Community Outreach and Education

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

June 2015: Honoring Teachers at Next! A Preview of What's to Come

At our June 2015 concert, Next! A Preview of What's to Come, we again recognized outstanding educators who go above and beyond their classroom assignments to provide music education in public schools.

Kate Scanlon Double

Kate Ivanjack

Kate Scanlon Double calls Kester Avenue/Kester Magnet Elementary one of the most beautiful and multicultural schools in the LAUSD. Kester is a California Distinguished school recognized by the state for the high achievement of its students. “We are so proud of our brand new Kester Glee Club, which Ms. Susan Luker and Ms. Kate Ivanjack began this school year. Under their expert and enthusiastic direction, the students have given two concerts and performed at fairs and during holiday celebrations throughout their first year. We are blessed to offer students a nurturing environment in which to grow and explore their vocal talents. If you get a chance to listen to them, take it!”

Ha Thu Trinh

“ Ha Thu Trinh was born in Saigon, Vietnam and has worked at Kester Avenue Elementary School for about 18 years. She has taught various levels from second to fifth grade. She truly enjoys introducing simple musical instruments such as a recorder to these youngsters because at an elementary level they are more willing to try new things. This is a means of self-expression and a way to develop better coordination and fine motor skills. It can also teach them discipline since they have to set a time out of each day to practice, practice, practice. It instills in them the importance of focus and dedication. It helps them to set goals and gives them a sense of accomplishment when they master a note or a song. In addition, learning how to read music helps to improve students’ science and math grades because it enhances their abstract reasoning skills needed for learning these subjects. She also guides her students in playing guitar. It starts with guitars tuned Hawaiian style in Open-G tuning to allow children to strum over the open strings and sing right away. Everyone succeeds from the beginning and no practice is necessary. The activities and lessons in this class are designed to stimulate children’s musical creativity. The students approach the instrument percussively and artistically, inviting experimentation, exploration, discovery, and improvisation.

Kate Ivanjack has been a teacher with Los Angeles Unified School District for 15 years and a singer her whole life. She received her BA in Music from UC Davis, and has sung regionally and professionally in many choral groups over the years, including the Hollywood Master Chorale, and the De Angelis Vocal Ensemble. For the past 6 years, Ms. Ivanjack has been teaching first grade at Kester Elementary School, Working with her colleague Susan Luker, on their own time, they have created an after school choral group for third, fourth, and fifth grade students called “Kester Glee.” Its mission is to provide a chance for interested students to learn some fundamentals of music and vocal technique, with an emphasis on performance. No audition is required, just a commitment to the group and a desire to sing. Ms. Ivanjack believes that music is an integral part of any educational experience, and is thrilled with the amazing musical and emotional student outcomes she has seen this year. She is excited to continue this program into future years.

Susan Luker

Susan Luker is a first grade teacher at Kester Elementary School. She joined first-grade colleague Kate Ivanjack in forming a new performing group, “Kester Glee” for upper-grade students at Kester. “When Kate asked me if I would do this with her, I felt as if she must be able to see right through me, as if I were wearing a sign that said Ask Me To Start a Choir! These students just needed an invitation, and they jumped in with both feet.” Mrs. Luker provides piano accompaniment for rehearsals and performances, and looks forward to their 1-hour weekly rehearsal. “I’m doing it because I’m grateful to my own childhood music teachers who gave me the gift of music. I wouldn’t be who I am today without those teachers who patiently taught me day in and day out. Thanks!”

December 2014: Honoring Teachers Making Music

At our December 2014 concert, An American Christmas, the Angeles Chorale was proud to honor the following four outstanding Los Angeles educators who, in addition to their regular classroom responsibilities, find creative ways to include music in their classrooms and in after-school programs.

Nancy Gesshel

Bryan Littlefield

Nancy Gesshel teaches fourth grade at Fernangeles Elementary School in Sun Valley. She plays piano, flute and oboe, and music has always been an important part of her life. Her students do not have an opportunity to take music lessons, and Nancy teaches them the recorder, and how to reach music, in the hopes it will spark an interest in music or uncover a student's hidden talent. Nancy also uses music to teach her students the difficult fraction concepts in the fourth grade math curriculum.

Cat Van der Heiden

I am very honored to be recognized by the Angeles Chorale for my work in the classroom. Research has shown that children who actively participate in music lessons in school will be positively affected for the rest of their lives. I teach at a high poverty elementary school and unfortunately - like most LAUSD district schools - the music program at my school has been cut dramatically. Only a few students participate in music activities for an hour each week. Since music has always played a very important part in my life, I am comfortable teaching music on a regular basis in my classroom. We sing songs and dance to folklore music, and every year my class performs a musical for the whole school. I hope that providing my students with these music experiences will help them become creative, sensitive, well-rounded individuals.

Bryan Littlefield has been teaching at Fullbright Elementary School for 18 years. Bryan became involved in the chorus program because he knows how important music education is to each and every single child. After working with the after school chorus program for over ten years, Bryan has watched the program increase in size from 30 to well over 80 students. Bryan is so dedicated to bringing music to the children that he has donated 8 guitars to the Little Kids Rock program at Fullbright. Bryan's greatest reward is watching the children sing their hearts out during the final Spring concert.

Francisco Aguilar

Francisco Aguilar has been teaching at Fullbright Elementary School for 12 years. Francisco became involved with the chorus program during his first year teaching when the previous chorus director discovered that he was a music education major. The next year, Francisco took over the program with help from Bryan Littlefield. Once a week for an hour after school, over 80 students meet in the auditorium for chorus rehearsal. Just last year, Francisco has become involved in a program called Little Kids Rock. Through this program he is now able to teach guitar, bass, keyboard and drums to an additional 20 students per week. Francisco believes that every child needs to be exposed to music.

September 2014: Justin Carr Wants World Peace Foundation

Our September 2014 concert, Unbridled Joy: An Evening of Gospel and More! paid tribute to the memory and legacy of Justin Carr, a young renaissance man who died suddenly at the age of 16 from an undiagnosed heart condition called idipoathic hypertrophic cardio myopathy.

The Justin Carr Wants World Peace Foundation has been set up to realize Justin's dreams, to provide opportunities for students in the visual and performing arts and to bring awareness to childhood heart disease.

See the video of the KCAL 9 CBS News Los Angeles report on the performance.