🪘🎸 The sounds of African drumming and smooth guitar riffs filled the Charles D. Owen Middle School auditorium last week as the LEAF Kono Band from LEAF Global Arts visited to give students a great musical experience.
LEAF teaching artists Andre Lassalle, Adama Dembele, and Nick Hope shared their skills and culture with seventh grade students in a presentation facilitated by Owen Middle orchestra teacher Matthew Kinne. The artists covered the regional backgrounds of their different instruments and brought students Mollie Ferguson, Brie Sudnik, and Kaya Hassler onto the stage.
“When we have an experience like this, it is fun and helpful, because we get to learn about different cultures and the role that music has in them,” said Mollie, who played djembe with the band. “I think it is inspiring to us in our strings' class, and even to people who do not play music in school.”
Mr. Kinne echoed her sentiments and pointed out that some otherwise shy students really find an outlet for expression through music.
“Exposing students to music and people from different parts of the world is always exciting,” he said. “As a music teacher, I love the opportunities for my students to actually play along with guest musicians, and try something that is out of their comfort zone, musically. In the moment of listening and clapping along it was a lot easier for the students to jump up on stage with the group.”