Creating a Love of Music in our Programs

After watching Broadway or Bust and Blast! I am convinced the best ways to encourage a love of music is to expose students to excellence, and to ask for every student’s best effort so that they too, can experience excellence.

                The miniseries Broadway or Bust follows high school students from their homes across America, to New York City, where they participate in The National High School Musical Theater Awards show and ceremony. The episodes document the students’ week preparing for the performance. We learn that these students have been exposed to great theatrical performances by seeing Broadway musicals, Equity national tour shows, and hearing Broadway soundtrack recordings. The students are inspired by the greatness of these performances and the emotional responses that they trigger. On top of schoolwork, jobs, and other after school activities, many of the young performers participate in high school musicals and take voice, dancing, and acting lessons in the hopes of becoming professional musical theater actors and actresses. Watching this miniseries reminded me of what we are all capable of achieving if we are driven and have strong time management skills.

                Last week, I also watched Blast! with fifth and seventh grade band students. Blast! is a filmed version of a Broadway production. The film is basically a staged version of a drum corp show and features a brass and percussion ensemble and color guard. At first, the fifth graders were a little puzzled by what was going on, but then they realized it was like a marching band, indoors. The positive reactions and enthusiasm I received from the students was so encouraging! They absolutely loved the way the music and dances worked together. Many of them expressed that the dances helped them understand the music. They had so many terrific questions that we actually stopped the video every ten minutes to discuss them together. The students were intrigued after I explained that 7th Regiment is a drum and bugle corp based right down the road in New London, CT that they can audition for in high school.

                When students see the level of excellence that their peers and professional musicians can achieve, and their director expresses that he or she believes in them, they are inspired. Excerpts from films like Broadway or Bust and Blast are great ways to help students realize what they are capable of accomplishing when they put in the time and effort.