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I became involved in ACDA right out of college, my dear mentor and friend Germán Aguilar got me involved. I was blown away by the vast wealth of knowledge I learned in my first conferences. I felt like I got so much information I wasn’t ready to implement until I was running my own choral program, and that many college programs can’t possibly be expected to cover. In my first year teaching I met many incredible teachers who took me under their wings from established college directors to other first year teachers. Ten plus years later, I have become a much better teacher by being a member of ACDA, but more than that I’ve met a community of people who would love mountains to help me and I would for them, too! To me “I am ACDA” means to continually grow in my own teaching, all while trying to lift others up by sharing in fellowship and best practices. (Wow that sounds really ed-speak but I mean it!). What I am excited about right now is my choir has saved and fundraised for the last few years, and we are so excited to be participating in the Pacific Basin Music Festival in Honolulu this coming March after our first out of state choir tour was cancelled in April of 2020! 
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At our last concert, I wanted to feature more Eastern music, so I challenged myself by programing an Arabic piece and a Polynesian piece among others. The Arabic Piece, El Helwa-Di, was daunting because it has multiple stanzas in Arabic. I contacted a former student who is Egyptian and fluent in that particular dialect of Arabic to help us with the text by making audio recordings of the pronunciation.  It’s been exciting watching the students gain confidence in themselves since the return. They are so joyful to be here and singing with each other. They are re-learning how to socialize and it’s inspiring to see new friendships emerging. Watching them connect with each other and the music these past few months is what matters. There are so many challenges to overcome this year. The goal in all of my classes is to have fun, reconnect, and allow students to feel comfortable singing without the anxiety of making mistakes. We wanted to have the students perform in as many events as possible (concerts, festivals, community events, etc) to expose them to a community that was shut down for so long.  My favorite thing about returning to in person instruction is the realization of how much my students and I truly love music, and the companionship we feel on our adventure! Something inspiring I'm doing with my students is that my Chamber Choir is touring 8 of our K-(6) 8 schools and spreading the beauty of our art. I especially love conducting Indodana! A soothing and moving piece of music.  Coming back to in-person teaching after the pandemic has been one of the most joy filled, yet challenging experiences I’ve seen in my decade in this position. I wanted to incorporate fresh new ideas to get my students to just BE NORMAL again, while still honoring the challenges they have faced and considering their strengths and needs.  |
Molly PetersChoral Director, Rancho Pico Junior High & West Ranch High School Archives
November 2023
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