If you are interested in information about joining the Wendell Middle School band under the direction of Mrs. Catherine Slade, please visit their website at the following link: https://www.wmswolvesband.com/new-band-students.html
If you experienced the band presentation given by Mrs. Slade and her students, you can fill out the survey for the presentation at this link: Wendell Band Presentation Survey
If you are interested in information about joining the Neuse River Middle School band under the direction of Mr. Eric Van Cott, please click the following link to their website: Neuse River Band
Each year as we enter Black history month, I enjoy teaching students about music that gave African and African American slaves the hope to believe that one day they would be free, allowed Black Americans to create a sound so loud that the government could no longer ignore their cries for justice, and that continues to raise awareness about issues of racial inequality. This year I am pleased to share with the community the song "We Need a Rescue" by Tarsha Patriz of Greensboro, North Carolina. She is a singer, pianist, songwriter, and worship leader from the Piedmont-Triad area who is passionate about raising awareness about racial injustice to bring about societal change. I had the honor of providing piano accompaniment for this song and being a part of a mission to cry out against racism and discrimination.
Music played an important role during the American civil rights movement and continues to play an integral role in challenging systemic racism and oppression. As music educators and musicians, we have the potential to teach tolerance and appreciation for diversity. As you think about Black history this month, do not just think about the past, but think about what you can do to create a more fair and equitable society so that we do not repeat the horrors of the past as a nation. By striving to ensure equality for all people, we can begin to write narratives of Black experiences in which African Americans not only survive in the world, but thrive, thus creating a new Black history. I want to personally thank Tarsha for writing a song that continues the legacy of Dr. King and the American civil rights movement so that we can continue to make progress toward equality for people of all races. You can hear the song in the video below.
The music program wants to give a big thank you to Mrs. Amy Nichols for writing a grant to get new instruments for our music program. We have new tubano drums, boomwhackers, triangles, rhythm sticks, castanets, tambourines, cymbals, outdoor instruments, and more! The students at Forestville will definitely enjoy making music on these instruments. We are looking forward to starting the new year by playing on our new instruments!
