Photo credit: Foter.com / CC0
Good Morning!! We are in the home stretch ~ Wahoo!! Only a few more days…. we can do it!!
As concert dates are quickly approaching, I know how stressful things can get! So in this issue, I thought I would give you some ideas on how to involve the audience both before, during and after the concert. It isn’t only to create a fun environment that parents will enjoy, but it will also help to cut down on disruptions. Sometimes parents and guests aren’t always clear on how to act at a children’s concert, so if you keep them busy and/ or give them some guidelines that their children have written (for a class exercise, of course!) they are more likely to do what we need them to do! (sneaky, I know :-))
BEFORE:
- Have students ask their parents about the school concerts that they remember from their childhood. What songs did they sing? Did they have a favorite? Did they play an instrument or participate in a dance?
- Post some rehearsals on your website and put the link on the program so parents can see how far they have come! (ok, I should have probably mentioned this in early November…I apologize!)
- Kids come up with an audience behavior guide for concert program (posted as ~ NOTE: we have been learning about the proper way to sit through a concert and this is what we decided upon!)
DURING:
- A type of sing-a-long:
- Partner songs: Maria Witthoft Hare suggested ~ Rudolf and Frosty work together and Phyllis Horridge suggested Holly Jolly Christmas and Rudolf. I thank them both for their suggestions!!
- A holiday round
- Give audience movements to do through a familiar song or during the chorus of another
- Hand out instruments, such as Boomwhackers, hand drums, etc… for parents to keep a steady beat or to play a simple rhythm throughout the chorus
- Choose a couple of students to teach a mini lesson to parents that illustrates what they have been learning in your class (this is great for music advocacy, as well!)
AFTER:
- Give students a mini questionnaire to give to parents to see favorite songs, numbers, etc… throughout the concert
- Choose a student to write an article and have them interview attendees afterwards to hear others’ opinions