Ray Simien - Young Audiences of Northeast Texas - Arts Education Assembly, Resources, and Programs

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Ray Simien

Ray Simien Study Guides:
Yellow Rose of Texas Grades 4-5
Yellow Rose of Texas Grade 7
Scott Joplin Grades 3,4,5
Safety Smart Grades K-2
Jammin’ Grades 4-5

The Yellow Rose of Texas

Hear about the Texas Revolution in a different way – through its music. By combining keyboard, guitar, singing, and creative dramatics, Mr. Simien brings alive early Texas history and tells the story of The Yellow Rose of Texas, from its origin as slave song through its journey to state song. Learn about the Texas Revolution and the influence of music on that conflict.

Grades: 4-5, 6, 7
Audience Limit: 100
Cost: $85 per performance

Scott Joplin: King of Ragtime

Born outside Linden, Texas, in 1868, Scott Joplin demonstrated his extraordinary talent for music at an early age. He combined classical music with African American harmony and rhythm in his ragtime music compositions. In portraying Scott Joplin, Ray Simien exposes the students to Joplin’s love of music along with the trials of an African American musician in the early 1900’s when ragtime and jazz were an emerging form of American music.
*A tuned piano is required.

Grades: 3-5, 6, 7-8
Audience Limit: 150
Cost: $150 per performance

Jammin’ Through the Decades (In Southeast Texas)

Highlighting the music of southeast Texas artists from the 1940s through the 1990s, Mr. Simien shows how music composition was influenced by political, cultural, and social events. Students learn history lessons about these turbulent decades through the music of well-known southeast Texas musicians such as Harry James, The Big Bopper, Janis Joplin, and Tracy Byrd.

Grades: 3-5
Audience Limit: 100
Cost: $160 for single performance
$230 for two back-to-back performances

Safety Smart

What do you do if there’s a fire? How do you stay safe in the water? What do you do if you get lost? In this fun program, musician and Beaumont firefighter Ray Simien performs original songs on his guitar to help students remember the safety rules in high-risk situations. Students enjoy joining Mr. Simien in such songs as Stop, Drop and Roll, On the Right Side of the Road, and Crossing the Street.

Grades: K-2
Audience Limit: 100
Cost: $160 for single performance
$230 for two back-to-back performances

Hometown: Beaumont, TX