This was posted on December 5, 2011
Fourth, fifth, and sixth grade sing together.
This past weekend was Pine Cobble’s annual winter concert! While the weather may have been unusually warm outside, the Mount Greylock auditorium felt cozy and wintery and cheerful.
Interim head of school Sue Wells opened the event by speaking directly to students — especially those for whom standing up in front of an audience and singing is especially challenging:
To all of you I say thank you. Thank you for your hard work and commitment to the success of this day. Also, thank you for, in many cases, stepping out of your comfort zone today. For many of you, performing — and more specifically singing – is something you love, and of course I thank you. But, to those for whom this is new and outside what feels comfortable, thank you for your courage. You are inspiring to others who will be asked to step out of their comfort zones on the athletic field in the art room, in language class and more.
I can promise you, by doing this, by being part of the team, finding those reserves in yourself to do something that feels hard and probably uncomfortable, this will make you a stronger person in the years ahead. We all must do things that are hard and things
we might not choose to do, and those are usually the things that make us stronger, more resilient people who look at things with a more open mind and understanding heart.
Inside the program was a letter from Mrs. Wells to the families in attendance which closed with a personal note about her own family’s experience in this powerful day:
Welcome to the 2011-2012 winter concert.
For nearly a decade, Michelle Despard has helped students grow vocally and as people. She has been joined by Mary Pierson who ably – and joyfully – prepared the kindergarten students for today’s event.
Today, you will see pride that comes from hard work, expressed on students’ faces, and the joy of sharing something important with you. What you cannot see, however, is all the effort that went into today’s concert, and how this work fits into a thoughtful, carefully-sequenced music curriculum taught with passion and joy.
Michelle, a lifelong musician, believes children should “experience first and then intellectualize.” For her, the holistic approach to teaching music is essential. Everyone is born with a natural love for movement and an ability to experience music with great joy. Michelle’s goal is to capture, and then build on, that inherent openness to music. That’s why she created a curriculum that includes a range of experiences: hands-on vocal and instrumental work; an active, sequential study of opera and classical composers; studies of beat, rhythm, and pitch; and a try at improvisational skills.
The result is musical literacy, an appreciation for music that leads to greater richness and beauty throughout one’s life. It’s a well-rounded curriculum, one that is based on natural progression and age-appropriate milestones. For example, students learn first to play a steady beat, then learn to read it in a musical score, then learn to appreciate how those notes fit into a variety of musical styles.
This past June, Michelle, thanks to the generosity of the PTG, attended a week long Orff workshop in Hartford, Connecticut. In the Orff philosophy of teaching there is a clear focus on the study of beat, rhythm, pitch, ear and improvisation; it is fun, and offers a deep and powerful learning experience. As a result, this year, she will give significant time to Orff work through xylophones, bells and more – experiences that will further enhance the curriculum.
Michelle’s biggest goals for today’s concert include helping each student enjoy the process and learn by doing. In some cases, our students are singing complex pieces that are well beyond the normal expectations for their ages. In others, individual students and classes are carefully teamed up so that experienced and less experienced vocalists can work together and produce beautiful sounds.
Students took part in selecting the day’s songs, so they have a real investment in the work. They enjoyed the benefits of teamwork and character – something that will be evident in the range of ages and grades singing together.
For some students, standing and singing in front of a group is difficult; those students can take real pride in having stepped out of their comfort zones today. And I thank the entire student body for encouraging these students, for inspiring them, and for providing them with a safe space to challenge themselves. Older students have mentored younger students, and younger students’ youthful zest has been an inspiration to all.
For many years, I’ve watched my own three children sing in this winter concert. My youngest, now in ninth grade, sings her final winter concert today. I wish I could hold on to this lovely, bittersweet moment. We are provided with just a handful of opportunities to stop – to really put aside everything else, all those distractions, and just stop – to watch our children, to really listen to them, as they are right now, today, in this single, fleeting moment in time. Today is one.
I wish you and your family warmth and great joy in this winter season.
