Montgomery Community Media

Everyone is caught off guard by mixed emotions the day after the opera. Realizing that the culminating event for which we have been preparing all year has now passed is depressing and disappointing. The process of striking the set and taking everything down that we have spent months creating illicits a host of feelings that […]

As we prepare these last days before our original opera production of Strike ‘n Spare, we are thinking carefully about what we want to convey to the public. What do we REALLY want our audience to know and think about after the opera?  What message must we deliver and what do we want people to […]

When we packed our suitcases for this year long journey back in August, we knew there would be many decisions to make along the way.  The trials, tribulations and triumphs we have experienced collectively and as individuals on this expedition have made us think deeply about who we are and where we are headed.  Each […]

When you drop a stone in the pond, concentric circles spread out and expand their reach beyond a point where the eye can see. They seem to dissipate as the water calms and the stone sinks. But where do the ripples really go? Like the stone, we cast ourselves into a pool with every action […]

Harness the Stars Kids Opera Company understands well that making mistakes and pushing through setbacks are part of the learning process. However, knowing this doesn’t make it easier when we are inside a situation that presents us with disappointment, doubt and hard feelings. After a particularly difficult afternoon when company members were struggling with internal […]

Harness the Stars Kids Opera Company News Release March 1, 2015 Natania Bennett, Leslie Lopez, Kathryn Riley Public Relations Officers We are Harness the Stars Kids Opera Company from Stedwick Elementary School. We are twenty-five third graders from Ms. McGinn’s class. We have formed our own opera company, and our goal is to create and […]

What goes into determining the perfect title for our original opera? As company members ponder a catchy title that will grab the attention of the audience, they generate ideas based on the following criteria. The title should entice audience members, evoking questions and thoughts about what will transpire on stage. It should capture the essence […]

Members of Harness the Stars Kids Opera Company spent all day Saturday selling the importance of their unique project to total strangers at the Gaithersburg Flea Market. Who are we? Why do we need funding? Why does our mission matter? I watched as my students approached all passersby, took the initiative and engaged them in […]

Harness the Stars Kids Opera Company experienced a musical awakening. Pianist, Henry Dehlinger, opera singer, Danielle Talamantes and US Army Chorus member, Kerry Wilkerson opened our ears, eyes and souls to the power of music. Playing and singing songs from the operas, The Magic Flute and Porgy and Bess, they collaborated beautifully to share their […]

In order to create a realistic story and bring it to life, it is imperative that we research the setting of our opera . . . a bowling alley.  Thanks to Bowl America in Germantown, Maryland, we were able to do just that.  Half of the company had never been bowling.  What we learned from […]