Maret Chorus Program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with PPs citing the effects of COVID on the perf arts. Kids who would have been joining their MS music program in 6th grade didn’t and some dropped their instrument when lessons went virtual. Most MS and esp HS level programs are still re-building.

Another factor is the increasing focus on sports. Money, time, attention go to sports over the arts. It’s a reflection of popular American culture: athlete worship and the money the coaches/managers/owners/players make starting in kids’ sports all the way through to prof leagues. Private schools are not only not above it, they are in whole hog from sports as an admissions hook even in sixth grade, recruiting, money spent on facilities, etc.

Uhhhh not at Maret

Are you kidding? They are spending tens of millions of dollars to build a field on a property they dont even own in Chevy Chase. You think they spend close to that on any of the arts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with PPs citing the effects of COVID on the perf arts. Kids who would have been joining their MS music program in 6th grade didn’t and some dropped their instrument when lessons went virtual. Most MS and esp HS level programs are still re-building.

Another factor is the increasing focus on sports. Money, time, attention go to sports over the arts. It’s a reflection of popular American culture: athlete worship and the money the coaches/managers/owners/players make starting in kids’ sports all the way through to prof leagues. Private schools are not only not above it, they are in whole hog from sports as an admissions hook even in sixth grade, recruiting, money spent on facilities, etc.

Uhhhh not at Maret

Are you kidding? They are spending tens of millions of dollars to build a field on a property they dont even own in Chevy Chase. You think they spend close to that on any of the arts?

That was definitely a terrible decision on the part of the former head and former athletic director. All the teams were doing fine without the fields

In the mean time the arts department had been ignored

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the OP...I think part of the issue is that the current cohort of upperclassmen were in middle school when COVID hit, and across many schools and probably the entire cohort, there is an overall decline in various school activities - sports, theater, arts, music, etc.

So I don't think this is solely a Maret thing, and hopefully it corrects over time as things "get back to normal"

This is the case at our school as well. I think COVID has a lot to do with the problem since these kids lost out on the early opportunities during the pandemic.

Many of us have kids who continued in music during covid. My kids were in virtual school for three years and kept up with music. Most kids who are good and enjoy it do it both in school and out of school in private music lessons and orchestra's.

[Anonymous]

The chair of the performing arts division is the choral lead in middle school and has decimated the program. The Lower School music teacher is amazing and Emily Park, the Band teach is as well. But the department is small and unhappy as are the kids in chorus. Hope the new head takes heed.

[Anonymous]

When we were a new family at Maret, we were advised by several current families to avoid chorus because of the middle school chorus director. Word on the street is the kids don’t like him and it’s not a fun experience. Agree the lower school music teacher and the band director are phenomenal. Probably why there are so many kids in band and almost no one in chorus.

[Anonymous]

To those who say kids switch going out has something to do with sports or Covid is missing OPs point: the chorus used to be wonderful at Maret and now only the lower school is any good.

Our child sang with the current middle school director. Our child is not a complainer. They make the best of things. They did one year of middle school chorus then quit. They said the class was not fun, really disliked the one-on-one singing tests, and just really didn’t enjoy the atmosphere.

My child never went back to chorus (they are an upperclassmen now.) It is sad how one individual can really ruin things. And because middle school chorus is so bad, kids don’t take it in upper school either. It’s so small now I almost wonder if there is any point to having it at all. It’s really sad, especially since lower school chorus is so magical. I wonder if she hates seeing so many of her kids quit. I would.

Signed,
Long-time family

[Anonymous]

I feel neutral about the choral program, but just wanted to pipe in and say my MS kid enjoys the chorus class. According to my kid, tests are done in groups, so no one is singled out. Personally, I think the song selections could be more relevant to kids to make it more interesting for them. (Example, the MS band playing Kate Bush's "Running Up that Hill" was pretty cool.)

[Anonymous]

Am I the only one surprised there are tests in MS Choir?

[Anonymous]

There is homework in US choir and grades. Add to the stress why don’t you

[Anonymous]

My kid is quite unhappy this year in MS chorus at Maret.

[Anonymous]

Not a Maret parent but this would make me very sad. My child loves to sing but it’s not her main activity. Having the opportunity for a positive chorus experience would be important for her, she would not want to switch to band to enjoy music.

[Anonymous]

What can parents and family members (aunt) do to help bring about positive change? Notify head of school?

[Anonymous]

Yes. The new Head of School is very open to parent feedback. This is a well-known problem among parents and faculty, and it affects the band program as well (the awesome band director needs an assistant if she’s going to have that many kids in band, for example). The new HoS should be made aware of the problem asap.

[Anonymous]

He was at the middle school concert. Maybe he already knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What can parents and family members (aunt) do to help bring about positive change? Notify head of school?

Naw, keep posting anonymously on DCUM. That'll bring about the change they want to see for sure.