Focus on TUSD - May 2007

Fort Lowell OMA Students Stage Japanese Operas
Viewers who prefer their operas short and sweet would have loved the first-grade productions at Fort Lowell Elementary School.

Not only did students in four classes star in the presentations, they also developed the story lines or followed a published story, and then wrote the lyrics and music from scratch.

And to make it even more challenging, they stuck to a Japanese theme, using costumes and backdrops unique to that culture.

TUSD's award-winning arts integration program, Opening Minds through the Arts (OMA) supervises these opera productions, now in their seventh year at 15 TUSD schools. Fort Lowell students also tapped the expertise and talents of Jacqueline Bland, their arts integrations specialist, who visited Japan last year as a Fulbright exchange teacher. (For more information about Bland, see the story in the November Focus.)

Robed in a floor-length, floral obi she brought from Japan, Bland perched on a stool in front of the stage at the production, providing sound effects with special instruments.

"The kids learned more about Japan than most people learn in a lifetime," she said after the performance. "This was the culmination of my trip to Japan."

When time was running out, Bland pitched in by composing several songs at home in an hour, seated at her piano. She said some of those pieces turned out to be her favorite tunes.

But it was the children who stole the show, outfitted in Japanese costumes and singing the tunes they'd composed. Nancy Reiter's class did "The Tale of Two Brothers," an adaptation of a story contrasting good and evil brothers. Jennifer Martin's and Marilyn Poissant's classes combined to produce "Moderation," the story of an obsessive prince who had no time for anything but his hobbies. And Nancy Rivera's class presented "A Tongue Cut Sparrow," a faithful rendition of a Japanese fairy tale by the same name.

Juan Aguirre, an OMA instructor, said children found it easier to learn the material because they wrote it and also because the music pieces were repeated and they had tapes for practicing. Both he and Michaela Johnson, the second member of the team, are professional opera singers and musicians. Chris Fresolone was the accompanist with the team.

Jan McSheffrey, a volunteer, brought costumes for one production, as well as personal items for props. Several classes decorated the cafeteria with original art work.

The stars of the show took their celebrity status in stride. Leslie Hernandez, the grandmother in "A Tongue Cut Sparrow," said she likes to sing, and her co-star, Allynnah Cook, who played the sparrow, said it was hard to learn the lines, but fun to be in the opera.

Susan Flit, a kindergarten teacher, said after the dress rehearsal she "was blown away by the performance," and was amazed at the talent her students from last year displayed.

OMA chose first-graders for the opera project because that is a level where students are working on language acquisition, said Dr. Joan Ashcraft, Director of Fine and Performing Arts. She said that students who have an OMA program in their schools have improved their standardized test scores in language and math.

-- By Sharon Dunham
Communications & Media Relations

TUSD - Proud Supporter of Small Classes

All photos in the May issue by Jes Ruvalcaba of Communications & Media Relations.

The deadline to submit material for the June Focus is Friday, June 8. The Focus will be published Monday, June 18. Email submissions to Chyrl Hill Lander or Sharon Dunham in the Communications & Media Relations Department or use the Focus Online Submission Form.