Concert found poetry

So last night I attended the CSU Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band concert. I love music (this is the second semester since the sixth grade that I haven't been in the band) but sometimes I struggle to sit completely still in concerts when I'm listening. It makes my mind soar and I become crazy creative, so I think that my problem stems from all of my creative whatevers being stimulated. Usually, I bring some paper and draw or write poems as the inspiration hits me. Last night, while going through my usual concert-attending regimen, I was reading through the descriptions of all the pieces and composers. Suddenly, I was hit with a truck of thought that made me think...if we can do found poetry with primary source documents, why not with anything? So...I tried it, and I think it came out super super well.

Here is one from Percy Granger (a composer...1882-1962...super fascinating and weird if you want to look him up) write up...

Australia's
Sensational pianist
Innovation and experimentation
WWII outbreak
toured and promoted
folk music

The following is from a Concerto For Bassoon by Gordon Jacob (1895-1984)

Bounding Bassoon
Beautiful
Sustained
Suspending movement
quick and different
thick, crisp melodies
burst
ENTHUSIASM

The last one is from Gustav Holst's (1874-1934) First Suite in Eb (which, as a side note is one of my favorite pieces of all time - I got to play this horn solo for an honor band I was in sophomore year in high school. I really great to like it a lot and it is definitely worth listening to you ... as are the planets if you haven't yet listened to that)

Holst
Composer and Friend
Leading cornerstone of thrilling style
Played exceptionally
Variation on wind
Lyrics and themes
British Music

So, what the heck does this have to do with history? Well, a few things. First of all I think it is really important that music is shared with students in the history classroom. I may have said it before...but students understand music. As soon as they can get their ipod in their ears, they're all about it, constantly sharing things with their friends, etc. If we want to connect with our students, we need to find things that connect to them. Although they may not be into classical music, this may help them paint a picture of the past in their minds which is very important when it comes to them actually understanding history.

Secondly - I think that it shows that found poetry can be 'found' almost anywhere. These bios of pieces and composers were short...two or less paragraphs, but they reflect the ideas presented in the paragraphs. I really think that the more times students engage in activities such as this, the more they will be able to understand the material.


I am really attracted to all of the ways we've learned to bring poetry into the history classroom. Part of it, I think, is because I think it is 'new' and not something that I've ever done with history before. The other part is that I've been writing poems of various forms since I was in fourth grade - so it is something that feels comfortable to me, and I like mixing my love of history with the love I feel for poetry.