Live Music Returns to Madeira

After two long years of COVID-restricted performances and lessons, the Madeira Arts Department is thrilled to have brought live music back to the stage and classroom in both Glee and Chamber Orchestra. We have been able to fill the auditorium once again with our community to share music at multiple arts showcases including Winterfest, Winter Musical, Orchestra Assembly, and Springfest. Our two new directors, Jerien Okoh-Tisch (Director of Choral Music) and Jason Oestenstad (Director of Chamber Orchestra), are excited to share their passion and vision with the School.   

Rebuilding the Music Classroom

In both the Glee and Chamber Orchestra classrooms, students collaborated on making music and filling the auditorium with sound several evenings a week. Being in person allows the students to rebuild their performance skills and retrain their ears to harmonize and keep time with each other.  

And while being in person is best for live music learning, both Ms. Okoh-Tisch and Mr. Oestenstad still employ techniques and tools from pandemic teaching in their classes to keep curriculum innovative and current. In Chamber Orchestra, Mr. Oestenstad will be introducing a music technology module that allows students to create, record, and mix their own tracks as they learn about different styles and genres of music. In Glee, the students still rely on platforms like Flipgrid and WeVideo to receive individualized feedback from Ms. Okoh-Tisch, which she has found to be immensely helpful in assisting each student to hone their vocal strengths and contributions to the group. 

The Future of Music at Madeira

With two new directors, the music programs at Madeira are poised to grow and challenge our students to become stronger musicians, singers, and performers. In Glee, Ms. Okoh-Tisch is working to develop an engaging music theory curriculum to fit the Modular schedule as well as a musical theatre course for our passionate thespians. Additionally, both Chamber Orchestra and Glee have plans to collaborate and create multi-discipline performances with dance, theatre, and  visual arts. This year's annual orchestra assembly will transform into a music celebration that showcases our talented performers across both programs and even highlights some of the winter musical music. 

In the arts department we aim to take a “sky’s the limit” approach to developing programs and are excited to innovate and create. Mr. Oestenstad sums it up best:

Our program gives students opportunities to become creators, innovators, and leaders within the arts, and our faculty is dedicated to helping them get there. Arts at Madeira is a wonderful, safe, and inclusive space for girls to explore different mediums of artistic expression.

This article also appeared in the Winter 2023 issue of Madeira Today. Madeira Today is published for alums, parents, and friends of the School. To read the rest of the Winter 2023 issue, click here.

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