
March 26th, 2026
Season 2026 Episode 13 | 28m 45sVideo has Closed Captions
Bouquet of Granger, South Bend Cubs, 3rd Annual South Bend Schools Music Festival
This Week on Experience Michiana: Spring Blooms, Student Stars, and Baseball Season!Get ready to welcome the season as we explore the best of local creativity, talent, and tradition. On this week’s episode:Spring Inspiration at Bouquet of Granger: We visit this woman-owned local favorite to see how they craft stunning custom floral arrangements and support the community with ...
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Experience Michiana is a local public television program presented by PBS Michiana

March 26th, 2026
Season 2026 Episode 13 | 28m 45sVideo has Closed Captions
This Week on Experience Michiana: Spring Blooms, Student Stars, and Baseball Season!Get ready to welcome the season as we explore the best of local creativity, talent, and tradition. On this week’s episode:Spring Inspiration at Bouquet of Granger: We visit this woman-owned local favorite to see how they craft stunning custom floral arrangements and support the community with ...
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Get my shoes in.
Out the door.
Five.
I'm lost.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
Feels great.
I'm gonna shine.
After I do what I'm gonna do.
I do it again.
Yeah.
Look at the sky with the beautiful color.
But never just for me.
You gotta share it with another.
I got to show, to give.
Let I want singing show.
Take a look and say a beautiful morning that turns into a beautiful evening.
And together make beautiful art.
And if you wanna see that, come along with me.
That's right.
Spring has arrived and so has so many things across Michiana for us to do.
Welcome to Experience Michiana.
Today we're going to take you on a cool tour.
I really like this episode in particular.
We had the opportunity actually.
Dave headed over to the South Bend Cubs.
It is time to get your mitt ready for that opening day.
It will be here before you know it is going to give you all the details on that.
Also, you might see where I'm at the Morris Performing Arts Center, they have a very special event that's going to be happening, bringing South Bend high schools together for a special music festival.
Tickets are free.
I will give you the details coming up.
But first us time to get those flowers in bloom.
We're heading over to Bouquet of Granger to learn about all they have to offer.
We are finally stepping through the doors of a place that I have wanted to visit for a while, and it's just down the street.
It's fairly new.
We're heading to Bouquet of Grandeur, my new friend Trudy.
Thank you so much for having us here today, because this space is just beautiful.
When you walk into it, you can smell the florals.
And this is all about giving the people just a beautiful piece of florals that they can take home with them.
Yes, absolutely.
And tell us about the business itself, because I see you have some stuff that's grab and go here too.
Okay.
So what else do you guys offer here?
A bouquet of Granger?
Yep.
We always offer, grab and go and a couple different price points.
We have a small and a large wrapped bouquet.
Okay.
And then we always have a small and a large arranged bouquet.
And so those are always available for customers to come in.
We don't need any call ahead, but we always have something.
Yes.
Yeah.
Last minute does not bother us because I'm one of those last minute people.
I'm like, oh, shoot, I forgot something.
So you could just stop in here and grab it.
Yeah, absolutely.
We always have them ready.
So these are the small ones.
These are our small ones.
Yes.
And we say small in quotes because they're fairly decent sized and they're very intricate.
Yeah.
I mean, that's really what the beauty of it is and what you guys do here.
Yes.
So everything that we create is designers choice, meaning that our floral designers, myself included, and we have a lead designer as well.
Get to sort of take their artistic interpretation of the flowers that are feeling seasonal and in the moment.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So.
So you're not just grabbing a pile of tulips, correct?
Yes.
This is something that you want people to see when they come over.
Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Okay.
And then these ones are your large ones.
Yep.
So these are our large, again, these are.
Thank you.
These are always made, fresh daily.
We always have something different.
And we try to have them feeling as kind of seasonal as we can for these.
Okay.
And then you also have kind of more of the.
I'm heading to a concert and I need to give that floral arrangement to my loved one.
Yep, yep.
These are wrapped bouquets are perfect, for gifting really easily.
And then when you get them home, you can actually arrange them in the vase as you want them to be, too.
