Although Irene Gilchriese recently joined the Green Music Center Board of Advisors, her passion for education and music has been intertwined with the Green Music Center for the past seven years.
Irene was an elementary school teacher at Loma Vista Immersion Academy in Petaluma, when she began a partnership with the Green Music Center. She recalls when she was an audience member in Weill Hall for the first time, entranced alongside her elementary school students as they attended a performance by Wild Up. She then became an SSU student in pursuit of her graduate degree, and decided to write her master’s thesis on the Green Music Center and its partnerships with public schools.
Catalyzed by Loma Vista’s partnership with the Green Music Center, she has also performed in both Weill and Schroeder Hall with Play Marimba!’s youth ensembles. Since becoming involved with this partnership, marimba has become a primary source of joy, inspiration, and connection in her life. Irene now works at five schools in Santa Rosa teaching elementary music, including thirteen marimba classes. She continues to travel to Petaluma to practice with the two Loma Vista alumni marimba bands made up of students in grades 7 through 12.
Play Marimba! partners with schools to bring the joy of music-making to their site by providing instruction, instruments and curriculum. Play Marimba! also works with districts to train their existing music staff in their curriculum and pedagogy. As a counter-narrative to traditional western music education, marimba music offers:
• Accessible music – students can play a song on their first day!
• Pre-tuned, sonorous instruments
• Diverse repertoire
• Productively channels youthful energy
• Community-building ensemble format
• Builds school identity
Founded at Loma Vista Immersion Academy in Petaluma by school principal Jorge Arvizu and musician Tobias Sparks, Play Marimba! started in 2016 with 8 students and is growing exponentially. Currently, 2000+ students throughout ten school districts in Fresno and Sonoma counties are engaging with music through Play Marimba!’s year-round programs and camps. Learn more by visiting playmarimba.com.
