Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Susie Pickering

Oak Lane Day School

137 Stenton Ave, Blue Bell, PA 19422

Phone: 610-825-1055

Fax: 610-825-9288

Email: spickering@oaklanedayschool.org

Oak Lane Alumni in Music

Music is often center stage at Oak Lane Day School. Music teacher Marlis Kraft-Zemel guides the students, ages 3 through 12, in developing their love for music, provides opportunities and support for them to sing, dance and play music, and conducts the chorus and orchestra. One of her goals for Oak Lane students is to teach them to be a part of an ensemble so that as they move forward in their musical education they will continue to be exposed to the rich, exciting experience of making music with their peers and others.

The program works! Alums are singing, dancing and performing throughout the area! In the last nine years, approximately one-tenth of Oak Lane alumni have performed with the Keystone State Boychoir and Pennsylvania Girlchoir, together known as the Commonweath Youthchoirs. These are professional children's choirs that have performed locally with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Opera Company of Philadelphia, and have toured throughout the United States, and internationally in Japan, South Africa, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Brazil, Iceland and Canada. Oak Lane alumni will be touring with their choir groups this summer when the boys go to Australia and the girls go to Germany, France and the Czech Republic.

Alumni choir members in recent years include: Drew Carey (Oak Lane ‘03, Cheltenham High School, ‘09), Miles and Mariah Butler (Oak Lane ‘03, Abington Friends School, ‘09), Miriam Zemel (Oak Lane ‘03, Abington Friends School, ‘09), Jesse Furukawa (Oak Lane ‘04, Germantown Friends School, ‘10), Eli Goldmann (Oak Lane ‘04, Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School, ‘10), Lisa Spiller (Oak Lane ‘04, Abington Friends School ‘10), and Yasin Holland (Oak Lane ‘06, Woodlynde School ‘12). Oak Lane alumni Luke Butler (Oak Lane ‘00, Temple ‘10) and Adam Leader-Smith (Oak Lane ‘99, Earlham College ‘09) are former members of the Boychoir.

Oak Lane Day School Information

An independent elementary school, founded in 1916 and located in Blue Bell, Oak Lane Day School serves a diverse population of boys and girls. Oak Lane honors each child's unique individuality while fostering intellectual, creative, academic, and personal growth within a diverse community of active, engaged learners. Small class sizes and an atmosphere that encourages children to develop their academic and social skills are priorities at Oak Lane, where learning is a meaningful and joyous pursuit. Oak Lane's country-like property of 30 acres along Butler Pike and Stenton Avenue boasts a stream, pond, woods, meadows, and specimen trees as well as athletic fields and playgrounds.

Oak Lane Day School is accredited by the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS), and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools (ADVIS).