Mural Ribbon Cutting
Join Placer County and partners to cut the ribbon on new Truckee River murals
What: Truckee River Murals Ribbon-Cutting Celebration
When: Friday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m.
Where: Parking at 64 Acres parking lot. Ceremony to be held along the Tahoe
Rim Trail on the south side of the Truckee River (do not take the bridge across
the river)
Who: Placer County, North Tahoe Community Alliance, Arts For The Schools,
participating artists and community members
TAHOE CITY, Calif. — Community members are invited to join Placer County, the North
Tahoe Community Alliance, Arts For The Schools and partners to celebrate the
completion of two vibrant new public art installations along the Truckee River Trail
during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m.
The ceremony will take place at the bridge underpass on the south side of the Truckee
River. Attendees are encouraged to park at 64 Acres Park and follow signs along the
Rim Trail bike bath to the site. The event will begin at 1 p.m. with remarks from project
partners and participating artists, followed by a ceremonial ribbon cutting.
Artists from both projects will officially unveil the two large-scale murals after the
ceremony and celebrate the natural beauty, cultural heritage and unique ecosystem of
the North Lake Tahoe region.
The murals transform the bridge’s concrete abutment walls and ceiling into a colorful
public art destination visible to pedestrians, bicyclists and river users. The installations
highlight the region’s natural environment while enhancing a popular recreational
corridor connecting Tahoe City to the Truckee River.
“This project is a wonderful example of how public art can enhance our shared spaces while celebrating the natural beauty and character of North Lake Tahoe”
“These murals create something special for residents and visitors to enjoy, and we’re grateful to the artists and community partners who helped bring this vision to life.”
The Roots of Samba Concert
The Music of Brazil
A Collaborative Concert with North Tahoe High School
Journey to Brazil through an unforgettable celebration of rhythm, movement, music, and culture!
Arts for the Schools presents Roots of Samba, a vibrant musical journey through more than 150 years of Brazilian music, featuring Brazilian master guitarists Edinho Gerber and Nando Duarte of Duo Violão, internationally acclaimed percussionist and educator Ami Molinelli, and Rio de Janeiro vocalist Cátia Lund.
From the intricate melodies of Choro and infectious rhythms of Samba to Bossa Nova, Pagode, and Brazilian Jazz, these world-class musicians bring the sounds, stories, and traditions of Brazil to life.
In a special collaborative performance, North Tahoe High School student musicians will join these internationally touring artists onstage, performing Brazilian repertoire they have learned and rehearsed side-by-side with the ensemble during an Arts for the Schools artist residency.
This culminating concert celebrates mentorship, cultural exchange, and the power of music education, giving young musicians the extraordinary opportunity to move from the classroom to the stage and perform alongside professional artists at the highest level.
CONCERT DETAILS
Friday, October 9
North Tahoe High School Auditorium 2945 Polaris Road Tahoe City, California 96145 US
Concert Time: 6pm
Doors: 5:30pm
COME SUPPORT OUR STUDENT MUSICIANS!
Experience an unforgettable evening of world-class Brazilian music and student collaboration while supporting meaningful arts education in our schools.
Tickets: $20
Students: Free
Family/Friends of Students performing: Free
Get your tickets today and join us for this one-of-a-kind celebration of music, mentorship, and community!
Roots of Samba Assemblies
BRAZIL COMES TO OUR SCHOOLS
October 5–13, 2026
Featuring Ami Molinelli, Edinho Gerber, Nando Duarte & Cátia Lund
Journey to Brazil through an unforgettable celebration of rhythm, movement, music, and culture!
As part of Arts for the Schools’ Living Cultures Assembly Program, Roots of Samba brings an internationally acclaimed ensemble directly to North Tahoe Middle School for an immersive journey through more than 150 years of Brazilian music and culture.
Featuring Brazilian master guitarists Edinho Gerber and Nando Duarte of Duo Violão, percussionist and educator Ami Molinelli, and Rio de Janeiro vocalist Cátia Lund, students will experience the rhythms and stories of Choro, Samba, Bossa Nova, Pagode, and Brazilian Jazz through live performance, storytelling, and audience participation.
Students will explore:
The history and evolution of Brazilian music
Choro, Samba, Bossa Nova, Pagode & Brazilian Jazz
Brazilian percussion, guitar, vocals, rhythm, and improvisation
African, Indigenous, and Portuguese influences on Brazilian culture
Music as an expression of identity, history, celebration, and community
More than a concert, Roots of Samba gives North Tahoe Middle School students the opportunity to experience world-class musicianship and Brazilian culture firsthand—bringing global music, history, and cultural learning to life right in their own school.
