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Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts is set to kick off the first of four School Matinées on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, at 10 a.m. with “Multicultural Roots of Rock and Rap.” In this interactive program, educator and musician Curtis Blues will play musical instruments from around the world, demonstrating how American popular music springs from various cultures and countries. Attendees of all ages are welcome to learn that the banjo has its roots in Mali, the guitar comes from Spain, and many percussion rhythms can be traced to Cuba and South America.

Support for “Multicultural Roots of Rock and Rap” is provided by Arts for Learning and in part by the Virginia African American Cultural Center, Virginia Tourism Corporation, Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The School Matinée Series offers quality, educational, and affordable experiences for students of all ages. The weekday matinées support local educators, whether public, private, or at home. Matinée performances are free and open to the public.

The series continues with “The Opposite of Bully: Upstanders” on Nov. 6, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. Sheila Arnold will use folktales, historical stories, songs, and activities to discuss concepts opposite to bullying, encouraging students to become compassionate “upstanders.”

On Jan. 15, 2025, at 10 a.m., the center welcomes “A Sound Mind: Exploring the Impact of Music on Mental Health.” This matinée explores the transformative power of music on the human mind, emotions, and overall mental well-being.

The final performance, “Black Patriot: A Visit with James Fayette,” on Feb. 12, 2025, celebrates the bicentennial of Major General Marquis de Lafayette’s visit to Suffolk on Feb. 25, 1825. Interpreter Steven Alexander will narrate the life of James Fayette (commonly known as James Armistead Lafayette), highlighting the unlikely friendship between two patriots—one of noble birth and the other born enslaved—who conspired for freedom.

Suffolk Center’s School Matinées are held in the Birdsong Theater, with general admission seating. Large school groups will have assigned seating based on their reservation times. For questions or to reserve tickets for school groups, contact Ishta Hurtado, Education and Community Outreach Manager, at 757-923-0003, ext. 103. Learn more at Suffolk Center’s website.