4th Grade Gets the Blues   

The 4th grade class welcomed three experts this week to guide them into the final phase of their expedition on The Great Migration. Under the guidance of collagist Ekua Holmes and resident artist musicians Levi Comstock and Christopher Schroeder, students explored the visual and musical art forms through which African Americans shared their stories in the early 20th century.

A Tapestry of Textures 

Ekua Holmes, a Boston-based visual artist who specializes in collage and mixed media, led the students through an exploration of the artistic style popularized by Picturing America featured artist Romare Bearden, one of her great inspirations. Students read the story "My Hands Sing the Blues," by Jean Walker Harvey, analyzed works by Bearden and Holmes, and tried their hand at this expressive style, using magazine clippings to create winter scenes rich in texture and emotion. Students explored the implications of each artistic choice, considering which colors, shapes, and lines would best convey their desired mood.

Getting In the Groove 

On Wednesday, students brought their instruments to class for a session on blues improvisation, led by resident artists Levi Comstock and Christopher Schroeder. Through a series of exercises, students explored the connections between musical choice and emotional expression. They tested the limits of what music can express, using tone color, volume, pitch, and rhythm to convey images and concepts.

Since September, students have been exploring multiple facets of the period between 1910 and 1930, when millions of African Americans moved north to pursue economic opportunity and escape racial persecution in the south. Students have been listening to blues artists through The Listening Project and studying the poetry of contemporary poets Elouise Greenfield and Langston Hughes. Looking through historical and artistic lenses, students gain a more understanding of the relationships between art and culture.

Putting it Together 

All three visitors will return next week for follow-up lessons, which will culminate in multimedia presentations of original blues compositions. Their work will be featured at the 2012 Picturing America Conference hosted by Conservatory Lab on March 30th at Wheelock College and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Applications for the conference are still available to interested educators. Visit the conference page on the Conservatory Lab website for more details.

Kindergarten Nutritionists Encourage Cookie Monster to Balance Diet 

The K2 class was delighted to receive a special guest appearance on Tuesday from a Cookie Monster, a bipedal cheetah who shares an enthusiasm for baked confections with the popular Sesame Street character of the same name. The visit was prompted by the recent launch of the class expedition on nutrition, in which students have been studying the relationships between food choice and wellness.

The exchange offered students an opportunity to test their views against an alternative perspective. Cookie, whose food choices are often based on hedonism, was intrigued by the students' assertions that what we eat affects the way we feel. One student pointed out that a breakfast of cookies is likely to result in a tummy ache, while fruit, yogurt, and cereal are examples of foods that provide energy for the day.

Although Cookie Monster's love for cookies was unshaken, he left with new ideas about alternative snack choices and options for moderating his intake of sweets. K2 teacher Mary Randolph was occupied outside the classroom and missed the entire visit.

Bernstein Orchestra Begins Symphonic Rehearsals  

An electric silence filled the orchestra room this Wednesday as the wind section of the Bernstein Orchestra took their seats behind the string section for their first full rehearsal. For weeks, the two sections have been preparing their joint repertoire, anticipating the moment when they would bring together their separate parts to create one euphonious whole. Now, with a cue from the conductor, their first notes as a combined orchestra poured forth from their instruments, and smiles erupted across every face.

"This has been the dream from the beginning," explained Bernstein Orchestra conductor Joshua Garver. "All year we have been laying groundwork, developing parallel routines, so there was a strong feeling of unity as the two sections came together." The first joint rehearsal introduced students to concepts of balance and blend unique to the symphonic ensemble. Students also had the chance to hear the full symphonic sound applied to the signature anthem, Ode to Joy, which they have heard countless times performed by the Dudamel Orchestra. Starting this week, the full orchestra will meet twice a week, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, adding several new pieces of combined repertoire.

PAC Organizes Fundraising Concert 

The Math Corner (Part Three) 

Report Cards

Community Concerts

French pianist Lise de la Salle performs on January 28 at Jordan Hall at 8 pm. Her playing is often described as radiant, poetic, poised and exhilarating. She will be performing works by Ravel, Debussy and Beethoven. 

Discounted tickets are available! Follow this link for the $10 Take Your Seat ticket price, using discount code TYS, tickets may be purchased online exclusively for this event. In order to use the discount, one student must attend for every adult purchasing a discounted ticket.