Heart of America Wind Symphony's Journey to Middle Earth
(Yardley Hall)

The Heart of America Wind Symphony will perform a benefit concert for Accessible Arts at 7:00 PM, Sunday, April 13th in Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College. The concert is entitled Journey to Middle Earth: Lord of the Rings and will feature Johan de Meij's Symphony #1 - Lord of the Rings which was inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's wildly popular trilogy. The evening will also include dance performances by Reach and the City in Motion's Children's Dance Theater, visual art displays by artists with disabilities, and a surprise visitor. Tickets may be purchased for $5 (students, seniors) and $10 (adults) by calling the JCCC/Carlsen Center ticket office at (913) 469-4445. Cash, check and credit cards are accepted.

The Heart of America Wind Symphony (HAWS) was formed to present quality wind instrument concerts and to raise awareness and funds for charitable agencies and service organizations. Accessible Arts champions the arts for children with disabilities and advocates access to the arts. This concert is the third collaboration between HAWS and Accessible Arts. All of the HAWS members are volunteers and 100% of the proceeds from the concert will benefit Accessible Arts.

The four members of Reach, Elysse Power, Terri Rathbun, Maria Ana Garza and Suzanne Ryan, will perform an interpretive movement piece to a narrative selection from Tolkien's books. City in Motion's Children's Dance Theater will perform a dance accompanied by the symphony. And beware, it's rumored there will be a visitor from Middle Earth. Visual artists with disabilities will display their works of art in the lobby. John Tait, tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, will attend and make a special presentation. He will also have several of his own paintings on display.

Martin English, Accessible Arts Executive Director said, "This performance will have something for everyone; children, adults, music and dance lovers, Tolkien fans and artists. It's also an opportunity for us to educate the public about the world of arts and disabilities." The benefit concert will be held in Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College. Yardley Hall is located in the Carlsen Center, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS 66210. For more information, please call (913) 281-1133 or send us an email.

Driving Directions: Yardley Hall is in the Carlsen Center at 12345 College Blvd., the campus of Johnson County Community College, in Overland Park, Kansas. The college is just south of College Boulevard and just west of Quivira. Turn south into the campus off of College Blvd. Take the left curving drive to multi-level parking including handicap spaces.