43
Dobbins fourth-graders take the baton
Photo
Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Jacob Antil (right) acted as conductor during a visit from the Youngstown Symphony at Dobbins on Jan. 27.
Photo
Neighbors | Sarah Foor .The fourth-graders present at the Youngstown Symphony visit to Dobbins on Jan. 27 kept time with the tunes played by a string quartet of symphony musicians by waving their hands in a three-beat pattern.
Photo
Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Violinist Natalie Sahyoun explained the methods of conductors to a group of fourth-graders on Jan. 27. The musicians let the students wield the conductor's baton during the event and led them as they played.
By SARAH FOOR
During a visit from members of the Youngstown Symphony on Jan. 27, a group of Dobbins fourth-graders were responsible for wielding the conductor’s baton.
As part of an ongoing, year-long music program with the symphony, violinists Natalie Sahyoun and Mariana Szalaj, cellist Scott Burns and viola player Betsy Jones taught the students about the counts and rhythms in familiar pieces of music.
The team focused on exploring double beats, used in marches and polkas, and triple beats, often used in waltzes and minuets. Students were shown how conductors keep these beats with the movements of their hands and invited students to direct the quartet as they played selections from Mozart, Beethoven and Bach.
The musicians had praise for the students’ natural ability, but also had some pointers for fourth-graders Elaine Morlan and Sharyn DiMuzio.
“Match the music with your body and try to feel the rhythm really deeply. Also, don’t be shy. Conductors aren’t very shy people — they take charge and lead us with confidence,” explained Sahyoun.
Every fourth-grader had a chance to conduct the quartet and some students even had the musicians speed up or lower their volume depending on the movements of their hands and arms.
Sahyoun said learning music, whether it is playing an instrument or conducting a group, is akin to exercise.
“You don’t just pick up an instrument or a conductor’s baton and know exactly what you’re doing. You need to practice, build up your strength and learn a great deal before you master it,” she said.
At the close of their visit to Dobbins, the musicians said they were glad to hand over conductor’s responsibilities to the fourth-graders.
“Today, the students became an important part of the process and really interacted with the music, which really helps the subject come alive,” said Burns.