Santa Barbara Symphony Van Brings Sound of Music to Third-Graders

Mobile music classroom fuels band on the run — and a lot of fun

First-, second- and third-chair horn players practice hitting the high notes at Hollister School.
First-, second- and third-chair horn players practice hitting the high notes at Hollister School. (Lara Cooper / Noozhawk photo)

By Lara Cooper, Noozhawk Staff Writer | Published on 11.15.2009

  • E-mail
  • Print this page Print
  • Comments (2)
    • Share

Twenty third-graders at Hollister School recently got the chance to pluck, shake, blow and beat an array of instruments, all without fear of being shushed by nearby adults. All the noisy fun was sponsored by the Santa Barbara Symphony’s Music Van Mobile Classroom, which carries a handful of docents and dozens of instruments to local schools to help kids discover music in a hands-on way.

Article Image
Photo Slideshow

After laying out labeled woodwind, strings, brass and percussion instruments, docents ran through the basics of each, sometimes even playing it themselves and supplementing the others from a recording.

Professional cellist Claudia Vanderschraaf was also there and held the kids in rapt attention as she played several movements from Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Carnival of the Animals” and asked children to visualize what animals the melodies brought to mind.

The undisputed high point, however, came when the children were allowed to “play” the instruments themselves. Despite the din, the docents put up with the clamor and seem rewarded by the effort.

Chairwoman Mary Jane Cooper, who spent the day helping children learn about percussion instruments, has been with the Music Van almost a decade.

The project started in 1978 and is an effort of the Santa Barbara Symphony League, which programs all of the schools and musicians. Cooper coordinates all of the docents.

“Our main purpose is to bring the joy of music to the kids and to let them feel what it might be like to be in a symphony orchestra,” she said.

Every day over a span of 12 weeks, Cooper and her docents visit schools throughout the South Coast, Santa Ynez and Lompoc. The group tours in a donated van and all of the instruments the docents show the kids daily are donated, as well as maintained, by Nick Rail Music. Each instrument has four different sets of mouthpieces, which are sterilized between classes as well.

The program runs from mid-September to mid-December, a time period over which the Music Van sees about 2,000 third-graders.

Cooper says it’s an important time for the project because the children will probably select an instrument to play in fourth, fifth or sixth grade.

“This is a good chance for them to try out everything,” she said. “Most times, they just get to look at instruments if they even get to do that. To be able to handle them and actually try to blow a sound out of them is new to almost all the kids.

“They have a ball.”

— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Comments (2)

Post a Comment

Ground Rules for Posting Comments

Noozhawk's comments are moderated, but by posting here you accept your responsibility to follow our rules.
  1. No abusive, defamatory or libelous attacks.
  2. No vulgar or discriminatory language.
  3. If you do not follow these rules, we will remove your comment.
Noozhawk's intent is not to limit the discussion of our stories but to elevate it. Thank you for your respectful participation. Click here for our complete Terms of Use.

Name:

c

» Awesome wrote on 11.16.09 @ 08:54 AM

Such a great multi-media project!  A wonderful slice of life from our local schools, and joy to watch.  Do more like this!

» Mary Jane Cooper wrote on 11.17.09 @ 07:46 AM

Thank you, Noozhawk, for your great coverage of our Music Van project!  Just for the record…it is the Santa Barbara Symphony office staff who schedules the schools and the musicians, and this is not an easy job!

 

More Local News »

Margo Kline: Ensemble Theatre Company’s ‘Souvenir’ Warms the Heart

The touching but funny two-character play runs through Feb. 28 at the Alhecama Theatre

Noozhawk Talks: J.T. Turner Rolls Out New Film About Art, Mental Illness

His documentary, Crazy Art, which explores art and schizophrenia through the lives of three local artists, premieres this week at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Mark Brickley: Stars Share Songwriting Secrets

A few of the industry's top artists and producers gather at L.A.'s House of Blues to provide insight and advice

Country Duo Sugarland to Spice Up Santa Barbara Bowl

Tickets go on sale Feb. 13 for the April 25 concert

Gerald Carpenter: UCSB Musicians to Deliver ‘Valentine Serenade’

Faculty and students will present a special 'Hearts for the Arts' benefit performance on Saturday

Weather: Light Rain Fog/Mist 52.0º


© Malamute Ventures LLC 2007-2010 | ISSN No. 1947-6086

Web Design & Development by PixelFive