We’re done. 2024 is a wrap. No more “wake-ups.” You get the gist of this post. Most students and teachers are rejoicing that they are done with their academic tasks until they return to their schools in January. That is, with the exception of grades that need to be calculated but those can be taken care of in front of a roaring fire while wearing comfortable clothing. The question remains: Why do we cherish our vacation time as much as we do?
Speaking for myself, I just need to recharge. I love what I do and the people I do it with. Teaching music students in grades 6 through 12 and directing a thriving theatre program keeps me on my toes. It also starts to wear me down, especially during December. Two staged productions followed by a Christmas Concert is never boring. It is always challenging only because I am constantly on the quest for repertoire and scripts that will challenge my students to be and do their best.
Performing Arts educators live a unique life that is frequently difficult to explain to people “outside the fold.” Composer Randall Standridge recently posted:
The moment I read it, I felt as if I had finally found a clear explanation. Successful habits…that is what I want my students to develop while honing their skills as musicians, actors, and theatre techies. Then, I thought about the 2014 film Whiplash. I’ve never seen the entire film. When my students ask to watch it, I refuse to show it. Why, you ask? Simply put, one clip just set my teeth on edge and reminded me of horror stories (heard and experienced) of teachers and colleagues who embodied the teaching strategies of Fletcher https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV8SSs_JfBo. I know about the stresses that evolve the closer we get to concerts and opening nights. As Standridge stated, our product is on view for everyone to experience and judge. We want our product to be the best possible representation of the collaborative work put forth by us and our students.
As I look back on the fall semester and especially, the last few weeks, I know that my students are as spent as I am. It has been a very rich semester. My 6th and 7th-graders staged a comedy in the style of film noir that made us wish we had performed it at least two more times. I highly recommend Victoria Sayegh’s Farmageddon and the Undercover Crop.
My upper-level thespians brought us to The Barricade with their presentation of Tim Kelly’s Les Miserables. Kelly’s adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic was a wonderful challenge for these students. This cast and crew outdid themselves with each successive performance.
Our Christmas Concert brought out the best in these students as they performed and also listened to the other groups in our department. The upper level musicians had the chance to remember what they were like just a few years earlier. The younger ones got a glimpse of what they could achieve.
As I write this, I can look back at life in our classroom and on our stage since September. My students and I stretched our artistry, grew as a community, and did what we were supposed to do…gift our audiences with our talents. And now, it is “time to vacate.” I wish everyone a peaceful, happy, and healthy holiday season with the prospect of a safe 2025.
peace,
Nan
NotesByNan 