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Kia Portafekas is a musician, composer and
teacher. She is a graduate of Queens College,
(Aaron Copland School of Music), Mannes
Conservatory and the High School of Music and
Art, NYC.
Kia traveled throughout Europe and
the Far East working musically with children.
Her continued work with children and method of
teaching lead her to the discovery that children
need to be "heard" as well as seen. This
realization inspired the creation of "KIA'S
KIDS".
"KIA'S KIDS" created, directed and co-produced
by Kia is a compilation audio cassette of
original songs composed by her students on piano
and synthesizer, ages 7 to 12 years old. A
documentary film has also been released for
promotional purposes portraying Kia teaching her
students how to compose their own original
compositions through colors, movement, sounds,
and improvisation.
"KIA'S KIDS" realizes the natural abilities in
children through improvisation and spontaneity.
Her students performed and recorded their music
on a video with actress Kathleen Turner for a
benefit concert at Carnegie Hall. They have also
performed at East Coast Art Theater, Lincoln
Center and other theaters in New York. Kia has
written, "Making Music With Your Child,"
co-authored with Karen E. Marlow. This is a
first book which gives parents and teachers,
regardless of their musical backgrounds,
successful techniques for teaching music
composition to young children. The creative
skills and self-expression which result bring
countless benefits to the children and their
teachers, in every area of their lives. "Making
Music With Your Child," is published by MMB
Music, Inc. and funded in part by a grant from
the National Academy of Recording Arts and
Sciences. Kia has appeared on Channel 5,
"Arizona News," and Channel 3, "Good Morning
Arizona" and "The Tonya Mock Show." She directed
and produced a "Kids for Kids" Benefit Concert
at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts which
featured her students performing their own
compositions, the Phoenix Boys Choir and Sheryl
Cooper's Destiny Dance Intl'. She has presented
workshops at the Arizona Music Educators
Conference, Home Educator's Curriculum Event,
ASU Professional Development Workshops for
Teachers-Partners in Education with JFK Center
of the Arts, Kidspace Museum with the Pasadena
Symphony in California.
KIA'S CREATIVE MUSIC
STUDIO is a place to experience the enjoyment of
all styles of "Music, Imagination and
Creativity." Piano, keyboard and synthesizer
lessons are offered, ages 5 to adult. To
schedule private lessons, workshops and
presentations, contact Kia via email.
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