BEF funds interactive workshop to celebrate Ella Fitzgerald's 100th

The Burlington Community Concert Series (BCCS) is pleased to announce that it has received a grant from the Burlington Education Foundation to fund an enrichment program about the life and music of Ella Fitzgerald, the iconic jazz vocalist who has set the standard for all others to aspire.

The program, Ella Fitzgerald: The Queen of Swing, will take place during the day on Friday, February 3, and is intended to enhance the evening’s performance, A Centennial Celebration to the ‘First Lady of Song’—Ella Fitzgerald, featuring The Capital Jazz Orchestra (Clayton "Skip" Poole, Music Director) and Ella Fitzgerald protégé, Ms. Carmen Bradford. The evening performance will take place in the Fogelberg Performing Arts Center at 7:30 pm.

All Burlington elementary and middle school students will participate in the multi-media interactive workshop, presented by jazz performer and music educator, Nanette Perrotte. The workshop relates the story of a young woman who, at the age of seventeen and against impossible odds, found fame at the heart of the Harlem Renaissance and American Jazz, establishing one of the most astonishing careers in the history of jazz.

The one hour workshop will also be presented to the general public free of charge at 6:00 pm (sponsored by the Burlington Community Concert Series) and will be followed by a light reception just prior to the concert (sponsored by the Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce).

Nanette Perrotte received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Berklee College of Music in Jazz Composition and Arranging and received a Master’s Degree in Education from Lesley University where she focused on the arts as a tool to learn about and experience cultural diversity. Combining her years of teaching and performance experiences, she has developed a presentation form that combines social history, musicology and storytelling. Other programs include “Duke Ellington and the Harlem Renaissance,” “Jazz--In the Beginning There Was Satchmo,” and “Rhythm Gets You Dancing,” featuring the music of Celia Cruz, Tito Puente and Gloria Estefan.

The Burlington Education Foundation (BEF) is a non-profit organization supporting educational excellence in Burlington Public Schools. The BEF’s mission is to provide grants to promote community involvement in public education by channeling donations from businesses and individuals to provide Burlington teachers with an alternative source of funding for creative and innovative curriculum enrichment programs. The BEF has funded more than 100 educational grants totaling $250,000 over the past ten years.

Tickets for A Centennial Celebration to the "First Lady of Song"--Ella Fitzgerald,” featuring The Capital Jazz Orchestra and Ms. Carmen Bradford, are available at www.BurlingtonTheatre.com, 781-A-FUN-TIC (781-238-6842), tickets@bpsk12.org and at the door. Tickets range from $5-$25.

Fogelberg Performing Arts Center, an accessible venue, is located on the campus of Burlington High School, 123 Cambridge Street, Burlington MA.