Songs & Music Games from Near and Far

Bonnie’s Programs:
SONGS AND MUSIC GAMES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
A Participatory Concert for Preschool and Primary Grade Children and Families
For over thirty years, Bonnie has developed a dynamic repertoire which feeds Songs & Music Games from Around the World, her ever-changing, interactive concert for preschool and primary grade children

Designed to maximize children's participation, her shows feature sing-along, clap along, move-along activities with folk and popular songs from many countries and cultures including Jamaica, Japan, Nigeria, Nicaragua and the United States.

In addition to a wealth of folk songs, Bonnie’s own original materials lend a distinctive vitality to her presentations. She encourages children to sing, dance and fingerplay their way into the joys of music. Kids and families cooperate and collaborate in singing games, call and response chants, story-songs, and on-the-spot rhythm bands.

Accompanying herself on guitar, keyboards, and percussion, Bonnie sings with irresistible enthusiasm. With a repertoire rich in cultural diversity, she entertains while nurturing the seeds of children's self esteem.

FOLK ROOTS OF POPULAR SONG: For Children In Grades 4-6
Drawing on folk materials from the Caribbean and Mexico, the British Isles, West Africa, and many regions of the United States, Bonnie presents a program for children in grades 4 through 6. Playing drums on the Panamanian “Al Tambor”, singing along with the penny whistle on an Irish tune, and playing a kazoo interlude on “Love Potion Number Nine”, youngsters join Bonnie on the bridge that connects traditional and contemporary song.

THEMED PROGRAMS
Accompanying herself on guitar, keyboards, and percussion, Bonnie designs programs reflecting curriculum and seasonal themes. She has developed shows to coordinate with Women’s History Month, Ocean’s Studies, and Gardens to Garbage—a down-to-earth ecology program. She also designs programs for library Summer Reading themes, recently including Critter Song Sing-along (for Claws, Paws, Scales and Tales); Singing Ants & Centipede Chants (for Don’t Bug Me I’m Reading); and Flippers, Fins, & Feathers (for Make a Splash—Read)

BIRTHDAYS & PRIVATE PARTIES
including the same participatory delights featured in her public presentations, Bonnie also designs and performs programs tailored to children's birthdays and other family celebrations.

Bonnie’s life in music includes her love of diverse folk traditions as well as jazz. As a vocalist and pianist, she has recorded, performed, and toured from New York to Nicaragua with various ensembles, blending her eclectic musical passions. Her first recording, The Force of Life, continues to be available through the Smithsonian Museum musical archives.
Bonnie currently presents interactive concerts, Songs and Music Games from Around the World, for children and families in libraries, schools, and community centers. Bonnie is an acclaimed songwriter whose compositions have been widely anthologized in children’s and folk publications and appear on popular children’s recordings by Gary Lapow, Adam Miller, Betsy Rose, Sarah Pirtle, Lisa Atkinson and her own award winning CDs for children, Dreams, Drums, & Green Thumbs and Blue Skies: songs for singing families.

Bonnie brings her own sound system and equipment. We'll talk about how large the audience and venue will be in order to determine tech needs.