The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation has announced the release of new, original music composed specifically for the Phillips Middle School orchestra and its former director.

The release of  “Snowberry” comes at the heels of long-time music teacher Ann Daaleman’s retirement.

Daaleman has been a music educator since 1981 and has spent the last 14 years of her career bringing musical expertise to Phillips Middle School’s orchestra – where teaching middle school students is her pride and joy.

“If middle schoolers get excited about learning something, they give you 100 percent and that’s what I found over the years there – the kids just were phenomenal and if you can capture their interest, they just give you their all,” Daaleman said.

During her time overseeing the school’s orchestra, Daaleman helped grow the program from 35 to 150 students.

“It was just a wonderful gift to be able to teach in that school and be a part of that community,” Daaleman said.

While she recently retired in the spring of 2020, Daaleman could not leave her students without an apt parting gift. Having an original piece composed for Phillips Middle School has long been a dream of Daaleman – and now, that dream has become a reality.

With funding from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation and private donations, “Snowberry” has officially hit the musical market.

Written by Japanese composer and pianist Yukiko Nishimura, Daaleman said the essence of Snowberry really helped to capture the feelings of the past year during the pandemic.

“What I saw in her music was an ability to engage student emotions in the piece,” Daaleman said. “She writes a lot of music that’s based on nature themes. It’s not always easy to find lyrical music that kids can connect with, but they would really get involved with the piece emotionally.”

Originally expected to be finished in the spring of 2020, prior to her retirement, virtual learning and pandemic stressors pushed the timeline of this musical tribute back. Daaleman said while her eighth graders missed the chance to perform this piece under her guidance at Phillips Middle School last school year, the opportunity is not gone.

“All of my students from Phillips went to East Chapel Hill High School,” Daaleman said. “So, going forward, Ryan Ellefsen at East Chapel Hill High School has offered for me to rehearse and conduct the piece next year. I really miss the kids a lot so I’m super excited.”

Ann Daaleman and her students at a winter recital. (Photo via CHCCS)

Daaleman said this legacy composition will become part of the district music library and be available to CHCCS students now and for years to come.

“I hope this project and the beauty of the music can be a really positive way for kids to come back into school next year and be able to perform and have it be a very healing thing after all this isolation,” Daaleman said.

 

Lead photo via Manifold Recording.

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