The Darien Public Schools Music teachers met with Dr. Willie Ruff on August 27 to prepare to address the Spirituals curricular focus theme with their students.
In order to better prepare for the Music Department’s Curricular Focus theme for the 2015-16 on Spirituals, the Darien Music teachers engaged in a Professional Development session with Dr. Willie Ruff from Yale University on the historical context, origins and performance practices associated with spirituals. Dr. Ruff is a musician and scholar who teaches course in ethnomusicology, musical folklore and composition and has recently produced a television documentary on the early origins of spirituals and congregational line singing.
The teachers will be developing lessons and planning musical experiences for their students throughout the year and benefitted a great deal by their discussions with Dr. Ruff.