SRU music faculty and students team together to ‘compose’ youth experience

Slippery Rock University’s Department of Music will host a Sound Exploration tent, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., June 21 at Pittsburgh’s Children’s Museum to encourage children to discover the world through sound. The tent will allow participants to discover and play with percussion instruments.

June 19, 2019

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — Pittsburgh will be one of more than 700 cities worldwide that will be filled with the sounds of music June 21 in celebration of International Make Music Day. Slippery Rock University's Department of Music will help the global community hit the right notes when it hosts a Sound Exploration tent, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Pittsburgh's Children's Museum to encourage children to discover the world through sound.

Cassandra Eisenreich, SRU assistant professor of flute and music education; will be joined by music education majors Samantha Kochis, a junior from Cranberry Township and Jake Aufman, a sophomore from Pittsburgh, in bringing the tent to life.

"As a music educator in training, there's a lot that I can get out of this experience itself," Kochis said. "This event will be a great reminder of how open, universal and natural music can be."

The Sound Exploration tent will allow participants to discover and play with percussion instruments provided by Nuvo, a company that "creates instruments designed to minimize the 'hurdles' that can keep students from learning."

"Children use their senses to explore their world, so I believe it's important for them to explore different sounds and textures," said Eisenreich who has an advisory role with Nuvo as a music education specialist.

"The goal is to make lifelong learners and lovers of music," Eisenreich said.

"Dr. Eisenreich provides a lot of opportunities for music education majors to expand on our experiences and connect with a variety of people," Kochis said. "She has opened the door to so many experiences that I wouldn't have had access to anywhere else. It speaks to the value of not only her but the department as well."

Eisenreich said that the department is always looking to further its community outreach. It is working with the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh on an "Instrument Petting Zoo" where children can learn and play a variety of instruments; and with the Slippery Rock Community Library on potential "Mommy and Me" music lessons.

Pittsburgh's local entry in the global music event, "Make Music Pittsburgh," takes place from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., June 21 and features a variety of booths, tables and tents for people to interact with, as well as numerous performers of all ages, skill levels and music styles.

To learn more about Make Music Pittsburgh, visit their Facebook page.

For more information about SRU's Department of Music, click here.

MEDIA CONTACT: Megan Bush | 724.738.2091 | mxb1092@sru.edu