Our most cherished Lab programs present at theaters, schools and community spaces across the country.
Founding Artistic Director Lynn Hutchinson talks about composer Joe Raposo and the impact of his music on the development of Jim Henson’s iconic characters.
“Canvas’s ‘Songs about Rainbows’ featuring the music of Sesame Street broke all of our box office records. Lynn is not only a delight to work with - ever patient, kind and flexible - she has a magnetic charisma that your audiences will warm to. ”
Our concerts are a great fit with organizations who are interested in building diverse, vibrant audiences through innovative programming.
Not only do our programs value different genres, art forms and sciences, Canvas embraces the exchange of ideas between them. Our programming is informative without lecturing, and entertaining without dumbing down. In this way, our audiences are just as comfortable learning from us about Rachmaninoff as they are Freddie Mercury.
Does this sound familiar? Is innovative classical-leaning programming your jam? Would you like to discuss bringing one of our concerts to your organization? Contact us here.
Recent studies have shown that, while entertainment value ranks at the top of the list, young adults want to leave a cultural experience having learned something new.
While program notes written by music historians and pre-concert lectures and Q+A sessions to help prepare audiences for what they’re about to hear, Canvas takes learning one step further.
Rooted in over two decades of lecture and presentation experience, Canvas founder and artistic director Lynn Hutchinson believes education can be effectively woven into the programming itself, allowing audiences access to information as the music unfolds. Using visual aids, musical examples and speech, Canvas programs make “going under the hood” personal and, dare we say, fun.
Does your audience like to listen and learn? Would you like to learn more about working with Canvas? Contact us here.
Explaining V-I (dominant-tonic) to the audience.
Bringing Lab concerts to you
Lab programs are portable. All of our past programs feature two to five musicians at a time, making our concerts an attractive choice for small theaters, museums, libraries, private homes and schools. As additional options, we offer pre-concert lectures and Q+As for audience members, masterclasses for advancing young musicians, and community seminars that engage on a deeper level.
If you are interested in bringing one of our programs to you or your organization, please contact us here.
Embracing partnerships
Classical music audiences are changing. Programs that appeal to popular music listeners and young audiences boost maintain ticket sales. Cover band concerts and playing movie scores live-to-picture have become commonplace in many of our nation’s finest symphony halls.
Canvas supports all music and finds value in just about every musical context. But we also believe that programming can and should reflect the high level of craft and creativity fostered in the serious music community while also appealing to larger pools of potential audience members. To that end, we offer the kind of thoughtful, unique, high-quality programming that orchestras need for modern audiences. Currently, four of our past programs are available for orchestra:
Canvas is fully equipped to develop more of our programs for orchestra. If you are interested in working with Canvas to premiere one of our programs in orchestral arrangement with your ensemble or school, contact us here.
Bringing classical-leaning programming to schools
While the cost of operating schools is on the rise, state and federal funding of music in public schools has steadily decreased for the last twenty years. General subject teachers are commonly teaching basic music education, even if they themselves can’t sing a note!
While we hope everyone will consider investing in their neighborhood school’s ongoing music needs, we would love the opportunity to share a love of learning about music with your students. Canvas is passionate about giving kids the opportunity to see and hear classical music and instruments up close.
If you would like to discuss the possibility of bringing Canvas to your school, please contact us here.
Canvas shares with an elementary school audience how tonality, instrumentation, and rhythm contribute to Danse Macabre, Marche Funebré, and In the Hall of the Mountain King stereotypically scary-sounding.
Canvas shares music from suppressed Dutch Jewish composers with teens in Denver.
“Over the past several years, we have sought out many speakers, presentations, and field trip experiences for our students, but Meeting the Ghosts is in a league of its own.
Through relevant historical images and superb musicianship, compelling storytelling and dynamic performance, Lynn brought to life voices and melodies that might have otherwise been forgotten. I will never forget our students’ faces as they entered the room expecting something normal and instead experienced something extraordinary. ”
“I am still basking in the afterglow of our incredible concert! Your arrangements were not only incredibly lush, but they were such a heartwarming break in this terribly cold (and long!) winter. Our audience was smitten and I have never seen our orchestra musicians with such big smiles on their faces! Utter enjoyment was the theme of the afternoon. “Being Green” absolutely captured the essence of the song. Congratulations on a spectacular success. I can’t wait for our next collaboration!”
“I knew Canvas had the creative and technical chops to put on a good concert, but the banter in between was such an unexpected treat! The way you were able to command the room and engage the audience made for a truly wonderful and unique performance.
You’re an in inspiration to those around you.”