In Tune with Each Other: Kindergarteners Engage with Upper School

When teacher Monica Freely's kindergarten class was learning about jazz musician John Coltrane two years ago, the students became curious about the instrument he played. 

Freely reached out to Upper School band director Brad Ford, who happily provided a saxophone for further study. “Seeing the instrument up close fostered a lot of conversation and questions,” Freely said. “We asked Brad to organize an on-campus 'class trip' to the Kurtz Center.” 

And he did just that. A few weeks later, the kindergarteners marched over to the Kurtz Center for the Performing Arts, where they joined the Upper School Band rehearsing music from How to Train Your Dragon and a medley from Wicked. 

The young students also made a stop at rehearsals for the Quakers Dozen, one of Penn Charter's a capella groups, directed by Tony Yoo. Both younger and older students benefitted from this cross-divisional connection. 

“We wanted to give our younger students a glimpse of the performing arts program,” Yoo said, “but it's more than that. The Upper School students are able to highlight their best attributes and be excellent representatives for our community. Seeing QD standing among the kindergarteners and singing ‘As We Leave This Friendly Place’ highlighted the growth we can expect to see from our students." 

Now in the third year of this new tradition, Ford is eager to continue it. “Inviting our kindergarten students is a highlight of our band season,” he said. “My favorite part of the experience is watching the joy on the faces of all of the students in the room, especially when a kindergarten student gets to conduct the band on the podium.”