Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 20, 1990 TAG: 9004190543
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV12 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: ROBERTA GREEN SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD NEWS
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Once again, said coordinator James Borling, the festival will celebrate accomplishments in the arts as well as the abilities of all the participants.
"Arts are for everyone," said Borling, a professor at Radford and director of the music therapy program. "Yes, many of the participants are disabled, but they are interested and active in the arts. We're celebrating their abilities."
Throughout the afternoon of the festival, groups of disabled children from area schools will sing, dance and present skits. A gallery of two- and three-dimensional art by disabled artists will be on display.
Performer Gaynell Colburn, national Miss Wheelchair 1985, will sing and play percussion instruments. She has played at Very Special Arts programs around the nation and has been a backup performer at concerts by Stevie Wonder.
The free festival also will feature booths by New River Valley and Radford University organizations for hands-on arts activities including face painting, string art, puppets and button making. Del Siler, a 1988 Radford graduate, will draw ink and pencil portraits.
Six Shawsville Elementary School pupils, grades 3 through 5, have spent the past year building dulcimers to play at the festival. They also have written several songs and have done their own arrangements of several traditional tunes. Now they are making professional recordings of their music.
"Threshold Studios in Roanoke has donated time and money to make this possible," said Cathey Hovis, Shawsville teacher. "When we went to the first session, the children were allowed to go into the control room and watch Harold Thompson, the engineer, edit and splice the tapes. They're really excited."
The students' participation grew out of a grant received by their teachers.
"Lenora Atkins, the music teacher, and I received a creative projects grant from the Montgomery County School Board that paid for the dulcimer kits," explained Hovis. "The students' creative talents have been shining ever since."
Hovis is also a member of the country rock band Idlewild, whose members have contributed their time to accompany the children.
"Participation in the Very Special Arts Festival is a highlight of the year for many of these children," added Joseph Scartelli, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Radford.
"For many of the adults," added Borling, "this festival is the culmination of the year's accomplishments in the arts. Twice a year for eight weeks we offer classes for the disabled, getting them involved in music, dance, drama and the visual arts.
"Planning the festival is a lot of work," Borling said, "but when you go to the festival and see the kids perform, see their smiles, see how people extend themselves to participate, it's something really very special."
The festival is supported by grants from the Jesse Ball DuPont Foundation, Knights of Virginia Assisting the Retarded, and the Radford University Foundation.
Very Special Arts is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington. This year's festival will be in the main arena of the Dedmon Center, noon-5 p.m.
by CNB