During the annual Integration Week of the Music in Education programme, first- and second-year students had the opportunity to collaborate intensively. This year’s project week centred around the theme of silence – a challenging starting point that led to a unique performance for a special audience: children with physical or mental disabilities at the Adelante Child Centre in St. Gerlach.
The concept is clear: second-year students create an interactive performance within three days and then teach it to the first-years. On Friday, the first-year students perform the piece. “We didn’t just play music – we also acted. Learning to create an artistic product in such a short time made it both exciting and educational,” says Lene Kroon, Music in Education student.
Collaboration between the year groups is essential during this week. “We as students were allowed to set everything up ourselves – from the rehearsals to communication with the school,” Lene explains. The week begins with the second-year students performing the piece at a public primary school in Eijsden, giving the first-years a clear idea of the concept and what they’ll be working on. After that, the first-years start working on the script and their assigned roles, delving deeper into the content of the performance. Throughout the week, rehearsals take place both in small groups and with the full cast. Each day ends with a reflection session to share highlights and points for improvement.
On Thursday, the second-years visit Adelante to deliver preparatory lessons, introducing the children to the songs and elements they’ll later see in the performance. “It was special to work with a group I hadn’t encountered before,” says Lene. “It requires a different way of communicating, a different pace, and much more awareness of non-verbal cues.”
The performance on Friday was the highlight of the week. “The children were so enthusiastic – that made it all worthwhile.” At the same time, the week was intense. “Each day was filled with new impressions. And sometimes things didn’t go as planned during the actual performance, even though rehearsals had gone well. That took some adjusting.”
What makes this week different from other projects in the Music in Education programme is the strong emphasis on student independence. Teachers consciously take a step back to let students take the lead. “Only Bart Verhagen was closely involved. The rest we did entirely on our own – and I found that very valuable,” says Lene.
Integration Week offers students a wide range of learning experiences – from working under time pressure to creating an artistic project with social impact. “In a future career where lessons and projects often have to come together quickly, these are important skills. What I’ll take with me most is the importance of flexibility and strong communication, qualities I know I’ll need in the professional field.”
