Using Informance to Educate Parents and Demonstrate the Music Learning Process

Informances, informal and informative presentations of student learning that emphasize the learning process, provide an alternative to traditional concerts or programs, which may take general music classroom time away from activities not geared toward a specific performance. Informances are an excellent means of communicating educational objectives to parents and sharing what and how students learn, which is not always possible through a traditional concert. This article discusses reasons why an informance may be, especially for very young students, a more appropriate format than a traditional concert, gives examples of various types of informances, and describes parent reactions to informances.