I have got to send a shout out to all of the music teachers, students and parents who plan, prepare, set up for and attend the year end school music concerts. Occasionally I get to go accompany my daughter's chorus for their concerts. This year I also got to attend my granddaughter's first band concert. Some schools have a large population of energetic and engaged students and parents, others have trouble recruiting enough students to make a viable program. I salute the music teachers who so willingly work to build their programs no matter what hand they are dealt.
My daughter teaches at a small charter school where the students may choose just one elective class per semester. Even when the students have 12+ choices for their one elective, she still has had enough students to teach junior high band, orchestra, chorus, guitar, percussion, as well as 6th grade General Music. She has also taught after school band and orchestra to the elementary school students. That is such a big load! Besides all of the teaching, planning and conducting, she and the students are responsible to set-up and take down for the concerts.
Imagine having to move the one good piano in the school, many music stands, all of the percussion instruments, many of the larger school-owned band and orchestra instruments, and the sound system from the 2nd floor music room to the main floor gym any time you have a performance. Oh yes, and then you must set up the risers for the chorus, the sound system, and all of the chairs for the performers and the audience. Hopefully, after all of the heavy lifting, you have enough energy to conduct a pleasing performance. Then, after the performance, you need to summon enough strength to take everything down and put it away. That is a lot of work for just one teacher and a few willing (but small in stature) students!
I was happy to be there to help with set up and take down. I was also happy that there were a few parents who pitched in at least to put away the chairs. I am so proud of my daughter to have the spunk and endurance to make things happen for the students in her school. This was her last concert at that charter school. Next fall, she will be teaching at public middle school. I sure hope she inherits an energetic and eager bunch of students with supportive parents that will help her build her program. Music teachers do so much!
My daughter teaches at a small charter school where the students may choose just one elective class per semester. Even when the students have 12+ choices for their one elective, she still has had enough students to teach junior high band, orchestra, chorus, guitar, percussion, as well as 6th grade General Music. She has also taught after school band and orchestra to the elementary school students. That is such a big load! Besides all of the teaching, planning and conducting, she and the students are responsible to set-up and take down for the concerts.
Imagine having to move the one good piano in the school, many music stands, all of the percussion instruments, many of the larger school-owned band and orchestra instruments, and the sound system from the 2nd floor music room to the main floor gym any time you have a performance. Oh yes, and then you must set up the risers for the chorus, the sound system, and all of the chairs for the performers and the audience. Hopefully, after all of the heavy lifting, you have enough energy to conduct a pleasing performance. Then, after the performance, you need to summon enough strength to take everything down and put it away. That is a lot of work for just one teacher and a few willing (but small in stature) students!
I was happy to be there to help with set up and take down. I was also happy that there were a few parents who pitched in at least to put away the chairs. I am so proud of my daughter to have the spunk and endurance to make things happen for the students in her school. This was her last concert at that charter school. Next fall, she will be teaching at public middle school. I sure hope she inherits an energetic and eager bunch of students with supportive parents that will help her build her program. Music teachers do so much!
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