Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra’s Community Outreach Program School Visits Engage Students

In January the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra’s Community Outreach Program sponsored its annual visits to six of the District 205 elementary schools, one private school in Elmhurst, one school in Berkeley, one in Hillside, one in Northlake, one in Villa Park, two in Bensenville, and three in Lombard, performing for nearly 4000 school age children during the visits. Generous grants from the Target store in Villa Park and from Hinsdale Center for the Arts helped fund the programs.

This year’s ensembles were drawn from a percussion group from Elmhurst College, composed of Andrew Kolb, Michael Gasso, Maria DiVietro, Sarah Schultz, Michelle Morelli, and Bergen Juell Maurstad, under the direction of Robert F. Rummage, Percussion Director at the College.  Three members of the group performed at each school. They played drums from Africa, Brazil, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and Germany, and did some call and response clapping to engage the students.  There was a demonstration of percussion sounds to evoke a mood or to color music.  The performers also demonstrated keyboard percussion and compared it to piano.  Finally, the group played traditional band/orchestra excerpts.

In his comments to the student groups, Rummage drew a comparison between the natural, constant rhythm in each of us–our heartbeat, or pulse–and the pulse of music, a connection that made the percussion rhythms seem personal and alive.  The ensembles were enthusiastically received and developed a great rapport with the students, who interacted readily with the musicians and asked great questions.  One school principal commented, “Another outstanding experience for our children. Thank you and the members of the Percussion Ensemble for sharing their time and talents with our school.”  

The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra is committed to outreach and educational programs such as this to help audiences of tomorrow come to a better understanding and appreciation of music of all types.