Monday, February 26, 2024
Whenever I travel to my smaller rural school districts, I am often amazed at the unique and creative things these directors do to promote their program within the framework of the school system. Sherri Lohmann at Pioneer/Pleasant Vale (OK) shared a concert idea that I found fascinating. See below.
Charlie Bartrug, Educational Representative, PMC Oklahoma City
One of my favorite traditions at Pioneer Pleasant Vale is the annual Thanksgiving Concert, which is held annually on the last day before Thanksgiving break. As we have an early dismissal that day, very little is happening in the classrooms at the elementary or high school level. David Holland, the man who started the Pioneer Band program in 1972, saw this as the perfect opportunity to bring the high school band to the elementary school. As the school sites are about 15 miles apart, elementary students rarely have the opportunity to interact with high school students.
Each year, on the day we dismiss for Thanksgiving break, the high school band members load up on a bus and heads up to Pleasant Vale Elementary. All elementary students, grades Pre-k through 6th meet in the gym where the high school band presents our concert. Why is this a good thing, you might ask?
First of all, it's all about the kids. This is FUN! Our program is very lighthearted and full of music that kids enjoy. We always start with the "Star-Spangled Banner." It's in our repertoire, and it's important to teach our elementary students that it's appropriate to stand with your hand over your heart, facing the flag, when the SSB is played or sung. Next, we always perform "Marches of the Armed Forces". Again, it is in our repertoire (Veteran's Day), and we are teaching our students the importance of recognizing our veterans and their sacrifices. We ask all guests who are veterans to stand and be recognized.
After those two, the fun really begins. Every new teacher at Pleasant Vale is "initiated" by the band. This can take many forms. For example, they might be asked to be a "guest conductor" or they might be a "guest dancer" or they might even be wearing a costume on stage. The newest members of the Pleasant Vale family have no idea that they will be called upon to participate.
Imagine, if you will, a gymnasium filled with elementary students. The conductor says she might need a little help for the next selection, does she have a volunteer? Students go crazy; "pick me, pick me". "Too many choices", sighs the conductor, "I will just have to wait for a sign from above" (cue sign rolling down). "Mrs. So-and-So for Special Assistant", reads the sign. That teacher reports backstage for costuming. Some examples of what we've done include SpongeBob SquarePants (teacher dons SpongeBob costume and dances on stage) and Chicken Dance (teacher dons chicken suit and dances on stage). When we do this, our first graders do the chicken dance with the "head chicken". Other teachers have tango-ed to a Spanish piece, and have shown up as superheroes for Superheroes R Us. We've also had them ride our school's rubber-ball "ponies" for Rawhide or The Horse.
We often have "teacher features" that involve teachers who actually volunteer ahead of time. We've done Spotlight and Soft Shoe (with "Dr. Dr." Jokesters) and Tool Time Tang with guest "tool artists". Our principal often participates as the "Little Old Lady from Pasadena" or as a pirate in SpongeBob SquarePants or Pirates of the Caribbean.
We always have our first-grade students participate in some way. As mentioned earlier, they may have SpongeBob masks and dance with SpongeBob. They might do vocal parts in Snakes; this year they were dancing turkeys for Turkey in the Straw.
There are always two selections where we allow our fifth and sixth grade band students to come up on stage and get into the band behind a "big kid" that plays their instrument. They crouch down and get a first-hand look at what it's like to be in a high school band. This is FANTASTIC for retention. And the whole thing is AMAZING for recruitment. When they get to 5th grade, many students say, "I've been waiting forever to be in the band".
| Sherri Lohmann-Fast is currently in her 24th year of teaching instrumental music, the last 23 as Director of Bands at Pioneer Pleasant Vale School (OK). Sherri's bands have consistently earned Superior ratings in both concert and marching competitions. She is a member of OKMEA and OEA as well as a past member of Oklahoma Bandmaster's Association. Sherri resides in Enid, OK with her husband Paul, two children, Ethan and Riley, and their two cats, Tom and Penelope. |
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