Music teacher Allison Devereux speaks to parents and audience at Dranesville Elementary School during the February evening Strings Concert. Ryan Dunn
”It was a great evening for the kids,” said Seth Lovern. His daughter, Alexis, a fourth grade student at Dranesville Elementary School had just completed an evening string concert at the school cafeteria. “Her mom plays the violin, so she [Alexis] wanted to play the viola to be different.”
“I am very impressed,” said Lindsay Harris, a first grade teacher at Dranesville Elementary School and mother to a fourth grade student Emma Harris. Emma played on a violin in the concert. The string concert consisted of fourth and fifth grade students, with a showcase of the fifth grade students. The event was led by music teacher Allison Devereux who started teaching in Fairfax County in 2008, and is the strings teacher at Dranesville Elementary
The concert featured approximately 45 students who preformed basic string songs including “Seminole Chant,” “Olympic High Jump” and “Teeter Totter.”
“We had the students teach the parents the D major scale so they could show how music activates all aspects of the brain,” said Devereux. “Strings begin in the fourth grade in Dranesville Elementary, so I wanted to show the parents what we are learning, even if it is 45 minutes a week.”
On Feb. 25, students from Dranesville Elementary will participate in the Pyramid Chorus Concert on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at Herndon High School. To learn more about Dranesville Elementary School, visit www.fcps.edu/DranesvilleES/.