For the Annual Winter Program this past December the eighth grade worked with Billy Goodrum, acclaimed composer and musician, to create a totally unique originally composed song. In songwriting workshops students composed the melody and rhythm as well as wrote their very own lyrics, like the beautiful chorus: “Let the love shine through, it’s a chain reaction; spread the love and take some action.” The grounded rhythm combined with the wise lyrics make for a heart opening and catchy song. Thank you, Billy, for your help in guiding our students’ natural creativity into musical form.
Billy Goodrum, acclaimed composer and musician, as well as long-time Rainbow parent, worked with the seventh grade to create an originally written and composed song for last year’s Winter Program. In intensive song writing workshops, Billy first worked with the seventh graders to write a collaborative chorus that could serve as the songs steady heartbeat. Students thrived in their creative process as they gained the skills to express their truth through song ultimately agreeing on the title, “Love is Action”.
Teachers and staff gathered together to sing the final song of our Winter Program. After a night of love made visible by the the children’s heart-centered creativity and authentic expression, this cumulating song genuinely expressed our response to what we had seen that night. Musical Director, Sue Ford, in collaboration with the classroom teachers and parents had helped our students to create an entire show of originally written songs on the theme of love. As teachers and staff we were blown away by what our students had accomplished and were truly “full of love” that night.
“And just when you think you’ve got things figured out things change again…” The sixth graders share this powerful wisdom about the transformational power of love through their original song “Love as Metamorphosis”. The melody and rhythm of the song parallel the powerful lyrics as they describe the ever unfolding process of love. The sixth grade worked closely with their teacher, Justin Pilla, to create entirely new composition and lyrics for last year’s Annual Winter Program. Steeped in the emotional, spiritual, and creative domains, these sixth graders have created something beyond the material that can touch us all if we are open enough to receiving it.
Our Winter Program featured many beautiful originally composed songs, but “Animal Love” was the only one written by a particularly student. 5th grader Lilly Fox was inspired to write “Animal Love” when she learned that the Winter Program’s theme would be Love this year. More touching still is the way her classmates rallied around her and her song. As one of our smallest classes here at Rainbow, the 5th grade has continued to astonish us with their tender support and committed love of each other.
