For the last few weeks, I've been helping out with a summer arts program called acGATEWAY. This Aiken County program headed by Mr. Joseph Laorenza is a program for elementary, middle, and high school students. The program offers five divisions of the arts: music, drama, dance, art, and creative writing. As a former student of the acGATEWAY program, I decided to return this year to visit a few of my former music teachers. One of the teachers who had been present for the premiere of my composition asked me if I could serve as a guest speaker for her conducting classes. About a month ago, I was honored to speak to all of the music students about conducting, composing, and what the life of being a musician is all about.
After that first visit back, I continued to return to the program every single day just to help out and be useful. Originally, I had come to talk about conducting an ensemble and from there it advanced to assisting and coaching the strings masterclass...and then I was asked to compose three fiddle parts for a country tune...and then I became the designated page turner for the accompanist in chorus! In the last few weeks, I've done everything from fixing flutes to tuning violas to setting up equipment and performance areas. Honestly, I enjoy helping out teachers and music students so that the school day run as smoothly as possible. People have asked me if I'm a teacher. Not really. Then that question is usually followed with the insinuation that I'm a student. Nope, I'm not that either. What am I then? Well, one teacher has dubbed me as an "intern" and I suppose you can say that I'm kinda in that category. I consider myself a volunteer who doesn't mind helping out in the slightest. The acGATEWAY program is all about improving your art and always striving for excellence. By helping out with the program, I must say I'm constantly learning something new each day. I'm learning how to be an good music director, how to play any stringed instrument you throw my direction, how to help young instrumentalists find their sound and be proud of the beautiful talents they possess. I look forward to this final week of the program, and I certainly look forward to the showcase performances of these young artists on Thursday of this week. For anyone interested, the showcase will be held at Kennedy Middle School on July 11th at 7 pm in the gym. That's all for now! Helping out again with Gateway tomorrow bright and early tomorrow morning! Stay tuned to my blogs ab
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AuthorKendall Driscoll is an accomplished writer/ musician/ artist/ academic scholar. Archives
May 2015
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