Collaborative Community Concert
Friday, October 9 at 6:00 p.m.
North Tahoe High School Auditorium
Living Cultures: A Bilingual Residency with Bob and Denise Gomez
SINGING OUR STORIES
CANTANDO NUESTRAS HISTORIAS
A Bilingual Music, Poetry & Storytelling Residency with Bob and Denise Gomez
Arts For The Schools welcomes musicians, educators, and storytellers Bob and Denise Gomez for a joyful bilingual residency celebrating language, culture, music, and the stories that connect us.
Through songs, poetry, guitar, harmony, and storytelling in both English and Spanish, Bob and Denise will invite students to explore their own voices while experiencing the richness of Mexican American culture and bilingual expression.
When we share our songs and stories, every language becomes a bridge.
During this interactive residency, students will explore:
Songs and poetry in English and Spanish
Music as a form of storytelling
Mexican American history, culture, and traditions
Rhythm, rhyme, melody, and creative language
Identity, family, community, and belonging
The beauty and strength of speaking more than one language
Opportunities to create and share their own words, verses, and ideas
Meet Bob and Denise
Bob Gomez is a songwriter, singer, guitarist, poet, longtime bilingual educator, and former Poet Laureate of Watsonville. His work brings music and poetry together to celebrate culture, community, peace, and social connection.
Denise Gomez is an experienced educator and musician who joins Bob in song, harmony, and storytelling. Together, they create welcoming performances that encourage students to listen, participate, sing, and recognize the value of their own cultural and family stories.
Students will not simply hear two languages—they will experience how music allows us to understand one another.
Presented as part of Living Cultures, Arts For The Schools’ residency series connecting students with the music, stories, traditions, and creative voices of cultures from around the world.
The Wonders of Watershed
THE RIVERS ARE OUR BROTHERS
Music, Watersheds & the Stories That Connect Us
A Sounding the Wild Residency with Majel Connery
This fall, Arts For The Schools and Musica Sierra are joining forces with Sierra Watershed Education Partnerships (SWEP) to bring music, environmental science, storytelling, and outdoor learning together for students at Truckee Elementary School, Loyalton Middle School, and Sierra Expeditionary Learning Academy.
At the heart of the residency is acclaimed composer and performer Majel Connery’s The Rivers Are Our Brothers, an ecological song cycle that gives voice to the natural world. Rivers, clouds, trees, mountains, and water itself become storytellers, inviting students to consider how every part of a watershed—and every person living within it—is connected.
What happens upstream flows downstream.
Through live music and imaginative storytelling, students will explore:
Watersheds, hydrology, and the water cycle
Connections among rivers, wildlife, people, and communities
How water moves through interconnected natural systems
Cause and effect within local ecosystems
Environmental responsibility and water stewardship
Personification, metaphor, creative writing, and artistic expression
Expanding the Wonders of Watersheds
The residency will complement SWEP’s Wonders of Watersheds programming for fourth- and fifth-grade students. The Watershed Musical Field Journal will serve as the connective learning tool, helping students carry ideas from the live performance into their classroom and outdoor watershed studies.
Through original music, drawing, writing, observation, reflection, and nature-journaling prompts, students will be encouraged to:
Notice closely
Ask thoughtful questions
Make connections
Imagine from nature’s perspective
Understand their own place within the watershed
The experience will extend beyond the performance, giving teachers and students a shared resource for continued learning with SWEP throughout the year.
Students will not only learn how a watershed works—they will be invited to listen to its story.
Presented as part of Sounding the Wild, Arts For The Schools’ arts-integrated eco-literacy initiative connecting professional artists, classroom learning, environmental science, and the natural world.
Winter: The Seasons ft. Majel Connery
Majel Connery is headed back to The Sierras with new music for our kiddos! In addition to our school programming, there will be a special public performance at the brand new gorgeous Sierra Valley Preserve & Nature Center in the Sierra Valley
“devotees of new music have long been enthralled by the work of vocalist and composer Majel Connery” — Joshua Kosman, SF Chronicle
Event Details:
A Musical Performance & Musical Field Journal Pairing
Little Learners Edition for PRE-K & Transitional Kindergarten
$35.00 per adult, kids are free! each ticket comes with a musical field journal.
Truckee Tree Lighting Ceremony
Arts For The Schools is this year’s host of the musical stage! Join us to celebrate the start of the holiday season with our beloved tree lighting tradition. Soak up festive music from the Truckee High School Band and Glenshire Chorus.
Free postcards to send to loved ones
Holiday raffle — enter to win a $500 gift for a kid you know
Free family-friendly event. Bring a warm coat and holiday cheer — we can’t wait to see you there!
