LEWISTON — During November, the halls of three Lewiston elementary schools will ring with live music as part of L/A Arts’ ongoing Arts in Education programming.

The Orchid Ensemble, Canada’s award-winning music group, will perform on-site at both Longley and Farwell elementary schools on Wednesday, Nov. 4, for the entire student populations. During the school concerts, students will learn to sing a simple song in Mandarin Chinese and use their bodies to create percussion accompaniment for the musicians as they learn about the connections between traditional Eastern and contemporary Western music.

The Kiwanis Club of Auburn-Lewiston has sponsored the program as part of their growing relationship with Longley School.

On Thursday and Friday, Nov. 5 and 6, Maine singer/songwriter Martin Swinger will be in residence at Martel Elementary to work with the fourth grade classes of Andrea Bail and Sharon Pattershall.

Swinger focuses 40 years of performing experience into award-winning original songs, traditional and contemporary Americana music, swing and jazz standards. A veteran of Boston Folk Festival and Kerrville Folk Festival, he is known for his sterling performance and vocal range, surprisingly diverse repertoire and engaging stage presence.

Swinger has been teaching songwriting to kindergarten through grade six students in classrooms, at after-school programs, libraries, festivals, summer camps and family gatherings for 12 years. At Martel, he will share his own process for songwriting with the students who will in turn write their own lyrics for a collaborative song connected to their Maine Studies curriculum.

Supported by both cities’ school departments as well as local businesses and organizations, every school year L/A Arts coordinates artist residencies in each public elementary and middle school of Lewiston and Auburn. Through residency work in the classrooms, assemblies and arts presentations, the program reaches approximately 5,000 students and 350 teachers.

Residency and artist programs are designed by L/A Arts and school staff, based on curricular content and need at each school. Artists work with the classroom teacher in planning thematic connections to the curriculum and interdisciplinary approaches to teaching subject matter and social issues. Mediums such as dance, theatre, book-making, singing histories, painting, sculpture and museum education help engage students of all learning abilities and styles.

Residencies culminate in a demonstration of the process and product with school/parent presentations or peer performances. For more information about L/A Arts, call 782-7228 or visit www.laarts.org.