Next Wednesday at 7:00 pm, Toledo School for the Arts GLASS CITY STEEL, a steel drum ensemble, will be in our sanctuary.
A wonderful thing about having an arts school in town is knowing that talent, kids, and dedication are being cultivated in the performing arts. There are many things that one can do to help enrich the budding desires of young musicians, like create ensembles for them to play in.
Musicians learn good communication skills working in groups, and when things go well, can take inspiration from their peers. If the students are dedicated and have a desire to do well, they also hold themselves and their peers accountable, and can do some really, super cool stuff!
In continuing to develop a good, hirable musician in the future, the next step is getting those ensembles to actually play for audiences. Giving young musicians opportunities to play as often as possible is imperative to their development. It helps to train focus in different, sometimes stressful environments, and being lead by a trusted advisor or teacher offers a safe space to learn to cope.. and succeed. Performing in and for your own school is a great first step, but the next is even better- to play in differing environments outside of school. And the cool thing about Toledo School for the Arts is they do exactly this- they get their kids gigs.
TSA has multiple different ensembles that you can hire to come and play; The Urban Jazz Collective, Glass City Steel, TSA Pop Combo, and Actors are just a few of these groups. You can check them out here for a full list of hirable groups.
We are delighted to be a part of their development, and to be an audience for their hard work and great music. Mark it down on your calendar- it’s a night you won’t want to miss!
Singing joyfully,
Chelsie