Museum Educator Shares Power of Music in Tanzania August 14, 2017 Music education classes highlight activities from MIMkids Many of MIM’s team members’ passion for music goes beyond the museum walls, as they share the power of music with the community and the world around them. For the past five summers, Dr. Katherine Palmer, MIM’s museum educator, has traveled to Tanzania to work with primary and secondary students through the Daraja Music Initiative: Daraja Strings and Clarinets for Conservation. The nonprofit organization utilizes music education for positive social change, promotes conservation education for a sustainable planet, and engages in creative community collaboration. During her trip this summer, Palmer taught music education classes with a focus on elements of theory, music fundamentals, and playing and singing music by ear. Palmer shared many games and songs from her MIMkids classes with the Tanzanian students and discovered new activities to bring to MIMkids. In addition to music education, the Daraja Music Initiative has an environmental component. Students and volunteers plant Tanzania’s national tree, the mpingo, which is what clarinets are made from, to help connect musical instruments with the environment and show the community how to create a sustainable future. “It’s incredibly rewarding from both a teaching and volunteering standpoint to immerse yourself in another culture and share the joys of music with the community,” says Palmer. MIMKIDS DETAILS
