Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Band Fest

The school where I have been substitute teaching this fall offers a Rock Band class as part of its curriculum. When I first learned of it I immediately thought of Jack Black and his fantastic antics in the movie, School of Rock. Yesterday afternoon, here at school as part of an annual tradition, the Rock Band classes (two high school bands, one middle school) each played a set of songs they'd learned this semester. A production company was hired, they assembled a stage along with an above-average sound system. There, underneath the sun's full scale lighting (sorry, no blue gels here), I got a glimpse into what makes some of these students really tick, what makes them bloom. I loved every second of that privilege.

It was a wonder to witness students, a few of whom I have slowly become acquainted with during my three months here, reflect the interior passions which rarely, if ever, get uncorked in the more rigid academic setting where many of them struggle mightily. For once, it was nice to exit "my" world, and enter theirs.

I especially appreciated the accurate version of "Sweet Child o' Mine". Yes, that's Guns-n-Roses, ye fans of old.

No comments: