One of the special treats of the ASCD Annual Conference is the opportunity to hear talented students perform as the warm-up acts for General Sessions. Sunday and Monday of the recently concluded meeting saw two outstanding groups of kids take to the stage. If they were nervous, it sure didn't show. In one case, a pre-show pep talk made sure the performance looked as good as it sounded.
Sunday's pre-Session music was provided by the Third Grade Choir of Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School in Chicago. Director Charki Dunn led a ridiculously poised and harmonious group through a repertoire that included sacred and secular music and ended with a suite of up-tempo rock and spoken word called "Everybody Has Music Inside." It was fabulous!
On Monday, the entertainment came courtesy of the Schurz Symphony Orchestra Strings, under the baton of Director Richard Wegren. The ensemble, from Carl Schurz High School in Chicago, played a half-hour set that included symphonic takes on movie themes, Vivaldi's "Spring," a sophisticated medley of classical standards, and the rollicking finale "Swing Fiddles."
In rehearsals just before curtain, Wegren took a moment to offer students some advice on the visual aspects of live performance. "Look, I've noticed that when some of you go flat or sharp, you are making faces," he told the cellos. Pointing up at the huge projection screens that flanked the stage, he said, "You know as soon as you do that, the video camera will probably pick that moment to zoom in on your face. You're going to make mistakes. It's okay. Get over it." They did, sounding and looking like seasoned pros.
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