The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra hosted a Western New York Symposium for educators. WBFO’s Focus on Education reporter Eileen Buckley says the event feature a welcome and call to action from BPO Music Director JoAnn Falletta.
“They’re going to play together. They’re going to learn about how we make music and how young people can actually exercise their brains through music and become better at everything they do,” said Falletta.
Falletta encourages local educators to make sure arts remain at the top of their curriculums. The audience was made up of school administrators, superintendents, principals and some music educators from across the region.
“I know that our educators are brilliant people and they have very difficult decisions to make and sometimes they are working with limited resources. I just want them to realize at the top has to be the arts. That’s not what we put to the bottom and they will see the results in their students in everything they do,” explained Falletta.
The symposium started with a Druminar, developed by the BPO.
Educators actually try their hand at a percussion orchestra, providing them with a hands on exercise providing team building and learning what a student feels as they learn music.
“Many of them already understand what we are trying to help with and that’s the arts can create the full person. The full, young person who then learns discipline and respect and success. So I think it is just a continuation of what we already see in the schools,” said Falletta.
The symposium encouraged collaboration, diversity and communication and self-expression. They learned how music and playing an instrument benefits a student’s brain and learning. Educators also had a chance to exchange their ideas.