So if you have a vase already, these are perfect for you.
If you want something that's that's vast and ready to go, the arranged are perfect.
Now, a lot of people aren't really good at arranging themselves, right.
So talk to us about that.
What goes into designing this?
I know, don't give away all your secrets.
What?
You gotta help us out a little bit, right?
Yeah.
So we curate our color palettes weekly.
We try to bring in, sort of seasonally inspired color palettes.
So you're seeing a lot of our spring colors right now, a lot of our pastels.
And then as we get into summer, you'll see some more bright and some more fun things.
So we curate our color palettes.
We always bring in some really pretty garden roses.
These are one of our favorites.
My wedding bouquet was these.
It's really.
Yeah.
They're beautiful.
That wasn't like the ivory roses.
Beautiful.
Yes.
And then our designers will put them together.
Yeah, but but we really just try to go with what we have on hand and sort of, be inspired by the flowers that we have.
And that's really the inspiration behind this, because, yes, this is not where you guys started this talk and bring it all back.
Yeah.
So I got my start as a flower grower.
I was sowing seeds kind of shortly after Covid, just growing a lot of flowers.
We have a small boutique flower farm.
So I was growing extra flowers.
I had too many.
So what do I do with these?
To kind of support my flower growing?
Have it.
So I started selling, at farmer's markets, and eventually connected with florists who wanted locally grown flowers.
And I was able to source and then sort of began training on weddings.
So I do have another, flower business called Cherry Road Florals.
Yeah.
And Cherry Road Florals does full service, luxury elevated weddings.
Okay.
And that's before they do that.
Yeah.
And it's it's so much fun.
I absolutely love it.
But I also had the desire to be able to help people with everyday flower needs.
Exactly.
Yes.
And so that's where this came into play.
Where it's the holiday flowers, it's birthdays, it's pick me up.
Everything like that.
We're able to supply here.
I don't need wedding florals every day or every week.
Yes, we do do wedding flowers here.
And we're, we're getting a lot of great clients reaching out, and we're, we're excited to be doing some, not not necessarily smaller weddings, but we do offer that.
So if someone wants to get a bridal bouquet, a bridesmaid bouquet, like a one on centerpieces, you know, getting married at the park or something, they just need a yes.
Yes, we can help them with that.
Yes.
Okay, great.
Now this is heading into the space.
Yes.
I mean, this is amazing.
This is really from scratch for you guys.
Yeah.
So when I first came into this space, I had a dirt floor, my walls that you'll see were not there.
And I had the chance to sort of design the space from scratch in terms of what I wanted as far as the layout and the look of, of the, shop.
And we're right here in State Road 23.
But I love how open this space is.
In fact, your whole entire space is open.
But this is more of your retail side.
You want to talk to us about that because there's a lot of women entrepreneurship built into this too, right?
Yes.
And so obviously I am this is a women owned business.
My husband is very involved.
My family is involved, but I am the owner.
And so I wanted to bring in a lot of women owned and small business gifts into our shop.
So we have our candles are our most popular item, and those are sourced.
There's a there's a maker in Mishawaka that we work with a lot for those, but we really try to work with, Indiana based small businesses when we can.
And then we mix in with other.
Yeah.
Excuse me, I have to I have to point this out because this is really cool.
Yeah.
That and that's annotation your your different pottery.
Yes.
Cups around her mugs.
Those are really pretty too.
Yeah.
So the idea with the gifts too was that aren't those adorable.
Yes, I love those.
The idea with this too is if someone needs a gift for someone and they don't know what to get them, like they can walk into our shop and they can find something that wraps up the work.
Yes, and we can have them pick something, or they can pick it on their own, because sometimes you want the flowers, and sometimes you need a little gift to go extra with it.
You have to have cards too, of course.
Okay.
Horror story.
That's important too.
Yeah.
Oh, look at these.
And a lot of these are we have some that are made by local artists, but you know.
Yes.
Like able to source a lot of cards and yes, that's very cute.
Now, I know you guys have a lot going on here already in the store.
We do, but there's stuff going on in that.
Can we check it out?
Right.
