With support from the California Arts Council, New Vintage Baroque Inc. dba Musica Sierra will present Musical Headwaters: Hello, Cricket!, the sixth commission in its acclaimed Musical Headwaters series. This innovative program commissions new musical works inspired by the Sierra Valley, bridging nature-based education with the visual & performing arts to deepen children’s social-emotional connection to the earth.

Musica Sierra will bring out The Chivalrous Crickets, a dynamic folk-Celtic ensemble, to create “Hello, Cricket!”, a story-driven musical tailored for first-grade learners. Rooted in traditional music forms, the work uses play, storytelling, and song to align with the five domains of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). The project includes a week-long residency across Sierra-Plumas School District, culminating in public performances. This collaboration highlights folk and traditional arts as powerful tools for learning and connection in rural communities.