Albert G. Prodell Middle School music teacher Mr. John Samonte served as a clinician for the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association PEAK (Parents, Educators and Kids) festival. The annual event – consisting of classroom music workshops for fourth graders and their parents – took place on a virtual platform this year.

The festival is an opportunity for students and parents to participate together in real-time music making. It also serves as a professional development workshop for music educators, where they can observe the invited clinicians’ work with students to gain lesson ideas and learn best practices for their own music classroom. Mr. Samonte’s workshop guided students and their families through fun and explorative movement and vocal games and activities.

“It was quite incredible to see many students make music with the parents at home,” Mr. Samonte said of the more than 200 participants. “I believe our job as music teachers is to connect our families, friends and community through the arts, and it was very rewarding to see the students so joyfully engaged in the music.”

Mr. Samonte further commended the festival organizers and dedicated music educators across Suffolk County. “Their push for a high-quality music education is not only inspiring to me, but is also a reminder of the kind of teacher we should all strive to become,” he said.