Montgomery County Public Schools alumnus and film producer, Virginia Galloway, shares her new documentary film with students and community

Virginia “Ginny” Galloway, a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring and now a film producer, director, and owner of Greenbox Films, recently returned to Montgomery County Public Schools to share her film, “The Music Lesson,” with students at James Hubert Blake High School.

“The Music Lesson” tells the story of two groups of young people from dramatically different backgrounds as they use the power of music to discover each other's worlds. Ten classically trained students from the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra traveled to Africa for a life-changing cultural exchange with a group of students from Laikipia, Kenya, whose tribal elders have passed down the tradition of singing, dancing, and playing music for centuries.

Says Galloway. “It’s really how the arts can take you in and open other doors and avenues to other parts of life and allow for experiences that may never happen otherwise.”

Galloway screened the film to a group of nearly 600 Blake students. “It’s nice to see in the eyes of students how it resonated with them and the impact that it made. They were a fantastic group, a fantastic audience.” said Galloway. A question and answer session, where students shared their thoughts about the film, followed the screening. One tenth grade student said “it was amazing to see how different American students are from the African students both culturally and musically, but that they could come together through music.”

“The Music Lesson” can be seen on Cable TV, in Montgomery County beginning Thursday, March 4 at 5 and 9 pm. Comcast 34, Verizon 36, and RCN 89.

The Music Lesson website

For other show times visit the MCPS TV online program guide