Lima Symphony Orchestra Andrew Crust teaches percussion to children Saturday morning alongside percussionists at the Lima public Library.
Precious Grundy | The Lima News
LIMA — A roomful of children and their parents made a beat to the drum provided by Maestro Andrew Crust. Music with the Maestro is an event orchestrated by the Lima Symphony held at the Lima Public Library. The one-hour class taught children how to have fun with percussion instruments.
“Today was all about rhythm and percussion,” said Crust. “Every time we come to the library it is a different group. It could be a string quartet or a woodwind quartet. All a part of the Lima Symphony. It is all percussion. They learned how to actually play some instruments today.”
He also said the children learned the history of the instruments and some science as well. As the maestro introduced the children to different instruments, they learned how the instruments were created and what part of the world they originated.
Crust taught the class that drums were made of the skin of animals. He also said the skin is stretched over the top of the drum to create the instrument. Children learned the specific drum that was played throughout the class was made in West Africa to create rhythms for dancing.
The goal of the classes is to not only show children different instruments but engaging them in practice.
“Music participation is the most important thing,” said Crust. “It is not just about listening but learning to actually play an instrument. On top of that, to see a professional musician up close and personal in an intimate setting performing is good. That kind of modeling is important. The kids get a chance to do it themselves. It is great to like music but performing it at any level is even more important.”
The maestro for the Lima Symphony chooses the music for each season and the artists the orchestra performs with.
“I program all of the season,” said Crust. “I choose the music, the guest artists and the soloists that we are going to work with. I conduct most of the performances, not all of them. Sometimes we have guest conductors. I also help carry a lot of our educational offerings like today. We also do Healing Through Music, which is at the hospital in the mental health ward.”
Reach Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