Yes, actually, let's go look, because this is where the magic happens.
Yeah.
Right.
Okay.
So we're in the workshop.
Is this what you call.
Yeah, sure.
Love it.
But what's great about this space is that you guys can actually host workshops.
Yes.
So one of the things I really wanted to provide were workshops for our community.
So floral design workshops, is, is kind of the basis of what we do back here.
We offer workshops every month.
We have a different selection of workshops.
So we do.
Yep.
So like seasonally inspired again.
So we have Easter workshops coming up.
A lot of spring focused workshops right now in the shop.
And those are always on our website if anyone is interested.
We also always shows on social media, so we always have different ones per month.
We'll have a lot for Mother's Day two.
I was going to say that, I mean, you're coming into the spring, so I know the flowers are heating up and yes, that is.
Yeah.
But they're blooming.
Yes.
We go.
And this is really the time where I feel like everything kind of comes together.
Yes.
Especially in the floral realm.
Yes.
For sure.
And then we also do offer private workshops as well.
So if, if you get a girls group together.
Yeah, that's that's our favorite.
If people don't see something that they want on the website as a public workshop or they just want the space to themselves, we offer that, we ask for a minimum of six guests to come, and we can do any of our workshops that are available as a public workshop.
We'll make a private workshop, no extra charge.
For those that might be fun for like a bachelor.
It's so much fun for like that.
Yeah, maybe even like Girl Scout.
Absolutely.
Yes.
Yes.
I'm actually doing a talk tonight or this week at a Girl Scout troop meeting.
Yeah.
And we're going to do a little flower arranging there, I love it.
And again, going back to it, not everybody knows how to make floral.
So you are our master.
Yes.
And so we when we do the workshops, we, we'll talk about the color palette, we'll talk about the overall sizing.
And then I go through or our lead designer goes through how to actually put the flowers together in a way that's esthetically pleasing.
And I will tell you that a lot of people are intimidated by this.
They but everybody walks out.
Everybody's arrangement is going to be different then then another person in the workshop and everyone's as beautiful.
Always by the time they walk out the door.
I love that everything you do here is beautiful.
Congratulations.
I know you're just kind of new to this.
You're in this building and I know it's going well.
I have so many friends who are talking about it.
Oh, good.
So congratulations and I hope you guys stop on.
I'm here at my favorite place in South Bend.
I love it so much that we actually had our wedding reception here, so that's how much I love it.
But every season we come here to South Bend Cubs and I'm here with Joe Hart, who's the president of South Bend Cubs.
Joe, this place just keeps on growing.
Yeah, absolutely.
And I do.
I remember when you had your reception.
That was a great day.
It was a great, great day.
I don't even think you did that at the time.
I think we just.
We made it special for you.
That's what we do here at South Bend.
We make memories.
And obviously, as you can see, with all the new renovations, we're going to create new memories and a lot of it is, is we added a second level.
We got a new event space building 20,000ft².
So just change after change after change.
Our community deserves it.
And we said that from day one.
Andrew Berlin has been phenomenal.
The city has been great.
And you know, for us it's just when people come to us for Winfield, we just want them to have a great time.
Hey, we always have a great time and I love how you make it so financially accessible for the entire community, too.
I mean, it really is an inexpensive way to spend, you know, 3 or 4 hours.
It's great.
And that's the biggest thing for us is, you know, we're always known for family entertainment, but it's got to be affordable.
We want people to be able to come out.
Anybody that lives in this community should have the opportunity to come out.
And, you know, maybe it's not a Friday or Saturday, but we do some ticket specials on Tuesday nights and other nights.
But again, it's it's what it's all about as being good community partners and letting our community and region enjoy such a great find facility here in South Bend.
Absolutely.
And you know, you can also get food here without feeling like, you know, you have to break the bank.
I mean, it's just I really do appreciate that.
You know, I know that all these renovations come at a cost, but I feel like you guys have always been so responsible about making it accessible for families, which, as somebody with a little one here with me right now and another one and we have our tickets where we're picking them up this evening ready for this season.
