The Kennedy Center sits just across the Potomac from our neighborhood, a building that everyone recognizes, but very few of our neighbors have ever entered. It is huge, beautiful, and provides a free program each evening at 6:00pm. Over the course of three evening field trips in March, our students listened to an opera soloist, multiple classical pianists, and a jazz choir.
They learned classical concert etiquette such as when to applaud, when to enter and exit a show, and how to communicate with ushers – all brand new experiences for many of our kids. They were stretched in their ability to sit still, listen to something they didn’t always understand or enjoy, and many were surprised by how much they enjoyed something completely new and different. We were pleasantly surprised by just how well our students did in this new, formal setting, and we hope to return in the future.
This month, in April, our students begin experimenting with percussion instruments. We are blessed to have Evan Pollock, a Restoration Anglican Church member and professional drummer, join us to teach our students to listen together and work as a team as they learn new instruments and beats.
As Evan states on his website, ExperienceDrums.com, “I feel that teaching is one of the reasons why I’ve been put on the planet. I love sharing information with people from all walks of life. I think that next to loving God and my family, teaching is what I’m most passionate about.”
Please pray for our students during this new series of lessons. Pray that they would be open to trying new things and learning everything Evan has to teach them in four short weeks.
– Rachel