Instrument Night 2003

Choices and Sweet Noises

Musical Moment Video by the Clarke College Multimedia Lab under the direction of Gary Olsen

ubuque Schools, for nearly 10 years now, has introduced fourth graders to their musical instruments during an annual ritual involving parents as well as budding instrumentalists. The event has become a fall right of passage called "Instrument Night." Music teachers from throughout the district gather in one place (Senior High's Music Department), and a parade of parents with their fourth graders in tow (and actually the other way around), show up to try out instruments. The event is held on more than one night since there are so many who attend. They fill out the necessary paperwork, and follow the signs in the hallways to woodwinds, brass, percussion, strings, and families are greeted with enthusiasm by teachers with an eye for talent. "Let's see those lips!" "Hold up your hand... let me measure..." "Hold the bow lightly..."

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Another tradition is taking shape. At neighboring Clarke College, this was the second year for the Basic Audio Video Class that is taught evenings by the Dubuque Schools' Webmaster and an instructor at Clarke, Gary Olsen. Last year, Gary took his entire class of students to Instrument Night to video tape the event, and it was a smashing success... so successful they did it again this year.

"The students operating the cameras are like the young musicians they are photographing in many ways," explains Olsen. "They may be holding a particular camera or a microphone for the first time, and now they must try it out, perform a little, and see what they like."

Clarke students are behind and in front of the cameras on this program, and the results are quite remarkable if not downright entertaining.