and its curriculum connections to science and mathematics," said Nancy H. Goncalves, Ph.D., director of Fine & Performing Arts for the Bridgeport Public Schools. "The project has, for several years, demonstrated the ongoing and collaborative efforts of Bose Corporation, the University of Bridgeport, and the Bridgeport Public Schools. This year, additional support will be provided for this exciting learning experience, with Fairfield University students assisting the Bridgeport Public School teachers in facilitating the delivery of instruction."

The partners in the project are all members of the Bridgeport Higher Education Alliance (BHEA), which seeks to cultivate collaborations among Connecticut's colleges and universities and Bridgeport's public schools in order to prepare Bridgeport's students to succeed in higher education.

The University of Bridgeport has sponsored the Bose In Harmony in Education project for the last four years as part of its outreach to the Bridgeport community, said Professor Allen Cook, associate dean, School of Education and Human Resources at the University of Bridgeport.

"The response we have from Bridgeport students, teachers and supervisors of the Bridgeport schools has been incredible," Prof. Cook said. "Rarely do you find a program that receives such positive response. Music is the universal language that provides both the scientific information and cultural enrichment in a context that can be appreciated by all. "In Harmony" opens the doors of music to students and gives them wonderful insights into their own potentials as individuals."