Artists & Educators Children’s Songs Conference & Festival: Saturday, April 6, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., in the Clarke Center at Mitchell College

Celebrate children’s songs and learn about children’s music at the “Artists & Educators Children’s Songs Conference & Festival,” Saturday, April 6, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., in the Clarke Center at Mitchell College. The event features a morning conference geared toward musicians and educators and an afternoon Children’s Songs Festival that is open to the public.

Register for the conference or festival at https://mitchell.edu/2024/03/13/childrens-songs/  
Email Chris Clouet at clouet_c@mitchell.edu with questions about the conference or festival.

The day kicks off with an Artists & Educators Conference, 9 a.m.–Noon, featuring workshops on a variety of topics including Music in the Classroom, Contemporary Recording Techniques, The Business of Children’s Music, Teachers Making Music, and more. Workshop presenters Chris Clouet, Al DeCant, Steve Elci, and Greg Lato also perform at the afternoon Children’s Songs Festival. Conference attendance includes lunch and admission to the afternoon festival. Admission is free for teachers, as well as Mitchell College students and alumni. Other adults pay $15.

Families are invited to join conference participants at the Children’s Songs Festival, 1–3 p.m., for an energetic program of children’s songs from a variety of genres performed by the workshop presenters. Admission is free for children, teachers, and Mitchell College students and alumni. Other adults pay $10.

About the Conference Presenters/Festival Performers
Chris Clouet, currently Head of the Education Department at Mitchell College, served as a bilingual elementary school teacher in Bridgeport. He has written and performed many children’s songs, typically paired with children’s books.
Al DeCant, also known as “The Singing Principal,” is a critically acclaimed performer and educator from Connecticut who has entertained and educated thousands of young people through his programs of music and storytelling.
Steve Elci is a singer/songwriter who says his vision for his work is “edutainment” or learning through music. Part of the fabric of the music and arts community in Southeastern Connecticut, he connects positively with his audience through original songs, educational messages, and creative dance steps.
Greg Lato is an award-winning family musician and songwriter from Providence, Rhode Island. He is a Family Music artist and a children’s book author.

The Artists & Educators Children’s Songs Conference & Festival is sponsored by the Aspiring Educators Club and the Department of Education of Mitchell College, and co-sponsored by the Alewife Cove Conservancy and Connecticut Education Association (CEA).
 
About Mitchell College
An inclusive, independent institution, Mitchell College believes in harnessing the power of transformation and uncovering what’s radically possible for every student, supporting a wide spectrum of diversity in race, gender, class, age, ethnicity and learning style. Over more than 85 years, Mitchell has developed the Mitchell Ability Model, a distinct educational approach blending a tradition of mentoring with expertise in teaching those with different learning and processing styles. Through a journey of self-discovery, learning adaptability, career development and mastery of essential abilities, students are challenged, supported and equipped for lifelong success. Mitchell is committed to the broader community through building strong, creative and cooperative partnerships. Located on a beautiful waterfront campus in historic New London, Connecticut, the college is part of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) and home to championship NCAA Division III athletics, Thames at Mitchell College, the Mystic Program, the renowned Bentsen Learning Center, STAIRs and the Mitchell Hub for Digital Innovation and Educational Excellence. We are Radically Possible. Powerfully Mitchell.