But it's, it really matters that you can do that over and over again and that it's not just a one time kind of, you know, going out with the family and you're like, well, we can only do that once, or, you know, you can do it over and over, whichever you like.
And that's the key is like, you know, you're looking for good family entertainment, safe, affordable.
And that's that's kind of what we've built here at Four Winds Field.
And, you know, don't get me wrong, I love going to Chicago Cubs games, but it's a little bit higher price point.
So you know you can come here.
You can come out multiple times.
The kids can play in the Splashpad can play in the inflatables.
And you know, our tagline here is where everyone comes to play.
And it was always meant to be a symbol of yes, everybody can come out here and play.
You don't have to be just a player on the field.
Kids can play in the splash pad, adults can play at the tiki hut, so we're just continuing to build on that and here we are.
I have played hard in the past, but this year but no longer, you know, I get it, I get it.
I'm a responsible adult now.
Eventually, but no.
And tell me about the renovations.
Like what's going on?
What was the need for this?
You know?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, that was the real draw.
The biggest thing for us was his one.
Yes.
We had a lot of games that we were drawn, you know, 6 or 7000 people, and we needed some more space.
But this facility was never really built to accommodate anything over 4500 people.
So for us, we added the second level.
We wanted to create some new indoor spaces with some new unique, indoor suites.
The old suites were pretty old, pretty small.
So we gave us the ability to expand there, more party areas, new concessions.
For us, it was really about expanding the use of the ballpark so people can go anywhere and everywhere just so people can enjoy themselves.
We have restrooms now in the outfield.
Everything you had to go into the concourse and on a Friday or Saturday night, it was pretty busy.
So now we're able to expand people out and, you know, it is actually it's a nice day today, but it's a little bit cold.
You know, I got my windbreaker on, but, my daughter here, so but again, with all of this, it's just it's really wonderful to see.
Is is there any other reason for the expansion?
I mean, I know we hear lots of rumors about, you know, the future of the South Bend Cubs and everything.
And, you know, not to put you on the spot, but, you know, I mean, obviously, this investment can mean lots of things for the future.
Yeah.
And I think the number one thing is we get asked, would we ever be a Triple-A facility?
Yeah.
You know, obviously we're currently in our agreement through the year 2030 with the Cubs.
Yeah.
As a single affiliate.
And you know, obviously, you know, if that opportunity presents itself yeah, we will certainly welcome that.
But the biggest thing is I want to let people know is we didn't do any of this for that.
We did it for the community.
They deserve to have the best.
And again, if the Cubs came to us and said, hey, would South Bend be our Triple-A affiliate?
Yeah, we would love to do that.
But, you know, we've built this just for the ability to have our fans come out and enjoy themselves one way or another.
And, you know, hopefully that would happen.
But, you know, we're at least locked into the year 2030 as a Single-A affiliate.
And boy, it's nice just to be a Cubs affiliate.
Yeah.
Oh it absolutely is.
And you know I know Andrew Berlin.
You know the owner.
He brings a lot of connection there too with that.
And it's it's just it works so well.
And you know all the buildings around here I mean the whole area is being transformed, not just inside the ballpark.
Yeah.
It's hard to believe this is going to be our 14th year since Andrew bought the ball club.
The amount of transition that has happened in downtown South Bend around the area.
We got new apartments going up across the street from the Performance Center.
You got Ivy alley that opened up about a block and a half away.
We've got shamrocks that's getting ready to open in our building here in the next couple days.
Los speranza.
So you're starting to see a lot of development around the ballpark.
And that was Andrew's number one thing when he, you know, came to the city is let South Bend, you know, benefit from, you know, us being here at the time the Silver Hawks and he made a lot of investment.
And here we are now just doing even more and love it.
Again, I think in, in our 2 or 3 years right around us can be even different again.
Yeah, absolutely.
I'm half listening to you and half listening to my daughter asking me questions down here.
This is the joy of, doing things like this.
You know, it's like, you know, a lot of the kids with you.
You know, I remember when I moved here 14 years ago, I found a picture last week.
My son was three.
My daughter was one and a half, and they were standing on the mound next to swoop at the time.
