Thanks so much to Josanna Justine for sharing her experience with Kitchen Party Concerts in this blog. It's super to tap into the thoughts and insights from Teach Music 21C members. Thanks Josanna!
Last year at a wedding reception – that beautifully awkward gathering of strangers, connected only because we know some of the same people – the DJ played Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Without direction, we all ended up on the dance floor in a circle, and sang together at the top of our lungs, playing our air guitars and head banging appropriately. For 5 minutes and 55 seconds, it was as if we’d known each other all our lives and it is likely to remain one of my favourite memories.
Got The Magic Power of Music in Me - Hopefully we have all experienced something like this at some point in our lives: perhaps singing in the car or around the campfire with friends, carols around the piano, or a rousing chorus at the pub or a hockey game. Why do these moments stay with us? Essentially, we are human, and we are at our best when we are connected. That post-wedding car conversation inspired a pursuit of music that captures the feeling of belonging and the beauty of the imperfect, but that also offers opportunity for unlimited growth in skill and experimentation with music.
All the Best Parties End in The Kitchen - In order to provide a means and space for this kind of music to take place in my studio, I draw on the simplicity of the common East-Coast Kitchen Party. It is taking a little while to get the pieces in place, but as with any long-term vision, the foundation comes first: establishing a common set of songs, ranging in difficulty, making allowance for beginners as well as highly-seasoned players, and a healthy environment in which to try out new skills. The same process applies to jazz standards, celtic sessions, and front porches around the world. In classical music, the Suzuki Method uses group classes to the same effect.
That the Powerful Playlist Goes On - The draw of a Kitchen Party is that it brings together a diverse, multi-leveled, multi-instrumental group of students and their families. Places like that are few and far between. And I don’t have to worry about being polished and perfect, because although there’s infinite room for building skill, the actual goal is inclusion and connection. My studio’s next recital will begin with the students showcasing their work, but will end in a potluck and all of us playing the songs we’ve been prepping since September, complete with singalong songbooks.
When I reflect upon my own music journey and how my students might be engaging in music 20 years from now, my hope is that perhaps it becomes one of the ‘playlists’ they carry with them, ready to share as they make their way in the world.
Quote credits: “Piano Man” by Billy Joel, “Magic Power” by Triumph, and “O Me! O Life!” by Walt Whitman