It has been quite a week. It started with the "strolling" musicians of San Rafael Elementary, and ended with packing up a good chunk of the music room at Sierra Madre Middle School to move it to the elementary campus where the auditorium is.
The Monday morning stroll was fun for all. The classes we visited seemed to appreciate the music as much as the break in their routine. The musicians stepped right up to the challenge and did their best. The one surprise came from the kindergartens where several children in each room covered their ears upon hearing the first notes of the flutes. Now, the two boys playing flutes did a good job; the covered ears are no reflection on their skill or ability. Rather, I think it just had to do with the fact that most people these days are not accustomed to live music being performed in close proximity. This is another reason I love the strolling option for school performances.
The Middle Schoolers at Sierra Madre have been putting the finishing touches on their repertoire for next week's all-instrumental program. This is the first time in the 15 years I have worked at that school that the instrumental musicians will be featured on their own concert. I am really excited about this, and while the show is going to be short, it is going to be very sweet.
A couple kids in the orchestra asked me last week if we could do something we had done last year. I had forgotten about this activity, though last year when we did it, it had been a big hit. It is an activity that consists of several parts. First we play through one of their pieces. Then we play through it again and record it. Right after the recording the kids take a minute to reflect on their own performance and write (on a grid sheet I make for this purpose) something they did well and something they need to work on. Next, we listen to the recording, and afterwards they write about their section (flutes, first violins, etc) and also the group as a whole. When they are finished writing, a few kids can talk about their observations. Of course, I get to throw in a few as well.
I'm not sure why they love this activity so, but I'm really glad they do, and I will certainly do it again as we get close to their next concert. I guess it partly has to do with hearing themselves in the recording. They are both thrilled and horrified...if that makes any sense. They are amazed that it sounds as good as it does, and also shocked that is doesn't sound as good as they imagined. But the thing that's really amazing is how focused they get when it's time to write. They go right to work and are quiet in a way that they aren't at any other time except during tests. Their observations are usually astute and accurate. They are never cruel, and they understand their own part in the overall sound. If our experience from last year with this activity is any indicator, their performance at the concert on Tuesday will be amazing because of the focus on details in this stage of the preparation. But maybe the best part of this activity is the excitement it generates. When we ran out of time on Thursday, and couldn't listen to the recording they had just made of the Hallelujah Chorus, they let out a singular groan. Usually they are looking at their watches and telling me it's time to go. But they would have stayed late to hear that recording.
Another thing that has happened, coincidentally maybe, not sure... is that two of the kids who had till now been really not playing very well suddenly stepped up and were heard. One is my single trombone player. He has always been enthusiastic about playing, but this year as a newcomer in the Middle School group he had suddenly become shy and wouldn't play. Yesterday as we finished our last song, I realized I HAD been hearing the trombone, for the first time all year. And as I put the baton down I looked right at him and said "I LOVE hearing the trombone!" to which the entire class responded with a resounding cheer. Had they heard it too? Yes. Wow.
The other child, a sixth grade violinist who has been faking it since third grade, came in on Thursday excited that she had learned Canon (Pachelbel). "It's so easy", she told me. And as she sat in her chair warming up on her own, I could hear that she actually was playing the piece. And yesterday she came in saying she had practiced 60 minutes Thursday night, and had a practice slip to turn in as well. With this jump in skill level in both of these kids, I can say that we now have an orchestra with no "dead wood". This is a first for this group, for this school.
At Field Elementary the Beginning Band, all 40 of them, and the Advanced Strings took part in the Winter Assembly. It was barely-controlled chaos, as that school has only a cafeteria with a stage to service as an auditorium. It's not big enough to contain all the performers and audience, so traffic management is a big issue. Even so, it was a great show, and I was especially happy to see the giant group of beginners demonstrate their new skills. Putting the instrument together and blowing into it to make a sound is a huge accomplishment, and I was very proud of them and looking forward to their spring concert.
A few action-packed days to go, and then a nice break. How did we get HERE so fast?
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