And it just brings back a lot of good memories.
I've been able to raise my family.
Here's what's is I do this as a profession, and I love doing it for community.
My family was raised up here, and it's it's a lot of fun.
And that's why we enjoy doing what we do.
It goes fast, doesn't it?
Does.
Well, you enjoy it?
Absolutely.
I'm enjoying every minute.
You know, starting a little bit older, I, I kind of joke that this, being 42 and having young kids, I should be sponsored by like, ibuprofen or icy hot or something, you know.
Absolutely.
You get on the ground and you get back up and you're like, oh, you know, but it's it's wonderful.
It's the best thing in the world.
And that's why I think now I have a much more of an appreciation for just how family friendly this ballpark is and how much I love the games, too.
Yeah, the quality of the games.
We get a lot of good players here too.
I know we talk about everything else with the game, but, you know, I really do love watching the game now as well.
Well, I think the fun thing was is for us last week when you saw the World Baseball Classic in the Championship, you had Pedro Armstrong, who came in the game late in the game playing center field for USA.
Your Daniel Palencia, who closed it out for Venezuela.
Both those guys played here in South Bend.
They were actually both on the 2022 championship team for us.
So there's a lot of guys that you now see playing in the big leagues that run the field here for wins field, and I think that's the coolest thing is you get to see that you do.
And I know sometimes when players are coming back from injury they might be here too.
But but as you said looking forward, there's so many players that are here and now that you know it's nice.
It's a I think it's almost more special to see them here before they get big than seeing them recovering from something.
Absolutely.
That's just me personally because you get to see them grow, you know?
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, you look at I think last year at the end of the season for the Cubs, there were 12 or 13 guys on the big league roster that played here.
Justin Steele, Nico Horner you know Ian on and on on Miguel Amaya.
There's just so many guys that come through here.
So the best thing for us is I loved our time as the Silver Hawks.
But as a Cubs affiliate, you can watch a guy here.
And then when they advance and play at Wrigley, you can still drive over and see him.
You have that connection.
Absolutely.
Now I love that.
And you know, I did not like hot dogs.
I'll be honest with you.
I was never into hot dogs.
I feel like hot dogs need a mention here.
But yeah, the hot, you know, I always felt like hot dogs were like, the worst meat, you know?
Just like I never liked it.
It just.
It's not a thing in Ireland.
I just never liked it, you know, when I moved here.
But the hot dogs here are really good.
Know?
The best hot dogs in baseball are Bruins field.
I mean, they really are.
So that is cool.
And look, if Mark McGill ever decides to leave, let me be the on field announcer with you because every time I see him, I'm like, Mark, I'm so jealous.
You get to have the most fun at all these games.
Absolutely.
No, this is very cool.
And again, you know, all the expansion is super cool.
Yes, babe, you you want a hot dog?
Yeah.
See, she, You got it.
You got a brainwash?
Absolutely.
And that's what we like.
See?
Start them young.
Yeah.
Start.
I'm young.
Sorry.
I'm young.
Well, we're going to be here.
We got our tickets right behind home plate, which I'm really excited for this year.
Got our two week old going to be with us as well this year.
So awesome.
Again I'm very excited.
So thank you so much.
To you and Andrew and all the staff.
Everyone here is always so nice when you come in as well.
There's just something about the culture.
It's our pleasure.
I mean, that really is our culture.
It's all about customer service because I can't control what happens on the field.
You know, these are all young Cubs players, but I can't control your experience.
When you go to a concession stand or how you're greeted by the usher ticket to the ballpark clean.
Those are what I can control.
And that's where our focus is.
And that's always going to be the case because you deserve the best when you come out here.
Our fans, we know there's a lot of opportunities to do things in Michiana.
And, you know, if we're on the top of the list to come out, you bet.
We're going to make sure we give you the time that you deserve.
And again, focused on family a lot.
April 5th, do you have an Easter egg hunt coming up as well?
Right.
And there's lots of events.
Yeah.
It's the first time us having a home game on Easter and probably eight, 8 or 9 years.
So again, it's such a good day.
It's family friendly.
