Students strut their stuff in Sing for Spring The Herald-Mail—May 26, 2011 Little shoes could be seen pacing to and fro beneath the green curtain Thursday as children from the Judy Center music class took their places. When the curtain parted, their waves and beaming faces were proof that the 3- and 4-yearolds knew their stuff. A total of 35 pre-kindergarten and cubs students sang in their Sing for Spring performance at Bester Elementary School in Hagerstown. The music classes were adapted from Maryland Symphony Orchestra's Little Maestros Program. According to teacher Denise Beauclair, the MSO received a grant from PNC Bank to bring the program to the Judy Center, which provides educational services for at-risk children. "The grant was several months in the making, and I was fortunate enough to be the one asked to teach," music instructor Andrea Diggs said. Diggs has taught weekly, half-hour music lessons for the morning and afternoon sessions since November. Much of the instruction consisted of improvisation; Diggs led songs, but encouraged students to be creative with their performances. "They make, not imitate. I give them different ideas, they give me ideas," Diggs said. "The goal is to use music as a platform for learning. I'm not trying to turn the world into Mozarts or Beethovens." Diggs said she considers music a valuable learning tool for children. "They're drawn to it. Music is a language itself, so it helps with literacy. They're learning basic concepts which they can use in so many other ways," she said. "The class was mostly musical competence. It was exposure to melody, rhythm, some harmony." The students demonstrated those talents during the program. They performed "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star" in English, French, and American Sign Language, and all of the songs incorporated movement and improvisation. "I feel confident doing the program with them because they've proved flexibility and the ability to follow and listen. They've worked really hard this year without realizing it," Diggs said. Parents and families were invited to the spring program, but Diggs did not want it to show them a well-rehearsed concert. "It's a somewhat polished version of what we do every week in class," she said. "The idea of performing is not the focus. I want to minimize anxiety. It's for parents to see how they've progressed." As they do for any other class, the students began with vocal warmups, stretching their high and low ranges. Diggs led them through an unexpected percussion number using wooden sticks, demonstrating the class' improvisational skills. The audience was certainly impressed.
"I thought it was excellent," said Devon Harvey, who watched her son, Derek, perform. "I know that music helps you later on in life, you're better able to do things. That's something that he needs," she said. The program concluded with an opportunity for students, teachers, and families to mingle over cake and juice. First, however, the performers shouted "Hooray" and took a well-earned bow. They received a round of applause worthy of a professional orchestra performance.