This past fall, Performing Arts faculty member Kristine Peters encountered more than the usual challenges of starting a new position; as the teacher of Lower School General Music, the Intermediate Program’s Choral Music, and Caroline’s Carolers, she faced pandemic safety limitations of an important classroom element: singing.

“We don’t sing, but we approximate singing by chanting with inflection, and whenever possible, I accompany them on the piano so they can hear melodic shapes and continue their Tuneful development,” said Peters. “We create sound stories, using instruments as sound effects to build the mood.” Having spent a decade studying under master music educators to understand how children learn, Peters draws on her extensive training to ensure her classes remain musically rich.

Her approach enables students to perform well-known works in new and interesting ways. “A wonderful book like Goin’ on a Bear Hunt is given new life when we add the vibraslap to sound like the slapping of mud, or jingle bells to represent snow,” she noted. “We use movement and body percussion to analyze form and bring meaning to iconic music. The gradual tempo increase of a popular-classical favorite like Grieg’s ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ becomes much more satisfying when one is tapping out an intricate routine of pats, snaps, claps, and stomps. With simple melodies as the foundation, we start with a simple rhythm (the steady beat kept on a bass xylophone or a short repeating pattern played on rhythm sticks); from there we layer on melodic fragments as developmentally appropriate and un-pitched percussion to add musical color.”

The resulting lessons have inspired students to expand their understanding and appreciation of music. “Whether it’s playing or singing in an ensemble, dancing to music at a wedding, or chanting at a ballgame, when we synchronize in a musical way, we are communicating in a way specific to humans,” Peters affirmed. “We activate an abundance of esprit de corps that honors the heart of the humans around us.”

by Amanda Murrell, Ashley Hall Director of College Counseling

“College Counseling at Ashley Hall is more than a student resource—it’s an area of significant emphasis woven into the school’s Upper School program. Beginning in 9th grade, students become active participants in the college search process and are offered unlimited one-on-one meetings and the chance to interact with many college representatives. As juniors, all girls meet regularly with Director of College Counseling Amanda Murrell, who works individually with each student on applications, essays, and scholarships and ensures the application process is not anxiety-filled. The result? Graduates who have a clear understanding of who they are and where they would like to attend school—and how to juggle the pressures of getting there.

“We miss having students sitting on the couch in our office and chatting. However, in terms of working individually with students, thanks to the wonders of technology, little has changed. My days are filled with Google Docs and Zoom meetings, but I can see the girls without masks when we meet, so that’s a plus for me! All our college visits also have been virtual this year, but we have been the beneficiary of some visits that we wouldn’t have had in the past because of travel limitations. We’ve had representatives from international schools schedule visits, as well as a greater number reaching out from schools in California. 

The greatest challenge for me is that many of our seniors have not been able to visit a lot of college campuses. Virtual tours and conversations with college representatives are useful, but our students are accustomed to being able to travel to see campuses in person. The silver lining is that the girls seem to be willing to look at schools that wouldn’t have been on their radar otherwise. They are attending virtual open houses and other online programming and learning about colleges that appeal for all of the right reasons, whether it is the mission of the school or academic opportunities.

The new building is a wonderful gathering place for everything student-related. Having Student Life and College Counseling under the same roof makes great sense because our worlds overlap so much. I look forward to having the café open and enjoying some time with our students in a relaxed, collegial atmosphere.”

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