Changing an Orchestra Program to Meet the Needs of All Students, Part III: Insights from Members of the Chamber Orchestra

In Part I and Part II, I examined the circumstances under which the Richmond County Orchestra (RCO) was expanded with the addition of a Chamber Orchestra, comprised of the top 20 students in the program. In my own voice, I discussed how it was conceived by Trent Henderson and Philip Rhodes and how they, along with the current Symphony Orchestra Director Amy Ellington, shaped the program over the years. Now I will step aside and allow the members of the orchestra themselves to explain how being a part of it made a difference, if any, in their lives after high school. In a sort of round-table discussion (thank goodness for the internet, as these young adults and I cover at least three cities in two states), I asked them to be completely honest with me about their experiences. On a personal note, I was thrilled to hear from these former students of mine and am delighted to share their observations with you.

Changing an Orchestra Program to Meet the Needs of All Students Part II: Birth of a Chamber Orchestra

In my last post, I addressed the circumstances facing the Richmond County Orchestra (RCO) high school directors Trent Henderson and Philip Rhodes in the spring of 2003. Directing a large orchestra with a wide gap between the most accomplished musicians (who were ready to master music on GMEA* level V and beyond) and the less experienced ones (who may have been struggling to play GMEA* level IV) inspired them to try something unprecedented; they created a new orchestra on a temporary, invitation-only basis for the remaining couple of months of the school year. Eventually this group became the Richmond County High School Chamber Orchestra.

“Create a new orchestra? Is there room for that? Do we have the time to carve out of our already hectic schedules for that? What will the other faculty members think?”

Changing an Orchestra Program to Meet the Needs of All Students, Part I: When Teaching to the Middle No Longer Works

            Imagine you are back in your high school orchestra. (Or band. Or chorus.)

I know, I know. I shouldn’t put you through that again. If you’re like me you’d rather not revisit your high school self. Just bear with me. You’re back in the orchestra and you are bored out of your mind, frustrated with the music selections, the rehearsal process, and even your fellow orchestra members.

Crisis or Opportunity: Tales from the Trenches

Crisis or Opportunity:

Tales from a Music Educator in the Trenches

 

“A man has no more character

than he can command in a time of crisis.”

– Ralph W. Sockman

            My allotted teaching space from 11:15-11:55 am was a brightly-lit, yet bare and uninspiring, second-floor multi-purpose room of a 98% minority public middle school in downtown Augusta, Georgia. I smiled at the boy opposite me, a stoic seventh grader named Christopher Quiller, whose solemn eyes only rarely connected with mine. I could hear the rowdy noise of his classmates in the hallway as he approached this room, and as he sank into the deeply scooping plastic chair, he seemed conflicted. The way his jaw was set told me he didn’t want to be here. The way he cradled his viola suggested exactly the opposite. His reputation, as supplied to me by his string teacher of the previous year, supported both of my observations.

This was my first teaching day in the fall of 2006. I taught chorus and general music classes at another Augusta area middle school for the two previous years, but there was an opening in the Richmond County Orchestra (RCO) faculty and I was finally able to get into my chosen musical field, being a violinist myself. Chris, on the other hand, had spent the last couple of years getting detention or in-school suspension for the occasional scuffle with his classmates while proving to be something of a natural on the viola. Due to a perfect storm of circumstances, he and I began our year of one-on-one lessons.

Introducing Sarah…

Greetings fellow IPAP contributors and readers,

My name is Sarah Greenwald and, as of today, I am officially a contributing author on this wonderful blog. I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself to you.

I’m a native of Augusta, Georgia and was a resident for 24 years until this summer when I moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During my time in Augusta, I received a Bachelor of Music from Augusta State University. I went on to teach at many Augusta area schools, mostly through the Richmond County Orchestra Program, which is the same program where I started at the age of nine. I also freelanced on violin and viola for the Augusta Players (a professional theatre group) and performed with local Beatles Tribute band Ed Turner and Number 9, while raising money for charities such as the Humane Society and Child Abuse Prevention.

Very shortly after my move to Pittsburgh I became involved – quite incidentally and extremely luckily! – with a performing ensemble here: The Eclectic Laboratory Chamber Orchestra. This was where I first crossed paths with the kind and talented Laura Lentz and the brilliant and resourceful Alan Tormey, who both went out of their way to greet me on my very first day with the ensemble. A few weeks ago Alan approached me about writing a guest blog for the current Alex Ross Project.

I said I’d be honored and the rest is history. I’m thankful for the opportunity to collaborate and exchange ideas with the fine writers on this blog.

Thanks for having me.

Sarah