Last week, on a particularly nice day, my son and I were driving down the road, windows down and music blaring. All of a sudden, Huey Lewis's song Hip to Be Square came across the speakers. Knowing we were listing to his playlist, I asked him, "How did THIS song get on your playlist?" Brayden responded, "I heard it from your playlist and loved it, so I downloaded it."
Hmmm... He learned it from me.
Brayden hasn't seen Back to the Future, or it's the sequel. He does not listen to 80's retro channels or even like bands with horn sections. Had it not been for me, this song and the artist would be dead to him. Unbeknownst to me, I kept Huey's music alive for another generation. That's the NEWS, and you are welcome, Huey (see what I did there?).
The passing of the musical torch happens every day in cars, houses, and backyards. It's not limited to humans; it occurs in nature as well, but with much more severe consequences.
In Australia, a critically endangered songbird species (regent honeyeater) are dwindling because there are not enough males to teach the younger birds the tunes they need for courtship. The birds are still singing, as making music is a part of their DNA. They just aren't singing the right song, and it could lead to their extinction.
A recent study surmised that "As the population of the regent honeyeater plummeted, some young birds could no longer find older ones to teach them to sing. As a result, the birds have failed to learn the songs they need for courtship and other evolutionary business."
This right of passage is as true in your classroom as it is in nature.
Every day, consciously or not, you expose your students to music that they would otherwise likely never hear. Wagner, Holst, Bernstein, and Ellington are all dependent on you to keep their music alive. They wrote the notes and rhythms, but you are their voice and bring their music to life. You are the caretaker of our nation's and world's musical legacy. You are the protectorate of our humanity.
But much like the songbird, our legacy is in danger.
If only for one year, the Pandemic has altered how we create and share music with our students. Our students cannot always play music in ways they are accustomed to, which makes internalizing and understanding the particular beauty or nuance of a piece difficult. They cannot experience how they can express themselves via the notes on the page.
But that does not make it any less critical. In fact, in COVID times, it might be more critical than ever.
Perhaps this week, you could take a few minutes and share your favorite work or composer. Share some history, what it is you like about it, and how it makes you feel. Be the caretaker for that composer and ensure that much like the regent honeyeater, we keep their song and our species alive.
For the record, this is my song. Not just because I loved the composer, but because in teaching this piece, I learned how to teach.