Allison DeSalvo is the owner and director of World of Song. She is a singer-songwriter, artist educator, children’s entertainer and kids yoga instructor with a background as a professional singer and actor. (Member of Actors Equity) She is the creator of the Music, Art & Me and YogAmi Kids Yoga Programs.
World of Song is a creative arts multi-media educational program for young children interweaving music, art, stories & kids yoga to nurture connections from an early age that inspire learning and living with love. (More information below.) ALLISON'S WORLD OF SONG BRINGS JOY! Music and Art stimulate and touch our hearts in deep and unseen ways no matter our culture or language. Inspired by my love of music, dance, theatre and art, and my love of children, I founded World of Song Productions (WOS) in 1992, and created my teaching program, "Music, Art & Me" to bring highly creative and interactive musical and artistic experiences to young children through live performances and classes, music, and now videos. Recognizing the vital role that music, art, creative movement, imagination and storytelling play in children’s early development, WOS emphasizes the interplay of multiple art forms in all programs and products to give each child every opportunity to connect with their natural impulses while supporting all learning styles.
ABOUT ALLISON & WORLD OF SONG Long before performing for families, children’s entertainer Allison DeSalvo, could be heard singing up in a tree at her childhood home in San Francisco. Later as a professional actress, she won critical acclaim appearing in music-theatre-opera productions off-Broadway and in Europe, including La Scala Opera in Milan, Italy. Along the way, Allison fell into, and in love with performing and teaching kids. She founded World of Song, combining her talents in music, dance, storytelling, and art to nurture the full spectrum of children’s creativity and need for self-expression, and began writing her own songs. Allison celebrates the release of her 2nd album, and 30 years of arts infused events shared at numerous festivals, museums, libraries, and schools in the NY, PA and CA. Young and old are captivated by Allison beautiful voice, energy, humor and dramatic flair, singing and dancing along with laughter and joy.
Longer Bio Like many little girls Allison DeSalvo's passion began as an aspiring ballerina at the age of three. She received her early training growing up in San Francisco studying at the American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco Ballet and took private classical voice lessons. She went on to complete her formal training at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, and at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute, earning her a BFA in Drama.
Allison won critical acclaim throughout her professional year career performing and touring in ground breaking music-theater productions, operas and recitals on off and off-off Broadway, regionally and in Europe, notably on the West End in London and at the La Scala Opera House in Milan, Italy.
Around 1992, she fell into and in love with teaching children and founded World of Song Productions (WOS). WOS united her passion for performing with her calling to bring concerts and classes that would encourage creativity, growth and expression in young children through music, movement, art and storytelling - with a special intention to reach out to underserved communities and give back. Since then, Allison has shared her talents and 30+ years of experience in an around the New York/Tri-State area atnumerous venues from family music festivals like: Madison Square Park Kids Summer Concerts, museums such as The Children's Museum of the Arts, Water Front Museum, nature centers like Audubon, Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy and Tyler Arboretum, libraries throughout NYC, Brooklyn & PA, schools, to private homes and mom and pop shops. Kids leaping up to sing and dance to her songs that spans folk, fun Americana and rootsy World Music, responding to her sense of humor and dramatic flair. Former NYC's Discovery Programs director Toni Wisti states, "her contagious enthusiasm...and creative spirit...is inspiring...making wonderful things happen with a large group of people".
Happiness Is All Around You, Allison’s debut CD, was the catalyst to begin writing songs. It received a Children’s Music Web Award in 2002 and the title song won “Honorable Mention in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition”. It aired on WXPN Kids Radio "we'll be playing this...it's great stuff" and was enthusiastically reviewed by parents and educators from New York to California as “a work of art and love”.
The events of 911 personally impacted Allison while living in NYC, as they did people everywhere. Her fiancé worked at the World Trade Towers --thankfully he was not there that day. As the end of the year arrived her traditional holiday concert turned into a fundraiser to support families affected by the tragedy and transforming this now 15 year annual event. "Thanks & Giving" continues to bring families together, inspiring kids to help other kids in need and spotlight overlooked smaller non-profits. This effort has brought her work to underserved populations and throughout her local region engaging with outreach educational programs.
Life has a way of changing plans, where family responsibilities precipitated major life changes, Allison and her new husband moved from NY in 2004 to PA where she began introducing her music, concerts and classes. She quickly became immersed in her new community as the children’s programmer at the Swarthmore Public Library creating, in addition to her lively story times, enrichment programs for learning about the diverse cultures of India, China, Africa and Japan. Her Celebrate New Year "Diwali" India Festival of Lights was a 2007 award winner for Delaware Country by Pennsylvania Public Libraries. A few years later, one of her long held dreams of opening an arts center was realized. Initiating the vision, she co-founded The Creative Living Room in 2008 teaching and leading programming and events until stepping down in 2013. She continues to collaborate with the organization as an artist and community partner.
All this while Allison has continued to perform at venues locally and throughout PA. She continued to write and her catalogue of original songs continued to grow but the time to pursue another recording was elusive as caring for aging parents and attending to matters once they passed took precedent. These profound and deeply moving experiences have enriched her understanding of life and color her songs with meaning that touch childrens hearts in subtle ways. She is very excited to announce her new release It’s A Beautiful World in October of 2021 continuing her legacy of nurture children’s appreciation of the arts, nature and the world around us in a loving spirit of learning and joy.
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