Learning to Play One Measure at a Time
SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE | February 7, 2016
Earlier this week our high school
top choir and band students
performed superbly at an annual conference
music festival. In the evening, honored
members of our band and choir performed in an
all-conference concert.
Listening to the precision, dynamics and
emotion of these remarkable student
performances, the audience of teachers and
families especially appreciated the long days
and nights of practice which inspired the
performances.
In contrast, this week our district celebrated a
first concert for our new strings program. If we
think of our high school musicians as "seasoned
performers," fifth graders are "beginners,"
learning one measure at a time. The concert
was understandably brief - most of the children
have been playing the violin, viola, cello or bass
only since October!
But the orchestra audience appeared as moved
and warmly enthusiastic as the audience for the
accomplished high school artists.
Following the concert, the boys and girls were
all smiles. Proud parents and grandparents
offered bouquets of flowers and posed for
photos.
In time, we will have a high school orchestra program that matches our outstanding
choral and band programs. But as we were reminded this week, learning music comes
just one measure at a time.
Michael J. Lovett, Ph.D
Superintendent, White Bear Lake Area Schools