Music seeped from the auditorium on Mon-day, Jan. 19, as Ted Keller’s Science Fiction/Fantasy and Short Stories students played for a grade. Seniors Corey Hull, Ryan Brown, Kevin Paulus and junior Andrew Miller were among these students who opted to use their musical skills for extra credit for a semester project. The students who took this option wrote lyrics and music based upon the stories they read in class and were graded on their use of their literary knowledge in the songs — and not on the musical abilities or performance skills. Keller has offered this to previous classes, but these classes were the first ones to step up to the challenge. “I’m pleased that students took me up on that,” said Keller. “That was the first time anyone has done the project.” The students who participated in the performances found that using their musical abilities along with their lyrical skills helped them delve deeper into and have greater understanding of the stories that they read. “It was good for a semester project,” said senior Corey Hull. “It helped me dig deeper in the story because I don’t like to read the stories.” Many of the participants found the experience educational and enjoyed combining music and literature. “I love to perform,” said Miller. “I think it was a really good idea.” |
