Case Study: Music Residency
Music Residency at the Coachman Community Center with teaching artist Matt Turk
65 children, 8-15 years of age
Eight half day sessions
Children at a local homeless shelter worked together to learn about and create music and song while enhancing positive peer interaction.
The residency will introduce, develop, and strengthen basic musical skills through song, rhythm, melody, and lyrics.
Children will learn to work together as well as gain self esteem and self confidence through music. Children will take pride in the project and the importance of responsibility will be reinforced. They will learn and sing songs in German, Arabic, Spanish, and Zulu and received knowledge of language, customs and traditions of various cultures to help them think globally.
The children will enjoy the process of singing, interact more positively with one another, gain self confidence and learn to perform in front of an audience.
This residency had a very positive outcome for the children and promoted a sense of personal fulfillment while improving group dynamics. They learned about the values of community as well as the importance of the group versus “I”. Through the different cultural music, students began to think globally. Through small tasks (such as passing out song sheets), the children became eager to help out and took ownership of the project making an effort to attend each week. Overall, the residency provided ways to think positively through the outlet of music.
In addition, the children received the opportunity to sing and perform with folk singer/songwriter Pete Seeger at the First Presbyterian Church in Dobbs Ferry for a celebration of Mr. Seeger’s new songbook.
