South Shore Conservatory's Wacky Wednesdays Family Concert Series Presents Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys

There’s a very good reason why South Shore Conservatory’s (SSC) Wacky Wednesdays family concert series is presenting Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys during its 20th anniversary celebration year. Trien and her “monkeys” are a huge hit with the Wednesday morning, lemonade-drinking, dancing in the aisle crowd. This July 20, 10 am concert is the fourth of five family-friendly Wednesday morning concerts in the Jane Carr Amphitheater, One Conservatory Drive in Hingham this summer.

Wacky Wednesdays is one of two series in the Conservatory’s diverse Summer Spotlight outdoor summer entertainment series, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this season. The family series is sponsored by The Harold and Avis Goldstein Trust, with WATD as the media partner. Summer Spotlight also includes Evenings Under the Stars Saturday evening concerts.

Boston-based children’s singer-songwriter Vanessa Trien and her band the Jumping Monkeys have become Wacky Wednesday favorites. Audiences are still talking about Vanessa Trien’s first performances at the Carr Amphitheater, which had children and adults singing, dancing and clapping along with this charismatic performer. A former Music Together® teacher, Trien now teaches MonkeyJump Music and Movement classes in Brookline. She has released three award-winning children's CDs, 'Carnival Day' and 'Hot Air Balloon,' and most recently ‘Bubble Ride.’ As Boston Children's Music puts it, "Vanessa's shows are perfect. It's hard to explain and I can't quite put my finger on what it is they do differently, but whatever it is, it really gets the kids (and parents) excited!...She has some sort of magical energy that makes all of her shows super fun..."

As a complement to her career as a professional musician, Trien, who has her M.Ed in Education (Harvard '96), has made a point of sharing her love of music through teaching and performing for primary and elementary school-aged children. While serving as artist-in-residence for the New York City program LEAP (Learning Through An Expanded Arts Program), Trien designed and taught many different music and expressive arts projects in public elementary schools. One particular bright spot was the establishment of a second and third grade chorus in a Bronx elementary school that didn't have a music program. By the end of the school year, it was a flourishing and performing 50-student chorus!

The final Wacky Wednesdays performance is Grammy-nominated Zak Morgan on July 27.

SSC's Jane Carr Amphitheater completely updated its sound and lighting systems last year. Funding for this project was provided by the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund, a program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, administered through a collaborative arrangement between MassDevelopment and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. SSC is also grateful to the individuals who generously donated the matching funds required as part of this grant.

Tickets for family concerts are $15 for adults and $5 for children. Special packages are available for groups of 10 or more. There is no charge for children under three. Tickets may be purchased online at http://www.sscmusic.org/wacky_wednesdays.html or by calling 781-749-7565, ext. 22. For more information about all South Shore Conservatory programs and events, visit www.sscmusic.org or follow us on Facebook.

About South Shore Conservatory

South Shore Conservatory, (SSC) has been providing access to and enriching the lives of South Shore residents through music and the arts for 45 years. Recognized as a national model for arts education by the National Guild for Community Arts Education, SSC is the largest, not-for-profit, community school for the arts in Massachusetts, serving over 3500 students of all ages and abilities at its two beautiful campuses and in partnership with schools, and social service and community agencies throughout the South Shore. Students participate in more than 50 diverse programs in music, dance and drama, with performance playing an important role in overall education. With more than 100 exceptional musicians on faculty, SSC offers 30 professionally produced concerts annually. Through innovative partnerships, SSC’s Creative Arts Therapies

department supports the mental, emotional, and physical health of some of our community’s underserved members, and the ImagineARTS program strengthens pre-reading skills for young learners in Brockton Schools through integrated music and dramatic play. SSC’s campuses are located at One Conservatory Drive, Hingham, (781-749-7565) and 64 St. George Street, Duxbury (781-934-2731). SSC programs are supported in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. For more information call us, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram or visit www.sscmusic.org.

In keeping with SSC’s inclusive mission to provide access to quality education in the arts for all, the Conservatory offers programs for all segments of the population to enjoy, regardless of age, ability, geography, and financial means. Furthermore, South Shore Conservatory admits students and families of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.