
music
Music
Click below to explore our instructors and the classes offered.




Lorna Roberts
Alphabet Soup: A recipe for songwriting success

Lorna Roberts
Alphabet Soup: A recipe for songwriting success
Lorna Roberts has worked with ECM since 2016, teaching students how to collaboratively write songs about any and all subjects they're learning about. An example of past songs include: Body Systems, Newton's Laws of Motion, Immigration, Inventions, How to effectively do Opinion Writing, Weather Systems and Climate Change (including the effects on Gadsden Creek in Charleston), Positive Character Traits, the Revolutionary War, The Great Migration, Chemistry Vocabulary and Facts, Democracy and Elections, Superheroes, ETC! Lorna is a former public school teacher who taught in the Gifted and Talented Program as well as in regular classrooms, as well as music in elementary and middle schools in the Lowcountry. Following her passion for songwriting, she traveled to Nashville for nine years to co-write with songwriters there while teaching a monthly songwriting workshop in the Charleston area. Her greatest joy these days is writing songs with students and helping them learn more about the subjects they are studying about, while also helping them become more creative and giving them an opportunity to work cooperatively with others and play with words and write in a safe environment - all while developing critical thinking skills - and having FUN!

Ann Caldwell
Music & Storytelling

Ann Caldwell
Music & Storytelling
For over twenty years, Ann has made her living as a vocalist and performing artist singing Jazz, R & B, Pop, Gospel and Spirituals. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the classroom as she engages students in music making. Ann's unique programs introduce students to historical songs in a fun and meaningful way, integrating history with music.
African American history lessons for young people.

Gracie & Lacy
Gracie & Lacy Show

Gracie & Lacy
Gracie & Lacy Show
Gracie & Lacy present “infotainment” educational experiences that highlight SC Standards in Social Studies, Language Arts, and Performing Arts. They are a national touring sister act from St. Louis, MO specializing in vocal harmony, tap dancing, and the history of American popular music. Together the sisters have co-directed over 50 stage productions, making the arts accessible for all, an endeavor for which they were recognized with a Missouri Senatorial Resolution. The sisters’ mission is to uplift, inspire, and bridge the generations.
Figurative Language - Gracie & Lacy use music, dance and drama to teach figurative language standards.
Life During WWII - Gracie and Lacy use music, dance and drama to teach social studies standards about WWII, culminating in a student-led 1940s-style radio show.
Life During The Roaring Twenties - Gracie and Lacy use music, dance and drama to teach social studies standards about the Roaring Twenties. Students will even learn “The Charleston”!

WO'SE African Dance & Drum
Andres Liviola

WO'SE African Dance & Drum
Andres Liviola
Andres Liviola, a resident of Charleston, SC for over 14 years, is a seasoned musician and educator who specializes in traditional African drumming as a lead member of WOSE drum and dance company under the direction of Queen Atterberry. He educates people of all ages through group movement and polyrhythm, embracing creative expression and connectedness. Andres strives to engage the creative minds of young people to enrich their lives with a sense of purpose and community.

Tonya Williams Theatre & Music Project
Tonya Williams

Tonya Williams Theatre & Music Project
Tonya Williams
Tonya S. Williams is a professional actress, singer, and songwriter. But above all, she’s a true educator. Before joining ECM, Tonya was a certified Theatre Arts teacher for CCSD and DD2 for 7 years. A College of Charleston alumni with a BA in Theatre Arts, Tonya has over 17 years experience training and educating children in the arts. When she is not teaching she is performing all over the Low Country & East coast, singing and acting. She is an independent recording artist (Tonya Nicole) and a Core Ensemble member at PURE Theatre located Downtown Charleston. She uses her talents to infuse Theatre & Music into the core curriculum. No subject is off limits for her. Her lessons are full of creativity; from creating songs & poems, and even SuperHero characters & costumes about Math & Science, to creating & performing skits about historical figures and events. Tonya strongly believes “Creativity is intelligence having fun.” ~ Albert Einstein
1) SUPER POWER - (5th grade Science) Students will use Theatre Arts to explore and demonstrate a better understanding of states of matter. By the end of the week, students will be able to identify and explain science vocabulary words that relate to states of matter and they will demonstrate what they have learned by creating a Super Hero character w/ Superpowers & their costumes, based on states of matter.
2) STORYTIME - (Kindergarten/ELA) Students will use Theatre Arts to explore and demonstrate a better understanding of storytelling. By the end of the week, students will be able to identify key components in storytelling; character, setting, & plot structure. They will also gain knowledge of new theatre vocabulary. As their final project, they will create their own stories and characters with paper puppets.
3) LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION - (3rd - 8th grade ELA) Students will explore drama standards and vocabulary based on their grade level. They will analyze 3 works of theater art. Focusing on plot structure, setting, character, costume design, and other theater and ELA vocabulary, students will recreate stories and perform.

Lisa Trott
Arts + Academics = Love of Learning

Lisa Trott
Arts + Academics = Love of Learning
Lisa Trott, 2013 CCSD Teacher of the Year, is a retired veteran elementary teacher who has dedicated her career to developing arts-integrated learning experiences for her students. Lisa fervently believes that providing creative paths for students results in deeper meaning and understanding. Within each learning experience, students will merge academics with the arts in a multitude of forms such as music, visual arts, dancing...you name it, we’ll do it!!
*Native American Artwork: Seeing Indigenous Americans Through Their Eyes
(ELA and Social Studies) - Students will be immersed in the culture and natural resources of 4 main geographical Native American regions (Pacific Northwest, Southwest, Plains, Eastern Woodlands) through legends and beliefs, as well as create an iconic piece of art for each region.
*Calligram Poetry and Mosaics
(ELA and Science) - This is truly a multifaceted learning experience! Students will learn about calligram poetry - shape poetry - but there’s a twist! While the shape can’t move, students will use strong verbs and adverbs to describe the daily movements of a chosen animal. This “moving” shape animal poem will then be completed with an interior mosaic reflecting the habitat of the animal!
*Finding the Beat with the Beatles
(ELA) - Using songs from the Beatles, students will learn about poetic rhyme patterns and types of poetry. Students will be introduced to the artwork of Peter Max and Heinz Edelmann (Yellow Submarine) with their use of primary colors and psychedelic, comic book style in conjunction with zentangle art - merging the two.