Diane Phillips, Harwood’s choral teacher, partnered with Joan Pellerin, a community member and certified American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter. Together, they created a video of Pellerin performing the song. Phillips then used the video in class as a model from which students learned to sign the lyrics. This week the students are enthusiastically rehearsing.
Phillips sees ASL as a beautiful way to perform music with the additional benefit of providing access to deaf people while raising awareness about deaf culture.
Students learned that American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual language, with its own grammar, incorporating hand signs, facial expressions and body language. ASL is the primary method of communication used by deaf people in the United States.
The June 7 concert also features Harwood’s Wind Ensemble conducted by music teacher Chris Rivers and the award-winning A Jazz Band conducted by Bruce Sklar, jazz teacher. For more information, please contact the choral teacher Diane Phillips at 882-1159 or
