Elementor Page #745
This unedited, three-minute video shows 5th-8th graders at LoveWorks Academy for the Arts in Minneapolis, MN, playing a pan arrangement of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” during week 3 of a 5-week residency. The only adult playing in this video is the Pan Outreach director on the drum kit. The students were very proud of how they sounded after only a couple of weeks playing steel drums!
LoveWorks is a K-8 school focused on preparing students to attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities. LoveWorks did not have a music specialist on staff at the time of our residency. Like many public schools, LoveWorks is struggling to replace teachers in an environment of high burnout for educators during and after the pandemic.
Pan Outreach adheres to Minnesota’s music education standards, and their teaching artists are excellent. The program gave our students an excellent grounding in the fundamentals of percussion. We were able to have Pan Outreach serve as a core music offereing during a time when we didn’t have a music teacher on staff.”
-Deondre’ Carter, LoveWorks Administrator, Pan Outreach Host, 2023
This one-minute video shows guest educator David Yundi as he teaches the high school students of Lakeville South. A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Yundi helped students refine their mallet technique while sharing stories about Caribbean steel pan culture. Students were “wowed” when Yundi performed an improvised solo on double seconds.
At the time of filming, David Yundi was pursuing a master’s degree in steel pan studies at Northern Illinois University. Under the direction of renowned performer Liam Teague, the steel pan studies program at NIU is one of the most respected in the world. Since 2020, Pan Outreach has provided NIU master’s candidates with paid opportunities to hone their instructional skills as guest educators for our high school residencies.
Pan Outreach adheres to Minnesota’s music education standards, and their teaching artists are excellent. The program gave our students an excellent grounding in the fundamentals of percussion. We were able to have Pan Outreach serve as a core music offereing during a time when we didn’t have a music teacher on staff.”
-Deondre’ Carter, LoveWorks Administrator, Pan Outreach Host, 2023
In this 28-second video clip, teaching artists Lance Pollonais and Jeremy Kunkel get the wiggles out with 2nd graders at LoveWorks Academy for the Arts. Students are learning the dance for “Funga Alafia“, a Nigerian welcome song. Our teaching artists gear their instruction to the students’ age, giving younger students time to move their bodies and transition into the Pan classroom before moving over to the steel drums to begin playing their parts to “Funga Alafia” on the instruments.
Pan Outreach adheres to Minnesota’s music education standards, and their teaching artists are excellent. The program gave our students an excellent grounding in the fundamentals of percussion. We were able to have Pan Outreach serve as a core music offereing during a time when we didn’t have a music teacher on staff.”
-Deondre’ Carter, LoveWorks Administrator, Pan Outreach Host, 2023
In this clip, second graders learn the fundamentals of rhythm on cello pans at Whittier Elementary School in Minneapolis, MN. Pan Outreach Director Jeremy Kunkel calls out the rhythm and host teacher Kristin Bennett points to the next notes in the scale exercise. Student Abdirahim (back of the cello line) takes joyful dance breaks at the beginning and end of the exercise. The ability to move with the music makes playing pans attractive to students of all ages.
Pan Outreach adheres to Minnesota’s music education standards, and their teaching artists are excellent. The program gave our students an excellent grounding in the fundamentals of percussion. We were able to have Pan Outreach serve as a core music offereing during a time when we didn’t have a music teacher on staff.”
-Deondre’ Carter, LoveWorks Administrator, Pan Outreach Host, 2023
Upon completion of our two-part continuing-ed course on steel pans, Pan Outreach Director Jeremy Kunkel leads Whittier Elementary teachers in a performance of “Baby Shark.” This professional development course is offered for free to the staff of our Title I host schools. To Mr. Kunkel’s right is school custodian James Likely, who, intrigued by the sound of steel drums emanating from the music room, participated in the course. To Mr. Likely’s right is project partner Tara Finne, district-wide music coordinator for Minneapolis Public Schools.
Pan Outreach adheres to Minnesota’s music education standards, and their teaching artists are excellent. The program gave our students an excellent grounding in the fundamentals of percussion. We were able to have Pan Outreach serve as a core music offereing during a time when we didn’t have a music teacher on staff.”
-Deondre’ Carter, LoveWorks Administrator, Pan Outreach Host, 2023