Doing our best, demonstrating what we have learned and sharing it with others. We strive to have a "culture of quality" that is evident in how we perform in the classroom, in the rehearsal hall, on the school bus, onstage, in the playground and even at home in the way we care for and are part of our family.

Developing a "culture of quality" is evident if:

all members of the school community know that they and the school are doing the best job possible. This knowledge builds everyone's morale and makes each person proud of themselves and the school
striving for quality helps to develop group and individual competence, thus continually improving the school overall
the entire school community continually increases its performance level and improves its educational delivery, which gives it more credibility and ultimately benefits our entire community.

This continual striving is not easy, but the outcome is worth it. We will strive on!

Have a delightful weekend.

Warmly,

Ms. Lam

Diana Lam

Side by Side with Maestro Gustavo Dudamel

Saturday afternoon, twelve of our Dudamel Orchestra musicians sat Side by Side on the stage of Kresge Auditorium at MIT with their peers from other El Sistema inspired programs and Longy musicians waiting for the man himself. Right on time, Maestro Gustavo Dudamel jumped onstage and was welcomed by thunderous applause by the 1000 friends, family and classical music aficionados in the audience for this most thrilling of open rehearsals.

Conservatory Lab participating students were 7th graders Jose Fuentes (violin), Chavez Singletary (viola) and Brandon Volel (trumpet), 6th graders Ben Lee (flute), Mira Mehta (violin), Francis Puente (percussion) and Arianna Rodriguez (trumpet), 5th graders Olivia Cox (violin), Josh Dam (violin), Emmanuel DeJeanLouis (trumpet), and Sam Muzac (viola) and 4th grader Elijah Simon (clarinet).

It was amazing for these students to spend an hour with the full attention of one of the world's greatest conductors focused on them at a moment when they had been incredibly well prepared for that attention by their teachers at their sending programs and at Longy. The students had spent seven Saturdays learning the two pieces, Bizet's Farandole and the Finale of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 at Longy under the baton of Jorge Soto. Each participating program sent staff to lead sectionals and guide the students through these difficult pieces so when the Maestro stepped to the podium and asked the 100 assembled student musicians "What should we play?" they had a strong answer. They played through the first piece and Maestro Dudamel was clearly impressed. Next, he asked them to play it again and this time he was looking for little details to improve.

For the audience, it was wonderful to spend an hour watching the work of a conductor (and an orchestra) that you never get to see. To watch the stop and start and the why and how to improve was an education. Maestro Dudamel was projected on a large screen facing the audience and was able to speak simultaneously to the children, the university age musicians, and the audience. He was charming and demanding and everyone knew they had learned by the end of the hour.

The beauty of the event crystallized at the end of the concert when the Maestro called for applause for the musicians and singled them out, section by section. He then waded through the sea of musicians to bring up to the front, 6th grader Francis Puente, a St. Columbkille student who has been studying percussion with Resident Artist Tess Plotkin here at Conservatory Lab for the last two years. "This is the best timpani player I have ever heard!" exclaimed the Maestro. This is all the more remarkable as Francis' left wrist is in a cast. After the concert, Maestro Dudamel signed Francis' cast, posed for pictures and ensured that this was an afternoon we will never forget.

YOLA Students Visit

Last Friday, our school was invaded by high school musicians! Ten students from Los Angeles who participate in the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, the El Sistema inspired program connected with LA Philharmonic, travelled with the LA Phil to Boston and, as part of their time in Boston, sat in during orchestra time at our school.

We were introduced to double reed instruments like the bassoon and oboe. YOLA students had a mini sectional with the wind players playing in Beethoven Symphony No. 7 from the Dudamel Orchestra. A string quartet performed for Abbado Strings and Dudamel full orchestra. Some of our students also had opportunities to be coached privately from YOLA mentors.

Spring Fling! Updates

It is exactly one week and one day to Conservatory Lab's biggest concert of the year!

The P.A.C. and all the parent volunteers have been busily checking items off the list to make this the best Spring Fling! ever.

One exciting added feature to this year's concert is the raffle of theme-centered gift baskets prepared by each classroom. The raffle tickets will be available ONLY at the event. The tickets are 3 for $5 or 25 for $20. Please bring cash or check. We will not be able to process credit cards.

Do not miss out on this memorable event. Order your tickets online now or come in to school and purchase tickets from Toni Jackson at 25 Arlington St. or Alexei Gonzalez at 320 Washington St.

