We are grateful for the sharing heart and efforts of Trish Alley, a dedicated friend of Lakeview School and the children of Greensboro.

Having a longstanding relationship with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra (VSO) and a lifelong love of classical music, Trish has been sharing her musical passion with the children of Greensboro since 1998! Through Trish’s earmarked donation to the VSO, Lakeview Elementary School benefits from an annual visit from the orchestra. Last year, the VSO presented "Brass and Physical Sciences." Here’s an excerpt from Trish’s blog describing the event:

“My favorite part of this concert was when each musician described how long the tube is on his instrument, the size of the bell, and how that influences its sound. The kids were asked if they play instruments. Not many do. Almost improv, one musician explained that you can make an instrument with things you can buy at a hardware store.

He just happened to have brought a precisely cut garden hose and a funnel. After assembling his horn, he showed the children how he buzzes his lips. A child raised his hand and said, “That sounds like a burp!” The scientist noted that it was a good observation. (It could have been worse.) The musician quickly played a short tune on his hose.

Each musician had a horn-specific hose and a funnel. When it was the trombonist’s turn, he explained that his hose was the longest and the widest to account for the slide on his horn. He unraveled his hose and asked the youngest kids in the front row on the floor to help. The children held onto the hose with both hands. The trombonist leaned over and played his tune. The kids’ eyes went wide, as they listened to and felt the harmonics. I laughed to myself that it takes a village to play a trombone. The trio played a piece together on their hose horns.”

We look forward to continuing to share the gifts of the VSO musicians with our students!