Darien High School Students Connect To Black History Through Music

DARIEN, CT — Last week at Darien High School, students and staff were treated to an all-encompassing, interdisciplinary music performance that left a lasting impression.

DHS this year once again partnered with The Blues and Beyond (TB&B), a music and history program that teaches the story of African Americans from West Africa to present day through music, narration, video and photographs.

Students in 11th grade American history and 9th-12th ensemble music students attended the two-day event.

The performance touched on push and pull factors during the Great Migration in the 1900s, and what affected African Americans who were migrating from the south to the north.

The performers talked about what influenced the evolution of music then; for example how New Orleans Jazz moved up to Harlem, which then moved to Chicago. Students also learned about important musical figures of the times.

"Teaching history through the lens of music is a new path that we are using to reach the students of Connecticut," said TB&B founder Eric Finland in a news release.

"Having the students write their own song with the theme of social justice brings out many of the important social emotional learning aspects of education," he added.

Darien Public Schools Director of Music Colleen Thompson told Patch that faculty and students thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

"A few of the teachers said it was the best professional learning they had received, because it put a spotlight on Black musicians throughout the time periods of history that they're covering in their social studies classes. It was really engaging," Thompson said.

Intertwining musical performances with history and photographs was more impactful than just learning in a classroom setting, Thompson said. There was something for history and music students to come away with.

"It was so much more engaging to hear a piece of music, see information about it on the slide behind them, and then hear the musicians talk about the historical background of the piece," Thompson said. "We talk a lot about interdisciplinary learning, but it's tough to accomplish when we each have our own classes and our own syllabus and our own curriculum. To really do an authentic interdisciplinary program, it was really positive."

The performance also coincided with Black History Month. There are educational posters about Black history in the music department hallway leading up to the auditorium.

"The students from all disciplines are walking to the auditorium, seeing the posters, going into the auditorium, and hearing musicians perform. It all tied together," Thompson said.

During each day, lead vocalist and narrator from TB&B Adam Taylor led a "call and response" song titled "Every Day I Sing The Blues." Taylor would sing, and have the crowd respond back and forth. Thompson said it left the students energized.

"It got the kids up and moving," Thompson said. "Everyone was just on their feet moving and responding. It was just great to see the crowd activated. It was really high energy and really fun."

Along with Taylor and Finland, TB&B features Jason Prover on trumpet, Sam Raiderman on guitar, Alex Raderman on drums and Vanessa Parea on vocals. The group also performed in Greenwich last week, and is available for other performances and other curriculum connections.