See you at the Strand!

MCAS ELA

On Monday and Tuesday this week all our Upper School grades, 3 through 7 took the English Language Arts Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, or MCAS exam. Just like students all over the state, they were assessed in reading and writing skills through reading passages, analyzing literature, use of language, and writing comprehension. This was a whole school event, with amazing support from non-ELA teachers and administrative staff as we organized to create the ideal testing environment - quiet and serious.

Our students did a phenomenal job! They took their time marking up the texts they were reading and analyzing each answer choice to identify the strongest answer. At the end of two days they were exhausted, but felt very accomplished.

Jake Shimabukuro Learns From K1 and K2

Aloha! Who was more excited to be gathered in the K2 classroom on Wednesday morning - the 100 K1 and K2 students, the assembled teachers and staff, the visiting board members or our guest artist, world renowned ukelele player, Jake Shimabukuro? Impossible to tell as the joy and enthusiasm was practically bursting through the walls.

Mr. Shimabukuro came to teach the students about the history of ukelele (the word means flea jumper in Hawaiian because of the speed of the fingers) and about why and how he plays music. He told the students that music is made not from notes or fingers but from the heart. He encouraged them to sing and play with their whole selves and demonstrated how he plays his tiny stringed instrument with great drama and flair as well as incredible artistry.

After Mr. Shimabukuro played a few short numbers and accommodated multiple requests to play "faster, faster", the students then had a surprise for him. His next song he said was his favorite and he wondered if they knew it - Lean On Me. All 100 students stood up and not only sang every verse, they had movements to go with it. He loved their rendition and stayed to play as they sang three more songs for him led by Resident Artists Tess Plotkin and Dave Cordes. Mr. Shimabukuro was so moved by the musicality of the students and the dedication and skill of our staff that he promised to come again soon. It was a magical hour!

Monkey King Storyteller

In conjunction with their China and the Silkroad Expedition, sixth grade will be presenting a production of "The Wild and Wonderful Monkey King," Friday, June 6th at Roxbury College. To kick off the rehearsal process for the play, Limin Mo, guest artist, storyteller, writer, artist, and musician, presented two workshops introducing students to the beloved Chinese literary Superhero, The Monkey King. Through Limin's expressive storytelling as well as extensive knowledge and background on Monkey, students learned the origins of "Stone Monkey" and how he was born out of the stone mountain, the "Mountain of Fruits and Flowers." Students were introduced to the Chinese "big ideas," "The Way of the Tao," or balance in nature, and Yin and Yang, and Buddhism, learning to channel and direct energy and focus. Working to guide their energy, students learned basic movements of Tai Chi and tried chanting the ancient sutra, "Om mani padme hum" as a beginning step toward focus and meditation. In addition, Limin presented one of the wild and wonderful adventures of Monkey King, and students identified Monkey's Superhero Powers. Using Monkey's powers as a guide, they then created their own Superheros with written descriptions and drawings.

This kicks off an exciting rehearsal process for the students, who will be learning traditional Chinese fan dance with guest artist, Chu Ling, Kung Fu, and Peking Opera style movement with Gaetano di Gaetano, as well as hip-hop with Brian Williams.

Limin Mo will be returning to lead a Mask workshop with the students where they will create traditional Beijing Opera style masks for their assigned characters. In addition, students met with playwright, Brendan Shea, A.R.T. Education Department consultant, who introduced the script he had written that students will be learning. The delightfully written and ingeniously-crafted script is an adaptation of Ji Li Jiang's "The Magical Monkey King," which students will be studying in ELA with Michael Gentilly. Brendan Shea's play will be a World Premiere written for Conservatory Lab's sixth grade!

Keep posted for more details on sixth grade's journey with Monkey King!

Fifth Grade Climate Change Fair

Grade 5 celebrated the end of their Heating Up, Chilling Out! expedition with a Climate Change Fair. Students set up seven stations, each representing a region of the world that is experiencing the consequences of climate change. Family members and Conservatory Lab students learned about rising sea levels that are threatening the Maldives, melting ice in the Arctic, the growing threat of malaria in Southeast Asia, droughts in Africa and in the Midwest United States, coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef, and intense hurricanes in the Caribbean. Students also wowed the audience with a performance of their original Climate Change rap!

"Only got one planet

Gotta learn to take care of it

Task's kinda scary

That's why we all sharin' it"