I give kudos to Columbia County Middle School band director Katie Bennett and chorus director Phillip Streetman for putting on a brilliant middle-school musical concert May 14 at the school.
It was gratifying that this magnificent concert paid tribute to the Motown sound. The theme was "50 Years of Motown." For me to have witnessed this extraordinary musical event was absolutely mesmerizing and amazing. This musical concert captivated my mind, body and soul with its great melodic and harmonic tunes from the yesteryear of Motown.
Motown's founder and creator, Berry Gordy, would have been overjoyed in knowing that young, talented and gifted individuals have been captivated by his musical genius to perform renditions of superbly written and composed musical lyrics known as the Motown sound.
The Columbia County public school officials place an extremely high priority upon its fine-arts curriculum because they know that pupils who participate in school fine-arts programs perform highly on standardized tests. Now it's clear to me why this school system considers its fine-arts curriculum to be significant because it gives pupils an advantage. Of course, this is why I observed an extremely large number of pupils performing in the band and chorus.
Mrs. Hattie Copeland, my former seventh-grade music teacher, once wrote on the chalkboard the quote "Music can tame the savage breast. To soften rocks, or bend the knotted oak." Of course, she was extremely serious, sincere and adamant about her pupils being exposed and involved with excellent and quality music because she knew the positive effects that music played in developing pupils in an intellectual and mature manner.
Therefore, I know that Ms. Bennett and Mr. Streetman understand these same concepts as they continue to use music to produce the best pupils for our American society.
E. Maner
Augusta
Comments
A great LTE, E. Maner. And, to the readers, please remember that the term "fine-art" refers to all of the arts, not just to music. I am sorry I missed the obviously fine concert performance of the Columbia County Middle School students, under the direction of band director Katie Bennett and chorus director Phillip Streetman. My loss, sad to say. GGpap
CCBOE places an extremely high importance on fine arts? when positions are cut regularly? when performing arts are sacrificed at the expense of creating classes to "balance" the exploratory periods (balance being defined as a place to put bodies who can't all be in P.E. at once)? please - i appreciate your love of the arts, mr. maner, but don't blame CCBOE officials for the success in these schools. the teachers and students - with more than generous support from parents - make these programs highly successful DESPITE the worst efforts from the board of education officials.
"Music can tame the Savage Breast"???? That must have been the name of a female punk rock band....lol
Is bone for real or what? Art and Music are offered in every school in CC. Each elementary has music atleast twice a week. The middle schools have chorus and band. Same with the high schools. The problem is the students are not taking these classes because they are required to take so much other stuff- stuff required to graduate. There are not enough hours in the school day to take everything. I can assure those like bone that there are quality programs in all of schools and they are there because the BOE allows them to be there- not because they get state funding for them. I believe the elementary art/music teachers are all locally funded or partial funded. Are there art and music teachers in RC schools?
wise ole man. yes he -bone- is for real. do you really know what goes on behind closed doors?? the art programs are the least of the BOE's worries. they remain there simply because of the numbers and the parents' interest. other than that, they would be on the next list of items to be cut. the power lies in the parents' outcry.. .. do not be so naive as to think the BOE is fighting for the arts to remain an integral part of your childrens' lives.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
