Let Their Voices Ring

More than 200 students at all three North Shore District 112 middle schools had the unique opportunity to participate in a choral celebration with renowned choral artist, Shanka Falls, through a partnership between the 112 Education Foundation and Ravinia Festival’s Reach*Teach*Play Education Programs.  On Friday, May 4, this musical experience culminated with a performance at Ravinia’s beautiful Bennett Gordon Hall. 

 Ms. Falls, a Ravinia Teaching Artist, spent time with each grade level at Edgewood,  Elm Place and Northwood schools to introduce the students to the rich tradition of gospel music, which spans from spirituals sung by African American slaves to today’s uplifting and joyful popular songs.  A classical vocalist and teacher, Ms. Falls is the director of the choral program at the Ravinia Lawndale Family Music School. 

Sixth-graders from the three schools performed The Drinking Gourd; seventh-graders performed Joyful, Joyful, and eighth-graders performed How Can I Keep From Singing.  All three grades joined together at the end for a rousing rendition of Freedom is Coming.

           The students first worked with their school choral teachers to learn the songs, and when Ms. Falls visited, her lessons with them focused on adding more emotion to their singing, along with discussing the historical significance of the songs and the style of singing.

“We’ve partnered with the 112 Education Foundation for more than 10 years to offer these extra musical experiences to the district’s students,” said Ravinia Festival Reach*Teach*Play Project Manager Isaac Sinnett. “Since the students have strong music education programs in their schools, we can direct our energies to enhancing that and creating an extra spark.”

The partnership between the Foundation and Ravinia brings musical performances to at least two of the district’s elementary schools each year on a rotating basis, and annually provides musical artists to work with all three middle schools.

Ravinia Festival hosts the annual Kids-Go-Classic concert where thousands of North Shore School District 112 students and their families are given free lawn passes to attend a summer afternoon concert by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  The date for that concert this year is July 29. To learn more about Ravinia's REACH*TEACH*PLAY Education Programs, visit http://ravinia.org/ and to learn more about the 112 Education Foundation, visit http://www.112foundation.com.