As thousands of people mulled about in the Kennedy Center’s Grand Foyer last week, craning their necks to see what was happening on the Millennium Stage, Tank Merchant was trying to keep cool. The fourth-grade towhead kept his eyes on the xylophone in front of him, looking up only to see director Wes McCune’s hand signals. He gripped the mallet with skill and precision, delivering a performance that was broadcast worldwide on the Kennedy Center’s Web site and preserved for posterity in its archive.
By the time students from John Adams Elementary School got through 10 selections — a full half hour of music — the students had completed the west-end school’s fourth performance at the prestigious Kennedy Center. And they didn’t even break a sweat.
"I was just trying to concentrate on making music," said Tank, who has been part of Adams’s Orff Ensemble for the past two months. "I wasn’t nervous."
"I was," interrupted Eric Williamson, a fourth-grade student who has been playing in the ensemble for two years. "Especially when I looked out at the audience and saw all those people."
THE ORFF ENSEMBLE is the brainchild of Wes McCune, who has taught music at Adams since 1989. A native of Aledo, Ill., McCune taught music at the college level and high school level before finding his calling in life at John Adams Elementary School. Named for Carl Orff, the 20th-century composer who created a system of teaching music to children, the ensemble combines movement, singing, playing and improvisation into a rich tapestry of moods and grooves.
"When I started teaching elementary school students, I discovered the joy of what open minds are all about," said McCune after the Kennedy Center performance. "They can learn so much so quickly."
When he arrived in the music room 18 years ago, McCune found broken instruments, scratched vinyl LPs and textbooks from 1968. After dedicating himself to the task of raising money for the music program and began soliciting the parent-teacher association, the Kiwanis and school division’s central administration. Last year, an Ohio woman donated $25,000 to the Orff Ensemble when she heard about its innovative techniques of teaching music to underprivileged kids.
"I was so impressed with the dedication and hard work of Wes McCune over so many years and the results he has achieved that I felt I wanted to be part of this program that enriches the lives of so many children," said Beverly Rawles, who heard about the program through McCune’s sister, who lives in Columbus.
THE ORFF ENSEMBLE is a group of students in grades three, four and five who meet every day before school. Its members represent a wide range of socio-economic, academic and ethnic backgrounds. Established in 1995, the program has an average membership of 20 students. Last week’s performance at the Kennedy Center included all 21 of this year’s ensemble members.
"Being part of this program improves their outlook," said McCune. "And it’s something that every child be successful at in the first minute so they feel like they are part of the music-making experience."
Student selection in the group is based on the recommendations of the music department, classroom teachers and referrals from psychologists, social workers and guidance counselors. The group’s repertoire includes folk music, classical compositions and improvised pieces. The children perform on pitched instruments, such as xylophones, metallophones and glockenspiels, as well as a huge assortment of non-pitched instruments — African drums, tambourines, wood blocks, triangles and cymbals.
The ensemble performs frequently at school and in the community for civic organizations, retirement homes, school events, international events and telethons. In 2006, the ensemble was awarded a grant for establishing the Janice Baker Cook Fund for Music. One of the biggest honors bestowed upon the ensemble was its selection to be part of the inaugural performance of the Millennium Stage back in 1997, when Adams students played with the Billy Taylor trio and legendary guitarist Charlie Byrd.
"That was a little overwhelming," said McCune, recalling the 1997 performance. "But totally unforgettable."