Rich Rubietta

Description

Rich Rubietta has been making Music with kids and their parents for 25 years. With a Music Degree from Northwestern University, he piloted his story-based positive Pop Music in the PreK-8 Classroom and also with the 3 amazing children he and Jane Rubietta have had together. Now in Schools, Libraries, Home & School, PTA Events and Conferences, children and adults are dancing to this music (see samples below)! Rich will arrive early and set up a small PA and a visual Media Projection system, so everyone can read the Song Lyrics. His message is always, "We ARE the show!" so He'll teach the audience their part in each song, including any fun movements to accompany the lyric, then invite some volunteers to come up and help lead.
Programs are 30-60 minutes long, Pre-K- 5th grade and songs with an * are bilingual.
"Don't Play with Bruno" a fun story-song and example of rejection answered with kindness
"Funky Monkey" most requested song, with verses encouraging respect for self and others *
"Clap your Feet" a song that eventually had to be written.
"Let's Eat Bugs" a chance to learn a BIG word, learning how many people get their protein!" *
"Arachnophobia" autobiographical song and Miss Muffet make her come-back! *
"The World is Our Neighborhood" a slower song, with an eye toward the world community *
"May You Find Sleep Tonight" a lullaby for all the children of the world
"Vida Buena" a little girl discovers a different kind of "good life," on an actual Chicago street*

Work Sample

The 2:36 second "Fun Music Events with Rich Rubietta" is a sampler of events ranging in size from classroom and Library multi-purpose rooms, to gyms, to the Chicago Historical Society. It shows the wide range of ages, the physicality of the experience and the privilege of helping groups sing and dance together in both public and parochial settings. Some events here happened in 2019 and some as far back as 2004.

Here is a 25 sec. sample of a bi-lingual program with children of Migrant workers, sponsored by the IL Migrant Council, 50 children with staff from age 5 to 12.

https://youtu.be/f3LYFEqhgmY

Here's a 2:55 sec. sampler of programs offered in Libraries

https://youtu.be/aalTqzkXJ6s

The sampler audio uses music from public School CDs, Room 4U & Me (Parents Choice Approved) and "The World is our Neighborhood.' Both CDs for Children and Families produced so far are an effort to create a positive Pop music that highlights heroines and heroes who help us think about our choices, what kind of people we want to be and how we want to interaction with others.
Here are some Sample songs for which students always find participation easy. Bi-lingual Chorus renditions (English & Spanish) are noted with an asterisk.

"Flowers are Red" a new twist on a classic, participatory song, by Harry Chapin
"Don't Play with Bruno" a fun story-song and example of rejection answered with kindness
"Funky Monkey" most requested song, with Verses encouraging respect for self and others *
"Headin' Home" a young boy runs away from home but can't escape responsibility *
"Clap your Feet" a song that eventually had to be written!

"Let's Eat Bugs" a chance to learn a BIG word, learning how many people get their protein!" *
"Arachnophobia" autobiographical song, with Miss Muffet making her come-back! *
"Bear Hug" a chance to interact with your neighbors, without actually touching them *
"May You Find Sleep Tonight" a lullaby for all the children of the world
"Vida Buena" a little girl discovers a different kind of "good life," on an actual Chicago street*
"Chameleon" a protest song to stand up for what you believe; "We're not just Chameleons!" *

History

I began offering PreK-8 Schools Assemblies in 2002 and am grateful for the ArtsTour vote-of-confidence in 2005, from colleagues with the IL Arts Council.

After teaching Music K-8 in 1990s, I got serious about writing songs that would engage all learning styles, especially kinesthetic learners. If we're singing together ("the best way to make music" Pete Seeger) I want the lyrics to inspire us to be the best version of ourselves in challenging times, always expressing hope, gratitude and respect or self and others. And giving us all a chance to move while we sing, whenever possible! My message is always, "We ARE the show!"

I am grateful to have been touring Schools and Libraries since 2004 when I was accepted to the ArtsTour Roster.

Artistic Vision

I believe the human race can be healed if we can come together at the table or in the concert hall, making music together. My lofty mission is to help unite the human race through music and though I realize there are many hurdles along the way, music still changes my emotional state, my mind and my experience in community. So, while I'm here, I'll keep creating opportunities for all of us to make music, develop our artistic gifts and create community with music.

My YouTube Channel shows my intent to create community and also promote literacy with multiple generations. I also want to build bridge between Anglo and Latino cultures and project the lyrics for all Choruses in both Spanish and English. Hispanic audiences feel included and respected, while Anglo students welcome the chance to stretch linguistically. Events like those posted this past month on my Youtube channel, build community among artists who haven't been able to actually gather together in 2020; example "Come All Ye People," for which we began location recording on our Nation's first Indigenous People's Day. https://youtu.be/b3mMFqYGTzI

I will continue to facilitate fun music-making experiences in secular and faith-based settings, but continue to keep boundaries clear, as I have for almost 20 years.

Programs for Specific Audience(s) Expertise

I specialize in connecting with early elementary students, with whom I love to hop around. I am most joyful when we are projecting lyrics on the wall with my projector and audiences singing in Spanish and English.

My focus is to bring folk music forward in time, so contemporary audiences get reacquainted, while adding new additional verse that make sense in our time.