Supporting the Scranton Cultural Center

Possessing experience in business planning and corporate reorganization, Joseph Solfanelli practices as a general business attorney in Scranton, Pennsylvania. In addition to his work as an attorney, Joseph Solfanelli supports several local organizations and is a member of the executive committee and the board of the Scranton Cultural Center.

Dedicated to turning one of Scranton’s best architectural examples into a center for education, community activities, and the arts, the Scranton Cultural Center is located in an old Masonic Temple and Scottish Rite Cathedral. Due to the continued restoration efforts taking place at the center, donations from the community play a large role in the events held at and maintenance of the building.

Interested community members have two options for supporting the cultural center. Donations made to the center’s building restoration fund support a variety of activities, from replacing the building’s roofs and adding air conditioning to different floors to upgrading the catering kitchen. By helping the center maintain and expand its building, donors are ensuring that the community has continued and increased access to a place where culture and the arts are truly appreciated.

In addition to funding restoration, specifically, donors can contribute to the Matthew F. Flynn Scholarship Fund. Given the recent work to develop visual and performing arts programs, the Scranton Cultural Center hopes to grant all children access to its programs regardless of a family’s financial situation. The scholarship fund supports the vision and ensures all children possessing a desire to study and explore the arts receive the chance to do so.

Two Major Styles of Ballet

An experienced attorney admitted to practice in several states, Joseph Solfanelli represents clients ranging from banks to independent business owners. Outside of his legal work, Joseph Solfanelli enjoys opera, classical music, and ballet.

The art of ballet was developed in the 15th century during the Italian Renaissance. Modern ballet, which incorporates elements of opera and theater, traces its origins to the French court of King Louis XIV. Since then, ballet has evolved into the classical form perhaps most widely seen today in productions of The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, as well as two principal variations: neoclassical ballet and contemporary ballet.

Developed during the 1920s, neoclassical ballet is built on the foundation of classical ballet but is usually a one-act or plotless performance. The tempo is usually faster and the dramatic development less symmetrical than classical ballet, with less elaborate costumes and sets. Another major style, contemporary ballet, combines modern dance and classical ballet. Although it began in the 1930s, the most significant innovations in contemporary ballet occurred in the 1970s and 1980s. Featuring both bare feet and pointe shoes, it also incorporates floor work in its choreography.

Community Engagement – The Scranton Cultural Center

A juris doctor graduate of the Catholic University Law School, Joseph Solfanelli is an attorney who is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania, Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia. In addition to his work as an attorney, Joseph Solfanelli is an active member of his community and is a charter member of the board of the Scranton Cultural Center.

Located in the Masonic Temple and Scottish Rite Cathedral, built in 1930, the Scranton Cultural Center has hosted performers as diverse as Yul Brynner, Britney Spears, and George Carlin, among others. Dedicated to restoring and maintaining the historic building and providing arts, community, and education services to the area, the center contains a grand ballroom, meeting rooms, and two theaters in its 180,000 square feet. Primarily staffed by volunteers, the Scranton Cultural Center hosts weddings, Broadway productions, and a number of educational programs.

In addition to its focus on children’s education and arts programming, the Scranton Cultural Center offers both a general tour and a history-mystery tour of the building. Additionally, the center has a Creative and Performing Arts Academy for children in grades 4 through 12. Including an academy-wide performance of productions like High School Musical, Jr., the organization is designed to foster a lifetime of engagement in the arts.

New Community Centers Improve Quality of Life in Underserved Areas

A community advocate, attorney Joseph Solfanelli is a board member for organizations including the Scranton Cultural Center and Boy Scouts of America. Aside from serving as an attorney, Joseph Solfanelli makes time to support The Salvation Army of Northeastern Pennsylvania, where he provided leadership as vice president.

In May 2015, researchers at Partners for Sacred Places and McClanahan Associates, Inc. weighed the positive social and economic impact of the newly opened Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Centers, facilities developed by The Salvation Army with Joan Kroc’s historic $1.5 billion bequest. The centers, located nationwide in underserved communities, offer nearly $250 million in community benefits each year.

In quantifying value, researchers took into consideration participants’ social connections made through the centers and their improved quality of life through the provided fitness, health, and arts programs. More factors included daycare services, scholarships, and outdoor recreation space, as well as employment opportunities, as the construction of the 25 centers created nearly 15,000 jobs.

Scranton Cultural Center Presents Cirque Dreams Holidaze

Scranton attorney Joseph Solfanelli possesses more than four decades of experience representing clients in complex litigations. Winning million-dollar settlements, attorney Joseph Solfanelli leverages his success to serve as a charter member of the board of the Scranton Cultural Center.

Located at the Masonic Temple in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the Scranton Cultural Center hosts numerous educational and art-based programs throughout the year. The center also serves as a performing arts venue for traveling shows, such as the Broadway Theatre League’s Cirque Dreams Holidaze.

Critically acclaimed as a holiday extravaganza, Cirque Dreams Holidaze combines the acrobatics and storytelling of renowned Cirque Dreams with nostalgic characters of Christmas, such as Santa Claus, gingerbread men, and reindeers. The production comprises 20 acts, 30 international artists, and 300 imaginative costumes. Entertainers will perform gravity-defying stunts and illusions that bring to life the show’s original musical composition. Cirque Dreams Holidaze will run December 1-2, 2015.

