By Jennifer Brumbalow, Imagine Discovery Public Charter School music teacher

In my experience as the music teacher at Imagine Discovery Public Charter School, a Young Audiences artist-in-residence program is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for teachers, the school community, and students. The in-depth program, which includes a series of sessions with a Young Audiences professional teaching artist, benefits students in ways you cannot imagine, including building self-esteem, developing critical thinking skills, and instilling a love for new cultures and art forms. It makes your school’s existing music or arts program stronger as your students take ownership of their own education.

Imagine Discovery was awarded a Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) Arts in Education Artist-in-Residence grant thanks to the grant writing assistance and expertise provided by Young Audiences in November 2012. The grant helped us fund a steel drum residency with Young Audiences artist and steel drum musician Kevin Martin. To kick off the program, Kevin performed an inspiring assembly to teach all students about Calypso music.

Our goals for this residency were to educate students about a new culture and expose them to a new type of instrument not traditionally used in our school. We hoped students would develop an awareness and appreciation for the steel drum and a desire to play and listen to Calypso music.To prepare for Kevin’s residency, our students studied the history and evolution of the steel drum since its invention in Trinidad.

During the course of several weeks, third-grade students worked with myself and Kevin during five sessions. Kevin helped students learn to play six Calypso songs on the steel drum. Kevin also taught students about the various types of steel drums—which he makes himself—as well as other indigenous instruments of Trinidad. Kevin covered the history of Calypso music which traces back to the traditional “talking drums” of Africa.

Some of the most rewarding and exciting skills that the students gained during this residency were how to improvise to music and take pride in their work as they practiced—which took both hard work and patience. Pairs of students were assigned to each drum and learned to collaborate to prepare for the culminating performance of the residency.

As a conclusion to the residency, the third-grade students performed during a school assembly in November. Parents, staff, community members, and students were invited to attend this special performance. Some students overcame their stage fright and performance anxiety to experience the value of sharing a new-found skill with their parents, classmates, and community. It was amazing to see the deep personal connection that some of our students had to the music since they have parents or family members who are from, or live in, the Caribbean. This gave them a sense of pride in having their heritage represented in a positive and meaningful way.

As an arts teacher and the primary music teacher at Imagine Discovery, I feel that our parents and community showed an outpouring of support for the arts and this residency because of music’s power to touch each person’s life in a profound and personal way. Music and the arts can transcend all social, economic, and cultural barriers individuals may face.

A heartfelt thanks to the amazing third-grade teachers at Imagine Discovery who showed support and enthusiasm by encouraging their students during each step of the residency. They participated in all sessions and activities and provided critical help and feedback to myself and Kevin during classroom instruction. The continued support of the Imagine Discovery administrative team made this residency a greater success for teachers and students. Thank you to Imagine Discovery’s PTA who matched funds with our Maryland State Arts Council grant to make sure this educational privilege could come to our school. Our students would not have been able to participate without the generous financial support of our PTA and its members.

Young Audiences can help your school apply for a MSAC grant to bring a program just like this to your school. Learn more about our grant funding opportunities here.