Teaching Elementary Students About the Gift of Music

The weeks of preparation and practice have come to an end and the performance date has arrived! I know my students are well-prepared to perform the songs they have worked on but there are many other things that I worry about:

Will they remember to wear their performance attire?

Will they be on time for the performance?

Will they giggle as they are walking up on the risers?

Will they talk between the music selections?

Will they keep their eyes focused on me while they are singing?

I worry about all the little details that come with performing with my elementary students.

I needed to come up with an illustration to help them see that a great performance isn’t only about the music itself, but also in how it is presented. And then I remembered that as performers, we are giving our audience a gift; a beautiful gift of music.

When I shared this with my students, I asked them, “How many of you have purchased a gift for someone special—a gift that you knew they were going to absolutely love?” I saw lots of hands go up, with lots of excited chatter! Obviously, they had done this! My next question for them was, “How did you wrap this special gift?” I received lots of good answers. Some said, “With pretty wrapping paper and a fancy bow!” Others said, “In a gift bag with lots of colorful tissue paper and ribbons!” I agreed, then asked, “Would you want to open a gift that was wrapped in a dirty, tattered, smelly, brown paper bag?” Obviously, I heard lots of groaning and negative comments when I suggested this. I pointed out that in order for us to properly present a “gift” that it needed to be wrapped in something special… something beautiful, and when it is, the receiver is excited to “open” it.

“What does this have to do with our concert performance,” my students asked. I explained to them that they are presenting their audience with something very special. They have worked for weeks, learning every detail of the music that they are getting ready to perform, and they are well-rehearsed. But, there’s one more detail that is vitally important in the gift that we are getting ready to shae, and that is… the wrapping! Part of the excitement of receiving a gift is seeing how the gift is wrapped. When you receive a gift that is wrapped with care, the excitement builds—you can’t wait to see what the gift is! It’s just like how they need to present themselves to their audience. Are you walking appropriately across the stage and onto the risers? Are you walking tall and quietly, smiling with the anticipation of performing? Are you keeping your eyes on the director? Are you quiet between the songs you are singing? Can your audience see the joy on your face as you share your gift? All of these things are part of an amazing musical experience for your audience, and you as the performer.

Make every concert is a memorable performance that your audience will never forget—because music is a gift!