To learn more about Cirque Dreams Holidaze, visit www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

A Scranton Cultural Center Science’s Life in Space Event

Joseph Solfanelli is a respected Pennsylvania attorney who represents clients in complex transactional and business planning matters. Community involved, Joseph Solfanelli is an original incorporator and charter board member of the Scranton Cultural Center.

Housed in the historic and architecturally significant Masonic Temple, the Scranton Cultural Center has a mission of enriching the local community through performances and educational offerings. In addition to family-friendly musical productions such as The Little Mermaid, the center hosts the annual Franklin Institute Science Series.

This popular series was last held in May, with most presentations aimed at students in grades three through eight. Open to all ages, the Life in Space event was developed in partnership with NASA and enabled students to experience the actual arc of a space journey. Learning concepts such as orbit and action/reaction, students undertook “astronaut training” and confronted the actual challenges involved in living and working beyond the Earth. Other well-attended Science Series presentations included “Motion and Machines,” “Flight,” and “Scientific Method.”

Educational Outreach at the Scranton Cultural Center

By profession a banking executive and business attorney, Joseph Solfanelli also takes an active role in his community. Attorney Joseph Solfanelli stands out as a charter board member and original incorporator of the Scranton Cultural Center, which he also serves as part of its executive committee.

At the Scranton Cultural Center in Pennsylvania, children of all ages can experience the wonder of live performance. The Center’s Children’s Series offers a variety of shows for young audiences, from musical theater to puppet shows. A field trip program, recently expanded to include offerings for high school students, welcomes educators and students to school-day performances. At public audience shows, the Wiggles and Giggles program invites parents and children to share in pre-performance craft time.

The Center also hosts the Lamar Franklin Institute’s innovative Science Series, which presents science concepts in a lively and engaging performance format. Shows are available for pre-kindergarten through grade two and for grades three through eight. Schools, camps, and other children’s programs may also participate in A Day at the Cultural Center, which combines exploration of the building’s history and architecture with participatory workshops in the performing and visual arts. Additionally, the Center’s History Mystery Tour lets groups of any age explore the Masonic Temple’s storied history while learning about magic from the award-winning Damian the Magician.

An Introduction to the Bel Canto Technique

As a banker and business attorney, Joseph Solfanelli has provided legal counsel to clients ranging from a small community bank to the country’s largest anthracite coal company. In his free time, attorney Joseph Solfanelli enjoys attending live classical music and opera performances.

Most often translated from the Italian as “beautiful singing,” the bel canto technique is one of opera’s most beloved traditions. The technique developed from an aesthetic that prioritized a smooth sound throughout the vocal range as well as the ability of a singer to embellish a melodic line with runs, trills, and other auditory accessories. Early bel canto singers trained in vocal agility and lightness of tone, particularly in the upper registers.

Bel canto remained the ideal operatic technique into the 19th century, when larger orchestras and grander opera houses inspired grander works. Lengthy melodies required the skill of subtle breathing, while dramatic intensity asked bel canto singers to adopt a powerful sound when needed. Today’s bel canto singers must be able to perform works in both styles, from the floridly embellished to the dark and intense. In showcasing a complex and artful melody, the vocalist shows audiences how “beautiful singing” and beautiful music become two parts of a whole.

New Center for Holistic Health at University of Scranton

With an office based in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Attorney Joseph Solfanelli draws on approximately four decades of experience. Alongside his private practice, he has worked with First Liberty Bank and Allied Services for the Handicapped. Attorney Joseph Solfanelli earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Scranton and his JD from Catholic University of America’s Columbus School or Law.

A Jesuit school, the University of Scranton provides opportunities for learning that fit the idea of cura personalis, originated by the order’s founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola. Cura personalis is a Latin phrase meaning care of the whole person. St. Ignatius coined the phrase when he wrote a letter to one of the members of his order, encouraging him to take better care of his health.

As part of this mission to care for the whole person, the University of Scranton has begun planning a new center for rehabilitation education. The center will include the departments of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and exercise science. It will serve both graduate and undergraduate students, providing them with necessary training to become holistic and ethical practitioners.

Planned Gifts to The Salvation Army

Attorney Joseph Solfanelli practices business law, focusing in the areas of contract disputes, acquisitions, and corporate governance, among others. Additionally, attorney Joseph Solfanelli is active with a number of charitable and community organizations and serves as a board member for The Salvation Army of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

With 7,546 locations in the Unites States, The Salvation Army is able to reach large numbers of people across the country. Its centers perform a variety of services to the community, including food distribution and rehabilitation services for individuals who need to get back on their feet. In addition to helping adults, The Salvation Army also operates children- and family-centered programs such as youth camps and outreach programs for the homeless.

The Salvation Army relies on donations to provide its services, and as such it maintains a team of planning advisors to help donors maximize their assistance to the organization. By working with The Salvation Army’s team of planned giving advisors, individuals can create planned gifts such as bequests in a will and gift annuities. Individuals interested in making a planned gift should contact their local Salvation Army chapters to learn more about the process.