Arts Learning

The design of this project ensures that music students, their school music teachers and concert audiences, Minneapolis Pops Orchestra musicians, and the Lake Harriet audience will experience music at a high level of artistry. Student musicians will demonstrate: increased technical skill and facility on their individual instruments, a greater level of understanding of the selected repertoire, including history, cultural background, and compositional construction, a clearer understanding of how to listen to each other and play together in a section (including a greater understanding of how unified bowings, breathing, and intonation work to improve the musical outcome) and will be able to evaluate their own performances as individuals and as an ensemble. Public school instrumental ensembles will perform with increased precision and musicality, and student and professional musicians will play a high quality, inspiring concert at Lake Harriet in July. Evaluation will be performed on several levels: Attendance will be taken at all coaching sessions, and a short evaluation sheet will be completed by each coach including detailing material and concepts covered, and progress made; Students will complete surveys with questions on topics including about communication and logistics, specific learning objectives, performance assessment, sectional leader evaluation, repertoire level and appeal; School music directors will assess skill building, increased musical understanding, and improvements in section playing. They will also evaluate sectional leaders and give feedback on how Kids Play can run more smoothly and be most valuable to their programs. Anecdotal responses and audience satisfaction will be recorded.