Luminari: I Want to Be An Ambassador

From 7/20/13: Area teens discussing their recent experience in Luminari’s I Want to be an Ambassador summer camp

YES: Center for Young Musicians Cellists

From 7/20/13: Center for Young Musician cellists Colin Helbling, Celia Helbling, Elliott Drake and Clark Nau along with instructor Ryan Ash

Radio Camp 2013 – Day 14 – Microphone Review

On our 14th meeting, campers, after being taught–on three separate occasions–how a microphone works, after having built their very own microphones, were asked to reflect on what they had learned. And it was a ton of stuff: what “electromagnetic induction” is, that copper wire actually qualifies as a household item, and even how to pronounce the word “diaphragm!

Radio Camp 2013 – Day 13 – Microphone Building 365

On our thirteenth meeting, campers who hadn’t gotten a chance to test their handcrafted microphones in the past finally got their day in the handcrafted-microphone-testing sun! Kiyleaha tried out her maniacal laugh, Tiara had a shout-out for Chance, and everybody played with magnets.

Radio Camp 2013 – Day 12 – Microphone Building 210

It’s hard to believe, but we are officially halfway through this year’s wonderful Summer Dreamers Academy! Today we put the final touches on our very own hand-built microphones, connected them to a mixer/speaker combo, and amplified some 6th grade voices–DIY style.

Reading is FUNdamental: Everybody Wins!

From Reading is FUNdamental Pittsburgh, Everybody Wins! is a lunchtime literacy and mentoring program that pairs elementary school students with volunteers from local companies and organizations to share lunch, conversation, and good books.

In Spring 2013, participants in the Everybody Wins! program at four local Pittsburgh Public Schools discussed their mutual love of books, and the benefits of reading aloud to someone one-on-one. Participating schools include: Pittsburgh Faison K-5, Pittsburgh King PreK-8, Pittsburgh Phillips K-5 and Pittsburgh Weil PreK-5

This project was made possible with support from Reading Is FUNdamental Pittsburgh and United Way of Allegheny County.

Radio Camp 2013 – Day 11 – Microphone Building 101

On our eleventh day of Radio Camp, campers were asked how they thought microphones worked; “microchips,” “electricity” and “fleas on tiny treadmills” were all pretty common explanations. After recording their imaginative reverse-engineering’s, they learned about the true inner workings of a microphone, starting with what a transducer is and does. All of this techno babel then led to each camper building their very own dynamic microphone out of household items.

Radio Camp 2013 – Day 10 – Technology

On our tenth day of Radio Camp we asked our campers what they thought “Technology” was. The most frequent answers were “electronics” and “Xbox 360,” but the campers soon learned that it was pretty much everything around us. After learning some scientific definitions, they then made these recordings about not only what they think technology is, but what else they would like to know.

Live Music: Rik Palieri & George Mann with Anne Feeney

From 7/13/13: Rik Palieri and George Mann with folk songs as we help kick off their 5-week journey re-creating the 1941 tour made by The Almanac Singers (a legendary group featuring Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Lee Hays and Mill Lampell) on the morning after their 7/12 opening concert with Anne Feeney at United Steelworkers (Five Gateway Center) with doors opening at 7 pm and music starting at 8 pm

YES: Canfield Saxophone Trio

From 7/13/13: The saxophone trio of Brock Cerneka, Garret Kuchmaner and Jared Albright (each a 13-year-old student at Canfield Middle School and honored by the Ohio Music Educator Association) playing live in our studiosa