We're doing an Easter egg hunt here.
We're doing, two different time frames.
I think we're going from like 1 to 5 is going to be pregame and then six through 12 will be post game.
So come on out.
Also, it's going to be the first Sunday we're doing autographs for the players on the field.
You can go down and play catch.
So we got so much going on, but nothing better on Easter than doing an Easter egg hunt.
And the Easter Bunny is going to be here as well that day.
You're killing it.
So thank you and I can't wait to see all the expansion it's going to be phenomenal.
I'm ready for it to be done.
I, I love it.
It's been on the line for about 16 months now.
It'll be nice when it's all said and done.
Absolutely.
And hopefully you'll fix the field before we.
Yeah.
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean they're getting ready to laser grade it.
It's I mean, I wish my, my yard doesn't look this green in the middle of summer.
So our grounds crew does a phenomenal job.
You're out there working already?
Awesome.
Well, I can't wait for the first game.
Now.
I've been in the audience many times here at Morris Performing Arts Center, but I am up on the stage today with my friend Doctor Curtis.
It's good to see you again.
Yes.
And you are putting together the third annual event with various high school performances, all from South Bend.
Yes.
This is a really special music festival you guys are putting together, and for them to be able to come into the Morris Performing Arts Center is truly a treat.
It is for many of the students they haven’t been on the stage.
or even get into the hall before.
Exactly.
We have about 250 high school students off of the South Bend schools.
Okay.
So those are going to be all the high schools.
Curtis Riley, Adams, Adams and, Washington, Washington high School.
Okay, perfect.
And talk to us about the different groups that are going to be performing.
We're going to have choirs, percussion ensemble, orchestra bands, bocce band, jazz bands, women's choirs, male choirs, just the performing arts groups and all the schools.
So some, some schools will be in both several groups.
This is out there.
You're doing it so with the students as they come.
They arrive between 1 to 130.
Okay.
School bus.
And then they get off the bus.
We have to decide by seats.
By seating.
Okay.
And we usually start at the top of the program and go all the way through.
This year, for the first time, we're doing a closing number with everybody.
Oh, that'll be on the stage.
Will be looking like this.
And we'll have choir risers.
And so we're going to start with that piece first.
Okay.
That'll be the first thing to full rehearsal.
Okay.
And then we get that taken care of.
And we'll start at the top of the program.
Okay.
So the students will get a chance to hear each other's groups.
Oh, great.
And in the past, what this does, it does take the whole plot of each each group.
Sure.
Set.
So that's what you got to do.
So it starts at about 130, and then we go until five.
Okay.
Or till the rest is over?
Sure.
So I mean, they're coming in day of the year.
So rehearse together.
So they're already working behind the scenes to getting us all together.
So the teachers have been working with them all this time?
Yeah.
We.
So know what we're doing now after the third year.
When they're not rehearsing, the students will go into the Raclin Murphy Encore Center.
Okay.
Which is right next door and beautiful.
And thank you.
And, several universities and colleges will have recruiting tables for people to talk to about college.
We also have a couple of tables from organizations at the arts to talk to kids about opportunities.
I love that.
And then, you know, that just continues to expand what you guys do in your mission and in providing the arts to the community.
Right.
Well, and also gives the kids a chance to talk to, you know, if you if you're in the choir, if you want to go to college.
Yeah.
Here's somebody to talk to.
Yeah.
They do that time period.
Because I think sometimes kids think, okay, well, I'm just going to go to engineering, you know, or whatever.
I'm going to be a nurse or something, but you can still be a part of the arts within the college, too.
And so that gives us the chance to talk to somebody.
And then they could, you know, and also, we have an exhibit in the gallery right now.
Okay.
Of of the, graphic design students in South Bend.
This is just 49 prints on the wall, so they can see those as well.
Very cool.
They'll be here from one that he uses.
I think this is about 434 five.
So it's all artistic realism going on here.
And then they get to eat in the palette.
Oh yes.
Oh, okay.
Real plates.
You realize you're not just pizza tacos.
Tacos.
Even better.
And, these tacos and chips, and salsa and all that stuff.
