performing arts, creating tangible commemorations of 2020. Though nothing can replace a live performance or the magic of working in collaboration, these experiences help keep the arts in the forefront of people’s minds.
music and art, learning folk ballads passed down through the generations in Western North Carolina. They then shared these works with their parents, some of whom were delighted to connect to their own ancestral ties to the region with their children.
With live performances on hold, there has been an emphasis on music literacy skills, music history, music technology and music theory, with a strong focus on social-emotional learning.
“Our kids are starved for beauty and creativity more than ever,” one parent noted. Maegan Dauphinais, music teacher at West Buncombe Elementary, expertly summed up teaching during a pandemic. “It’s learning how to enjoy the journey, its struggles, its highs and lows,” she said. “These are going to be valuable lessons for my students.”
“I’ve seen students interact with each other in ways I have never seen before, and it has been incredible to witness firsthand how music can connect a group of people, no matter the circumstance,” shared Enka High School chorus teacher Sydney Bryant.
This is what a resilient arts program looks like. Despite the challenges, students are creating, problem-solving, appreciating the arts, and collaborating with others — even if it’s not always face-to-face. When we are one day back together again, the experience will be all the more powerful.
From home or socially distanced classrooms, students traveled on virtual field trips, participated in virtual theatre festivals — some with help from the Wortham Center — and experienced music from various countries, time periods and parts of the world. At Oakley Elementary, students studied Appalachian
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Photo still by Cheryl Lewis
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