Youth Program: Art Sings!
High school students are invited to experience Art Sings!, a summer workshop where the visceral sparks of visual art and music intersect to unlock participants’ creativity and foster cross-disciplinary thinking.
During this immersive half-day workshop led by nationally recognized composer and teaching artist Neil Ginsberg, students will explore visual art, collaborate with peers, and create an original musical composition. Workshop participants are also invited to attend a live Opera Theatre of Saint Louis dress rehearsal of Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet at the Loretto-Hilton Theater in Webster Groves.
About the Facilitator:
Neil Ginsberg is a New Jersey–based music educator, teaching artist, and composer. He leads workshops that empower teachers and students to create original musical theater and opera, emphasizing collaboration, creativity, and cross-curricular learning. Neil has taught workshops using the Music! Words! Opera! Curriculum, created by the National Endowment for the Arts and OPERA America, at companies across the country, including Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, The Atlanta Opera, Fargo-Moorhead Opera, and Boston Lyric Opera.
Neil has also facilitated teacher workshops and professional development for the New York City Department of Education, the St. Louis School District, the International Schools Theatre Association (ISTA), Long Island University, and Central Connecticut State University’s Summer Music Institute. He has led musical adaptation workshops for ISTA’s International Baccalaureate Theatre program, supporting educators integrating music and theater into interdisciplinary learning.
Currently, Neil teaches music at Kent Place School. Previously, he developed music programs at Avenues: The World School in New York, Essex Street Academy High School, and Harlem Day Charter School. He spent eight years teaching music and drama at Brooklyn Friends School, where he served as co-chair of the Performing Arts Department. Neil’s teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that all children have the potential to be creative and musical. His classrooms provide a safe, supportive environment in which students are encouraged to explore, collaborate, and develop their musicianship.