David Z. Kushner (University of Florida), piano
Ralph Bunche Middle School, Atlanta, Georgia
September 25, 2008
The recital was presented to middle school-aged students from the Ralph Bunche Middle School.
The project's purpose was to introduce middle school children to a wide variety of piano works and composers through a lecture recital. Under their teachers’ instruction, the students prepared for the recital in advance. The repertoire was chosen from a wide variety of composers and styles. Mr. Kushner commented on each piece he performed, and the recital was followed by an exchange of questions and answers. The event was set in an informal, non-threatening environment. As they entered the venue, the students knew what to expect. The students engaged in active listening and their response was positive. Two students' quotes follow: “Chopin was a cool cat.” “Bach was productive.....he wrote a lot of music and he had a lot of kids.”
