AUGUST 2015
SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWS & EVENTS
8
Meeting of the Musical Minds
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n Saturday, Aug. 29, all secondary music students and their band, orchestra, and chorus teachers convened at the school for the first APIS High School Music Retreat. The all-day event featured ensemble rehearsals and team-building exercises and was designed to foster a sense of teamwork within and between the different musical disciplines. "During this inaugural High School Music Retreat we hope to build our musical teams early in the year by participating in activities that foster an environment of support, musicianship, respect, and friendship through music. We aim to blur the lines that separate us; to become one cohesive team. A successful music ensemble needs not only to play or sing correct notes and rhythms, but to work together and strive for common goals. By participating in the High School Music Retreat, the music students and teachers will create goals for the upcoming year and begin working together." -Sophie Holbrook, band teacher and music department chair "Viewing music as an emotional and expressive endeavor, it is so important that we feel connected to and safe with one another. Our 9-12th grade students have the opportunity to breathe, move, and emote together as one organism. This intense experience focusing on music will help jumpstart our year — encouraging our student musicians to go full-speed toward truly united and vivid performances throughout the year." -Emmalee Johnson, orchestra teacher “Plato said, ‘Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.’ Using this quote as our motto for the High School Music Retreat, close to 90 students gathered on Aug. 29. We formed a community. Our community played and sang together; we shared food and conversation; we laughed and danced together. As the APIS music educators, we do not expect all of our students to major in music. We want our community of students to express music as a means for experiencing life. Saturday was the beginning of our 2015-2016 musical journey and the written notes on the page are beginning to take flight!” -Melinda Baum, chorus teacher
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