March 8th, 2010;     9:30pm   by Mr. Glawe

Tonight, the Philharmonia and Concert Orchestras had an informal Showcase at Pioneer. In every district I have ever worked or lived in prior to A2, there has been some variation of this type of performance--informance--showcase, whatever you want to call it. When I got to Ann Arbor, I couldn't find it anywhere. Knowing how hard my Concert and Philharmonia orchestras work, I knew they needed an additional event during the lull between the December and May concerts. This year was the perfect time to give the showcase a test in Ann Arbor, and we did it very successfully this evening. 

Many students struggle to understand why we were performing for an audience when we were not fully prepared. I understand how hard this can be for students who have been pushed to be the highest level of achievers in everything they do all the time. There are no mistakes more amplified than a "raw" musical performance. However, our audience must be reminded that there is an educational value in everything we do. We are a class that has a curriculum. We have educational goals and there is detailed planning that goes into each goal. It takes weeks, sometimes months to prepare those 10 minutes of polished music. Since when is the product more important than the process?

For parents to see what we do from day to day is crucial to individual student improvement and group expectations. After seeing the showcase, parents have a sense of how their child should practice at home. There is nothing more valuable than that. Connecting the musical life at school to the life at home can only reinforce the student development. 

I want to thank everyone who came out to witness this first-ever event. By doing so, you are not only supporting the incredibly hardworking and talented students at Pioneer, but you are supporting music education as a strong curricular subject. 

February 19, 2010