Celebrating MENC’s March is Music In Our Schools Month
by: William W. Gourley
March is music’s chance to be in the spotlight in our schools. Winter sports are winding down and spring sports are just starting. Except for a few state athletic competitions there is little going on with our schools’ athletic calendars. Music programs across the state are at the height of their preparations for district band, orchestra and choir festivals and many students are preparing for state solo and ensemble festivals. March is music’s turn to take center stage in our schools.
With the all consuming nature of festivals music educators can miss this opportunity to promote music and its value. It isn’t hard to get the entire school involved. You might encourage general classroom teachers to incorporate music in their daily lessons.
Eighth grade history teachers can use Johnny Horton’s, “Battle of New Orleans” to teach the War of 1812.
In 1814 we took a little trip
along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip…
Introduce the Greek idea of democracy using “Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone.
I am no better and neither are you
We are the same whatever we do
Get the students interested in the importance of a 3300 year old mummy using Steve Martin’s hilarious Saturday Night Live “King Tut” sketch.
Teach addition, subtraction, fractions and spelling using music notation.
All of these ideas and more can be found at www.educationworld.com/a_special/march.shtml#art. This site features several useful suggestions for general classroom teachers in grades 3-12.
A STOMPing Good Time has students work in small groups as they use everyday objects to create performances inspired by the work of STOMP.
Comparing Composers: Beethoven and Mozart is a comprehension activity with work sheets.
Do the Hokey Pokey – In Many Languages: teaches the names of body parts in foreign languages.
Music Math Create a Clapping Symphony: uses music to teach mathematic concepts while writing a symphony.
If you can’t get the general classroom teacher to incorporate any of these ideas you can try them in your class after festival. Incorporating these lessons into your class will reinforce the benefits of music to your students, parents, staff and administration by extending music’s reach beyond the music room. Teaching one of these lessons to fourth or fifth grade students who are prospective band or orchestra members will give you an opportunity to build a relationship with them while you show them how music can transcend the concert hall.
A fun way to create an appreciation for all that long hair classical stuff is to let that long eared hare, Bugs Bunny and his friends, help. The video, Bugs Bunny’s Overtures to Disaster begins with a statement by Papa Bear, “But I hate classical music,” which probably reflects a great deal of our students’ feelings. The video (approximately thirty minutes) presents the music of Von Suppe, Wagner, Liszt, and Rossini accompanying cartoons. Show the Daffy Duck and Porky Pig rendition of the “William Tell Overture” or Elmer Fudd’s and Sylvester’s “Hungarian Rhapsody.” Then play a recording of the selections. The Barber of Seville and Gotterdammerung as portrayed by Bugs and Elmer is a great way to introduce students to opera. Getting students to realize The Barber of Seville is a fun romantic comedy and comparing “The Lord of the Rings” to Wagner’s Gotterdammerung demystifies opera.
There are many examples of the use of classical music in today’s popular culture. “Carmina Burana” is used in the Capital One credit card ad, Mozart’s, “Overture to the Marriage of Figaro” accompanies the promo for the movie, Are We There Yet? starring rapper, Ice Cube, and Rossini’s, “Overture to the Thieving Magpie” has been used in a laundry detergent commercial. “Bring Him Home” from Les Miserables is nearly identical to Puccini’s, “Humming Song” in Madame Butterfly.
A great web site for teens is www.themusicedge.com. Here students can read interviews and view public service announcements from rock stars including: Juliette Lewis, Black Eyed Peas, Yellowcard, Brian McNight and others on the importance of music in the schools, get tips on music gear and performance and sign a petition supporting music in the schools. One of the links, PlaySchool, includes topics such as: Why Join?, Support Music in Schools, Artists Who Began in School, Music and Your Grades, Music Clubs at School and Summer Band Camp Roster that reinforces the benefits of school music programs. A band & orchestra link is a guide to the instruments and their functions in the ensemble. A Careers in Music link exposes students to opportunities in music other than playing an instrument.
Get the whole school involved. Play 30 second segments of the more recognized classical and jazz music before announcements or between classes. If announcements are done over the school’s television, play excerpts of movies that utilize classical music. Ask the cafeteria to join in and play a couple minutes of music you have put on a CD. Have your students create music posters featuring classical and popular artists and composers or music careers with sound bites promoting music to be placed around the school. A prize could be offered for the best poster in each category.
Post a list of the music department’s performances for the year. It is easy for parents, coaches, staff and the community to overlook the contributions of the school’s music program. The football coach and parents of the team may only be aware of the five home games where the band performs. Most of the community sees the band at a parade or two and rarely has a chance to see the orchestra’s contributions. A poster with pictures of the band at games, parades, concerts or the orchestra’s and choir’s musical is a great visual reminder of music’s contribution to the school and community. Your music booster organization can run an ad or get an article in the paper using this same idea.
A great place to showcase the music program is in retirement or senior living facilities. Many seniors citizens do not like to get out during the winter months and appreciate the chance to have some entertainment. Have choir, orchestra and band students who participated in solo and ensemble festival perform a 45-60 minute recital for one or more of these facilities.
Music in Our Schools Month is our time of the year to show the community the impact of the music program in the school and community. Virtually every aspect of the community’s life is graced by music including; athletics, county fairs, honoring our soldiers past and present, pep assemblies, civic functions and concerts. Take this opportunity to showcase the values of music in our schools and the contributions of the band, orchestra and choir to the school and community.