Music Appreciation Class, to some, may sound boring. In fact, a lot of the time, it is a means to an end in high school. You see, at Crookston High School, and most high schools, you must take an Art class to graduate. Maybe you are not artistic in the way you draw or paint. This is where a Music Appreciation Class can come into play for individuals who want to get the credits needed and move on.
Well, sometimes, a class that seems easy or boring or even just a means to an end can really be an adventure that you will be happy you took. Adrianne Winger teaches Music Appreciation at Crookston High School, and she makes it fun!
Today, the Music Appreciation Class put on their Elements of Music Final Presentation. There were two acts. Act One: Elements of Music. This was sort of a music PowerPoint put together by the class. Each student had a chance to come speak about Elements of Music. The class also performed with drumsticks, following the beat to a reading of the story Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss.
Act Two, Music a Performing Art, brought some amazing song selections to life in a way you wouldn’t expect. The class performed a boom-whacker arrangement of Crazy Train by Ozzy Osborne, followed by a Ukulele version of Country Roads (Take Me Home).
Next up was an arrangement for Recorders of Eye of the Tiger (from Rocky). The last performance of the program was a song titled Bread, composed by Mrs. Winger’s students Timothy Brule, Dylan Thode, and Isaiah Donarski.
The students were applauded by fellow students, parents, and faculty members who were there to support them. A Music Appreciation Class such as Mrs. Winger’s first-semester class can make a difference. Maybe a student will decide to pick up an instrument and start lessons, or maybe they will just have a deeper appreciation for music.
Why do some students take Music Appreciation Classes? “I am in the class because I needed an Art Class to graduate, and I’m not the best at art, and I don’t mind music, “says Senior Riley Helgeson. “Overall, the class was a lot of fun. I got to be with my friends, which made the class a lot of fun.”
That seemed to be the common tone when I talked to students. Sometimes, the unexpected can be a lot of fun. “I enjoyed the class; it was a lot of fun seeing people I didn’t really think I would hang out with,” says Senior Hunter Nicholas. “We got to play a lot of games, I enjoyed it a lot.”
I also learned from another student, Dylan Thode, that the Music Appreciation Class seemed easier than an art class, so he chose to take it. “I am in this class because art isn’t exactly my forte, and I figured this would be a little easier for me, and I needed the art credit to graduate for my senior year.” Dillon says he was surprised by some of the things he walked away with from this class. “I learned how to play the Ukulele, which I wasn’t expecting to learn how to play,” says Thode. “I had fun overall and got to screw around with friends while learning.”
