Aileen Vance
 
News/Schedule

June, 2008--Planet Banjo!

Dear friends,

I thought you might appreciate these photos and story.  These are photos from a second grade class I've been working with all year.  Many of the kids in this class have never played a musical instrument of any kind or heard any music other than popular recorded music from commercial radio stations or iPODs.  Some of them also have extensive vocabularies of pretty foul or violent language that they have picked up from listening to commercial rap or hip hop or violent TV/movies.  A few of them are what the school system calls "Special Ed" and have extreme difficulty focusing or controlling their bodies or mouths during the day; a 30 minute music session is very challenging for them.  What I would normally cover in a year's time with this age group I could only do about half of with this particular group, due to the diverse amount of abilities, behaviors and personalities.

Despite my reluctance to do so, the students heard that I like to do a banjo making project  with classes --what I call "Planet Banjo!"  They were  all very motivated to convince me they should do it, too.  They helped organize the gathering of supplies and pestered me every time they thought I might have forgotten to pick up something for the banjo kits or were afraid I hadn't scheduled it into their time.  They learned the song by Tom Chapin & John Forbes "This Pretty Planet"  and actually were able to sing it in a 2-part round (an accomplishment for any 2nd grade class).  I was certain when I brought in the first phase of the banjo kit that it would not go down very well (I was imagining poked eyes and smashed banjo heads).  Boy, was I wrong.

From the moment I showed the students photos of the Earth from outer space and talked about mixed media for decorating their "pretty planet" banjo heads, they were hooked and full of ideas.  The next session, when I came to begin the next step (gluing up frets on paint stick banjo necks), what I saw blew me away: each student had really looked at those photos of the Earth from space and each had made a unique banjo body that truly reflected their scientific observations.  the fine motor skill required to glue frets, and stretch rubber band strings over paint sticks required persistence for some, but all persisted.  They picked out different colors of banjo straps from my stash of leftover yarn and eagerly awaited the following day when the glue up of the necks would happen and they could finally play their banjos.                                          

"Planet Banjo Day" was a huge success and lots of fun, as you can see from the photos.
What struck me when I looked at the all photos of this project was this:  most of these kids are sophisticated enough and worldly enough--some even somewhat cynical already (like my own son Willie who is also in this class :-))--- to know that these banjos are not "real banjos;"  they are made from paper plates and paint sticks and glue and toothpicks fergodsakes.  But they completely gave themselves over to their imaginations and allowed themselves to create, imagine and play these instruments, all the while excitedly observing how each one sounded different,  enjoying fully the magical play involved, the percussiveness, the unique plinky plunkiness, the joy .    When one girl cried because her banjo neck had broken off at the end of our final session, I felt both sad for her and overjoyed that such a humble handmade object could engender such care.   I was so proud of all the students. 

When I look at the photos, I see hope for the world.  I also see the challenge this hope poses to me: turn off the TV and the violent movies and help them take back their imaginations and their creativity.  They've got tons of ideas, tons of enthusiasm--try to continue finding ways to help them to use it.  And, of course, I did have one other thought:  a  "Make banjos, not war"  bumper sticker!

If you would like to book one of my children's programs, a concert or workshop or be informed of upcoming appearances,  e-mail me now.  Click on the  biography link for more press/booking info.   Thanks for visiting me here in cyberspace and carry it on.  

Yours in song,
Aileen

           banjo making 2005 guitar box band project 2004
Schedule--2008-2009

updates still in progress--more coming soon..please check back! 

Friday, Oct 17-am	private school program-Let's Sing Together!	Santa Cruz
Thursday, Nov 20-7:15pm	Oxfam "Fast for a World Harvest" fundraiser-leading singing with the Santa Cruz Peace Chorale	Soquel, CA	for more info
Saturday, Dec 6-afternoon-time tbc	Human Rights Awareness Day-w/ Santa Cruz Peace Chorale	Center & Laurel Sts, Santa Cruz	for more info
Tuesday, Dec 16-7pm	WILPF Annual Holday Party w/ Santa Cruz Peace Chorale	Friends Meeting House/220 Rooney st/Santa Cruz	for more info
**Sept 29-Dec 1-6:30-7:45pm	"Revolution in 4-Part Harmony!" South African style  choral singing	pre-enrollment req.	for more info
Sept-May-2008-2009	"Let's Sing Together/Cantemos Juntos!"	curriculum-based elementary school music programs: reading, literacy,  self-esteem, social studies, science, nature, ecology, & arts standards, plus music findamentals and instrument building	to book one for your school: click this link now
March 15, 2009-time TBC	Song of Peace event	Santa Cruz	watch for location & time
May 1st--7 pm tbc-tentative	w/ Santa Cruz Peace Chorale	Del Mar Theater-S.C.	watch for location & time
May 16-7:30pm	"Many Voices, One Land: Songs of Peace & Justice in the American Tradition"	Mount Calvary Lutheran Church-Soquel	watch for info & time
Sept-June-2008-09	"Gathering Round"	rounds, chants & simple choir singing workshops for kids & adults	To book one for your conference or school: click this link now
Sept-June 2008-2009	vocal workshops & private lessons	find your voice, your spirit & your power in song	Contact us for rates and more info: click this link now

 

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e-mail us:   Aileen Vance is represented in the US by:  Avenida Music/avandlt@cruzio.com/831-477-0961 Representation in the UK by: The Bechhofer Agency 54 Barnton Park View, Edinburgh, Scotland EH4 6HH 031-339-4083