Music, Social Responsibility and Schools

Describing his relationship with music and students as a young musician, conductor, teacher and Principal, Sean Della Vedova reveals how playing in a band or singing in a choir can impact a student's behaviour at school. Mr. Della Vedova reflects on his own circuitous path playing rock music and the solace he found in musical engagement. Growing up is often not without its challenges and for Mr. Della Vedova, music became a constructive means of channeling his passions and frustrations. After the murder of a British Columbia teenager in 1997, a variety of social responsibility initiatives emerged; Mr. Della Vedova depicts his own unsuccessful attempts to use these ideas. Music, Social Responsibility and Schools features the voices of young musicians as they attempt to negotiate the complex context of middle school. Music and classroom teachers are also featured with their insights on student behaviour and their role in the development of social responsibility. Interviews with students and teachers and an examination of data relating to student behaviour create a compelling argument as to why the arts are a critical aspect of any successful school.