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Updated 9/22/2016

Swing Peepers

  • V

    VT

Institution/Business Type: Artist / Creative (Individual)

The Swing Peepers, a vocal-harmony and multi-instrument duo, perform inventive, earth-friendly and interactive songs and stories. The Swing Peepers are lively, improvisational, and endearingly goofy. Instruments strummed, swung, and tapped include: guitar, mandolin, harmonica, banjo, ukulele, and accordion. Most songs and stories are participatory, and body movement is part of the action!

The Swing Peepers draw out the creativity of audiences by having them participate in creating impromptu songs and stories. The Peeps take ideas from the audience and weave them into highly dramatic tall tales. These made-up-on-the-spot rollicking stories are The Swing Peepers’s trademark, so watch out for colorful surprises!

"Play To Your Strengths”, A Songwriting Residency Program for Elementary Schools

The Residency Program

It is a joy for singer-songwriters John Hadden and Matthew Witten to write and perform songs with kids! Our songwriting residency, "Play to Your Strengths", consists of five full days in your elementary school, usually over two weeks. The product of the residency is one song completed by each class. The culmination is an assembly showcasing performances of each class's song accompanied by John and Matt. Afterwards, we provide the school with a compact disc containing all the students' performances. We meet with up to eight classes per day during the residency.

We strive to involve every student in an engaging, fun and collective songwriting experience that draws from their current areas of study, digging deep to bring out the natural creative gifts that live in each student.

The "Play to Your Strengths" Residency includes:

• Consultation with teachers prior to residency to determine song subject
• Five days of in-classroom songwriting sessions (up to 8 classrooms a day)
• Final concert performance including entire school community
• Master quality CD recording of the concert performance. Schools may make unlimited copies of the CD for distribution and sale.

Please visit www.swingpeepers.com for more information about the Peeper and our Residency Program.

Find Me

Matthew Witten
Job Title: Singer/Songwriter/Storyteller
Phone: 802-434-3236
Address:
1355 Shaker Hill Rd
Starksboro, VT 05487

Social Media:

About

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Artist / Creative (Individual)

Legal Status:

Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship

Year Founded:

1999

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Artist / Creative (Individual)

Legal Status:

Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship

Year Founded:

1999

Disciplines

Primary Discipline:

Music - Children's

Additional Disciplines:

  • Music - Traditional

Activities and Services

Activities and Services:

  • Performance / Concert / Reading
  • Creation of a Work of Art (Including Commissions)
  • Residency - Community
  • Residency - In School
  • Workshops / Demonstrations / Master Class
Seasons Active: spring, summer, fall, winter
Events Per Year: 40

Communities

Populations Engaged:

  • Adults
  • Families
  • General Public
  • School Groups
  • Teens

Languages Available:

  • French

Geographic Reach:

  • Multi-State Region

Affiliations and Accomplishments

Professional Associations

Professional Associations:

  • Children’s Music Network

Professional Associations

Professional Associations:

  • Children’s Music Network

Artist Info

Teaching Artist

Ages Served:

  • Elementary School-age
  • Middle School-age

Subject Areas:

  • Arts Integration - English Language / Literacy
  • Arts Integration - History and Social Science
  • Arts Integration - Science / Technology / Engineering

Certifications and Training:

  • Members of the Vermont Teaching Artist Roster

Fee range:

$500 - $3,400

Teaching Artist

Ages Served:

  • Elementary School-age
  • Middle School-age

Subject Areas:

  • Arts Integration - English Language / Literacy
  • Arts Integration - History and Social Science
  • Arts Integration - Science / Technology / Engineering

Certifications and Training:

  • Members of the Vermont Teaching Artist Roster

Fee range:

$500 - $3,400

State Arts Agency Roster Artist

  • Vermont Teaching Artist Roster

Touring Artist

Technical Requirements:

  • Sound system with 2 vocal and 2 instrument mics

Fee Range:

$350 - $500

State of Residence:

Vermont

Minimum Number of Performers:

2

Maximum Number of Performers:

2