Teachers Treat Pelham K-6 Students to Musical Performance

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On April 20, all elementary and sixth grade students in Pelham were treated to a special musical performance by the Pelham music faculty. The teachers formed an orchestra and toured the schools, performing an original theatrical and musical work. The piece was written by Rami Vamos, who is a music teacher at Hutchinson and Colonial schools.

The piece is called Schmutzinberry Discovers America. It features a character named Wolfgang Amadeus Schmutzinberry, played by Vamos, who learns about the rich history of American music while trying to compose a piece of his own. During the show, the teachers performed several important examples of American musical repertoire, including Clementine, Leonard Bernstein's America, Simple Gifts, You're a Grand Old Flag, and America the Beautiful. They also performed C Jam Blues by Duke Ellington, and Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode.

The repertoire and subject matter were chosen by the teachers during collaborative meetings. Their goal was to create a performance that was both entertaining and in line with the state learning standards. The teachers prepared the students for this experience by teaching the music and its history during music classes. During the performance, the students were engaged, as they sang along to the songs, and reacted to the antics of the characters, all played by the Pelham music teachers.

Ms. Marcia Bean, the elementary schools strings teacher, found the experience to be very valuable. “By generating thematic ideas together, we were able to tailor the music to our curriculum. The students get an interactive review of their music class material when they see their teachers performing,” she said. She also appreciated the collaborative aspect of the project. “It is a team-building opportunity for our department, which ultimately benefits the school experience of the children.”

This was the fourth such collaboration and tour. In 2004, the music teachers performed Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. In 2007, they did an original children’s work composed by a Pelham resident, Antonio Carlos DeFeo. In 2010, they performed another story with the Schmutzinberry character.

The orchestra included Mr. Nate Brinkman on trumpet and trombone, Mr. Campbell Whitford on trumpet, tuba and bass, Mr. Eric Katz on drums, banjo and xylophone, Dr. Michele Zanky and Mrs. Jennifer Delaney on violin, Ms. Bean on viola, Mrs. Maria Abeshouse on piano, and Mr. Vamos on guitar and percussion. Joining the music department was retired Pelham band teacher Mr. Eric Drucker on clarinet, Mrs. Paula Katz on cello, and Siwanoy principal Mrs. Susan Gilbert on French horn.