But they get to sit around tables with tablecloths.
Will will all.
Glass glasses.
So the whole experience for them, really.
And then they come up on the stage, the performance is going to be.
We are filling the house this time.
I hope so too.
It is open to the public and free.
Free at 7:00.
Okay.
March 31st.
March 31st.
So everyone can come?
Yes.
Come and support these kids especially.
I know many people, especially if you're a parent.
You've seen your individual schools, but to be able to see them all up here on the stage is really something special and unique.
Well, the special is the Maurice.
Exactly.
I want to just walk up here and see how big this is.
Yeah.
Oh, you know, it's like it's very different for them.
And this will be the first.
They will have everybody together in one place to see it perform.
And I think that's going to be a unique experience for them as well.
It is.
Now are all of these seniors or their combines, which was the first would do seniors because I was looking through the names in my I have a daughter who's a senior, okay.
And I used to see a lot of these kids that she's grown up with that aren't going to be up on the stage.
So that's a really great way and so much.
And this will be the third year we studied two years ago.
And how did that start?
Like where did that bloom from?
Jane Moore, who I worked with and I had this idea of the kids together.
And when I took on this position, reached out to the guys to tell us about the.
Okay, it was attached to the arts program and we put this together and the teachers bought into it.
And it gives the kids from South Bend, which is a South Bend program.
Yeah.
A chance to be on the stage before them.
The first year was like, okay, we got it.
We think they make a little tweaks here and there.
Okay.
This year we got to do and we got down pat I think.
And then the kids will come.
And it gives us like this to teach us a chance to be on the stage just as conductors.
That's a great point, too.
Yeah.
I mean, talk to us about the importance of, you know, being a part of the stage in a setting like this and how that might help those kids with their confidence, with their futures.
Talk to us on that.
The one that I did this with, I was in high school.
And college we did is all through high school I did.
Yeah.
Did you go here?
No.
No.
Okay.
Chicago.
Okay, okay.
But that is those experiences of seeing your parents in the audience.
And you are at for the orchestra hall stage in Chicago, which is the sacred ground, you know?
Yeah.
This is this is sacred ground as well.
And so to see a child up on the stage, I think would be very exciting.
But also for the student, you know, nothing is better than applause when you get applause and an audience.
Yeah.
Just sort of set you up.
It gives you the confidence.
You know, I think this is a chance for these kids as individuals to their own groups, but also as a collective working together.
Absolutely.
So that first rehearsal with everybody gets together just learning each other.
You know, they make you do friends.
Yeah.
And they're looking for come and go.
And I love that you sound, you know, with everyone performing too.
But having that one particular, you know, piece where everyone's coming together so they can learn how to collaborate.
Yeah.
You know, there's different experiences within each school setting.
Yeah.
And that's a great way for that.
And different levels.
Different levels of talent.
Yeah.
So the first band can be played with the senior.
Yeah.
Because they're all together.
Exactly.
There's no there's no division.
So it's a chance for the kids to work together.
To make music together?
Absolutely.
So the teachers picked the final piece.
I like that.
Yeah.
Everybody's learned it.
So now we just go ahead and do it.
And, people need tickets for this.
Or can they get tickets when they arrive where they arrive.
Because it's free.
But you can still there's a QR code.
Students have it, have the QR code.
Okay.
And the schools have it.
We printed the posters in Spanish and English.
Perfect.
So that everybody can know what's going on.
And, the QR code is just on the website of of the lesson award.
You can scan it, the ticket will be held, or you can get it.
So they just get it when you come in.
Good or just short?
It is open seating in the city.
Oh, yeah.
If you know you're there, you want to get it.
All right.
The child will be fed the food.
Good, good, good.
So the South Bend High School music festival happening on March 31st.
It's a Tuesday.
Tuesday night at 7 p.m.
7 p.m.. So we hope to see you here.
Get your free ticket and come on out.
And to support all these amazing and talented young people.
And don't forget to grab your free ticket for the Morris Performing Arts Center so you can see these incredible kids up here on the stage.
We'll see you next week here at Experience Michiana.
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