Minnesota Youth Symphony ~

Another fun and unique learning experience the girls were a part of
was playing with the higher orchestra from my school
in collaboration with the Minnesota Youth Symphony.  It was an
honor that Susie invited the girls, and an honor for the students from 
St. Paul Music Academy -- it was quite the day!!

That morning all of the kids participated in different music stations,
where they listened to the older students play a variety of instruments
and were then given the opportunity to play them themselves.   

That afternoon the students from the youth symphony
played a few songs for us, then they all practiced a few 
select songs together.

The younger kids learned so much from watching and playing
with the older kids.  It was learning at its best -- active and hands-on!!

The day ended with all of the kids playing the two songs they
had been practicing together, led by the youth symphony conductor.
It was exciting sitting in the audience listening to how all of these kids worked together to play some pretty challenging songs -- to see the older kids be such incredible
role-models and so helpful and encouraging, and to see the younger
kids stretch their own skills and shine a little more brightly because
of what they were a part of.

What a fantastic opportunity -- it was the neatest collaboration ever!!