Apr 14, 2006 5 min read

SCOTTDALE – The Scottdale Elementary School Parent Teacher Association will host the third annual Arts & Music Night from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 21, at the school, located at 421 N. Chestnut St., Scottdale, Westmoreland County. Last year, about 500 people attended this family oriented event.

Some of the performers include:

– Lucy Scandrett, principal harpist for the Pittsburgh Ballet Orchestra, Civic Light Opera and Gateway to the Arts. She has played for Josh Grobin, Yul Bryner and Luciano Pavarotti.

– The Andy Warhol Museum, which preserves and showcases the work of talented artist Andy Warhol, will bring silk screenings.

– Dave Olsen conducts classes at the Touchstone Center for Arts, an artist colony featuring some of America’s most celebrated artisans. He will teach each attendee to make his or her own pottery pinch pot.

– John Meikle who was born and raised in Scotland. His performance incorporates bag piping, whistle playing, dance and story telling.

– Jeffrey Gordon, a professional clown, who attended Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Clown College.

He has performed with the Big Apple Circus in Manhattan for 13 years and entertained VIP guests with Cirque Du Soleil.

– Paula Purnell, folk artist, songwriter and winner of Parent’s Choice Gold and Silver awards for original children’s albums. She is an artist for the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum, the Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh and the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art.

– Judy Parker, artist from Mainstreet Music. She will join Paula Purnell in showcasing examples of music, dance and costumes from cultures around the globe.

– Zany Umbrella Circus, a non-animal theatrical circus whose founder, Benjamin Sota, has performed from Amsterdam to San Francisco.

– Jim Donovan of Rusted Root, founding member of the multi-platinum recording artist with more than 3 million recordings sold.

– Greensburg American Opera with Christina Farrell & Scott Dix, who performed with the Washington National Opera and Opera Vivente in Baltimore, Md.

– Joshua Ben, jazz pianist and member of the Westmoreland Jazz Society.

– Jhon Smith, a professional educator who discovered weaving as a high school student through classes made available by the local arts council.

– Ballroom dance with Diane McCarthy who taught ballroom for 10 years in Washington, D.C., for Kurt Schoen, Arthur Murray and Fred Astaire.

– Nego Gato II, fast-paced, high-energy Capoeira, the Afro/Brazilian martial arts/dance that combines movement, acrobatics, music, theater and philosophy.

– Deborah Stock/Stephanie Cagnina, Scottdale Elementary School art teacher and her student teacher will introduce works of art by the masters and help guests create their own “masterworks magnet.”

– Metals artist Melissa Davenport is a designer, metal smith and teacher. Born and raised in northern California, she currently maintains a studio in Scottdale, specializing in limited production and commissioned metal work.

– Ramona Rein, assistant director at the Penn View Art Center in Elizabeth Township, who teaches workshops and classes. She has been a weaver for eight years and exhibits nationally.

– The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, established in 1949 as one of only three Pennsylvania museums with a focus on American Art. Docents from the museum will share their knowledge of the American Art form and provide attendees with the opportunity to challenge their artistic knowledge through an art game.

– High School Art Council led by teacher Elisabeth Zgorecki. Young art students will display and demonstrate a variety of art forms.

– Marianne McAuliffe, performer, lecturer and teacher of the Native American flute and culture.

– Holden Puppets, the Pittsburgh area’s oldest professional puppet company, led by Charles Holden.

– Youghiogheny Station Glass and Gallery, world-renowned, stained-glass manufacturer located in Connellsville. The gallery was founded in 1976 by John Triggs, one of the industry’s leading color experts.

– Cake Decorating with Antia Vivio, a professional confectionery artist working with a variety of mediums, including rolled fondant, marzipan, sugar sculpture and cocoa painting.

– Origami with artist Sue Neff of Sewickley, who took her 15-year interest in the art of origami and founded the Origami Club of Pittsburgh in 1988.

– Barbara M. Kustra, who was first introduced to the arts 15 years ago while attending a creative arts camp at Jumonville, where she learned the crafts of casting pewter and bead making. She has since trained at Touchstone Center for Crafts and the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.

– Fallingwater, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. Denise Miner, public tour manager, and Jennifer Hieber, education coordinator for Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpiece, will present images of the home.

Artists in the fields of caricature sketching, ice sculpting, theatrical make-up, magic, guitar making and culinary arts are some of the additional features at the event.

Admission for an adult will be the donation of a child’s book, and admission for a child will be a canned food item. All collected items will be distributed locally to those in need.