Artist Detail

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Serena Kanig Benish

Musician - Singer - UAC Teaching Artist

About the artist:

Serena Kanig studied voice and performed in New York City and throughout the Northeast before returning to her native Utah. She has been a soloist with orchestras and chamber groups, performing oratorios, concerts and recitals, as well as in operas and opera scenes and musicals. Serena was graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Vocal Performance from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and received a Master's degree in Vocal Sacred Music Performance (a degree program she pioneered) from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Purchase in New York. She has been an Adjunct Instructor of Voice at Utah Valley University (UVU) since 2007 and continues to perform regularly. Having had quite the "excellent adventure" producing operas with students at the elementary level, Serena is excited to be on the Artist Roster and to bring the opera experience to more students. She firmly believes the Arts can give children new horizons that will be impressed on them forever. Serena at Mapleton Elementary Her available programs are: * Opera by Immersion This residency project will guide students through the entire process of producing an opera, helping them (and the public) to understand that opera is accessible and indeed wonderfully enjoyable and moving for all who are involved. By being introduced to timeless treasures like Mozart's The Magic Flute or Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, students will be immersed in opera on all levels: set design, costume design, make-up and prop design, stage management, artistic direction in acting and singing roles, and dance creation. Students will learn the opera story, become familiar with the stage experience and choose an area of production they want to focus on, culminating in public performances. A 40-hour project typically takes 4-6 weeks from start to finish, meeting 2-3 days per week, and includes an opening assembly and teacher in-service. Possible field trips to see costumes and stages first-hand can also be incorporated if there are facilities within the area (such as university theater departments and local theater companies). This project incorporates the Utah Fine Arts Core Curriculum in music, visual art and dance as well as Language Arts. Workshops with other grade levels can be included to help with a school-wide awareness of the opera production. * Workshops typically include reading a story of the opera and listening to music selections and using movement to relate to the music (younger grades); helping older students write their own libretto that can be put to established music (such as folk songs) and producing "opera" in class. The libretto subject can vary, for example, from using a favorite book in Language Arts to using Pioneer stories in Social Studies, which could be set to music popular with Pioneers, or creating a new story. * Teacher In-service includes showing teachers the power of music in everyday classroom activities. Teachers will gain an understanding of the vocal process in singing and what simple inclusion of music can do to enhance their curriculum. The In-service can be tailored to specific needs, such as Pioneer stories and Utah history or embrace the accessibility of opera stories and music on basic levels. * A Sprinkling of Opera Day- or week-long projects or workshops with students in grades 9-12, who have advanced vocal abilities, can also be designed with the Artist to meet specific need of teachers and classes. Utah Arts Council Logo Click for more... Utah Arts Council 617 E South Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84102 PHONE: (801) 236-7555 FAX: (801) 236-7556 National Endowment for the Arts Logo National Endowment for the Arts Website image