On Saturday, December 3rd, Potomac Violin Teaching Artists Claire Allen and Rachel McAleer took over 20 young violinists ages 5-15 to Sunrise Assisted Living home near George Mason University. The students performed holiday carols both as small ensembles and as a large violin ensemble, led by their teachers. After the recitals, the students greeted the residents, thanked them for hosting the recital, and wished them happy holidays.
Music lessons generally focus on mastering the technical challenges of the instrument or voice, learning the nuances of rhythm, harmony, and melody, and learning to present one’s skills in public. Miss Allen and Miss McAleer wanted to take musical education to the next level with their students. During a conversation about shared feelings of helplessness and a desire to put something good into the world in response to the many tragedies and difficult political situations happening in the past year, they decided integrate community outreach and connection with others into the many lessons they teach their students.
Sunrise Assisted Living residents and staff alike expressed their gratitude for the performance, and the parents of the performers were grateful for this meaningful experience for their children. The teachers were encouraged by their students’ response to the performance.
Miss McAleer stated, “It’s such a great experience for our students to share their talents with the community. So often, we musicians are too focused on improving our skills that we lose sight of the main purpose of music. At the end of the day, we play music to connect with the community. With our instruments, we inspire to enlighten spirits and soothe souls.”
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