“Music can change the world”
“Music education, and education in the arts in general, is vital to the development of well rounded young men and women who learn to work independently and interdependently and collaborate for a higher purpose. Through music, students understanding of cooperation, language, math, and history is expanded and their appreciation of other cultures enhanced.”
If you read that — the words of Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Sheboy — you might wonder why in the world anyone wouldn’t want their child to participate in art and music classes when they’re in school. Fortunately, all children start their public school lives engaged in various lessons and activities which can be lumped together as the ‘arts’.
Focusing on music this month, here are some of the goings-on in the HF-FMCSD.
This story started when this reporter stopped by the Fort Montgomery Elementary School this past Friday to hear a happy commotion coming from the second grade classroom of Connor Craven.
They, Craven reports, have their own class band. It started when one of the students, Millie Armstrong, began writing raps in a notebook she brought to school.
“That’s when she penned the band’s first hit ‘Dinosaur DJ’,” Craven said. “The students then came up with the idea of forming a band, completely on their own and it is called DJ Band. They came up with their different roles in the band such as using different objects around the room to use as drums or being dancers.”
So, every day during snack time, Craven’s kids perform gigs, featuring songs with the students accompanying Millie’s raps with pencil and hand percussion on the table.
“After the first performance I brought in my groovebox to provide the students with a rhythmic metronome to help them keep time,” he said.
Craven credits FMES/HFIS music teacher Lisette Bankus — “an amazing music teacher” — for inspiring the students with a deep love of music.
“I’m glad my students have taken that and run with it,” he said. “As a lover of music myself I think it’s delightful to watch and totally organic. I would love to see more students from our town inspired to make music and using music as a positive outlet for their creativity. What’s going on in my class has been a lot of fun for everybody and I hope the thrill of music creation follows them forever.”
There’s a very good chance it will, thanks in part to Bankus and her co-workers in the music department, Amina Thomas (instrumental music at the HFIS), Tom Cunane (instrumental music at O’Neill High School) and Chris Sheehan-Reynolds (vocal music at O’Neill.)
Here’s some of what’s been going on and what’s coming up in the schools:
• A select group of fifth through eighth grade students recently were excited for the opportunity to perform (along with students from West Point) with the O’Neill choir at the high school winter concert. “They did a wonderful job,” Bankus said.
• HFIS chorus and band students spread holiday cheer by caroling through the Main Street business district in December, and then enjoyed refreshments from Schades Restaurant.
• Winter concerts at HFIS were performed this past December. Well done all!
• Six ‘junior high’ level chorus students will be headed to audition in front of judges for Junior High All County in February. Elementary chorus students auditioned last week for Elementary All County Chorus. There are also students auditioning for All County Elementary and Junior High band.
• In November 2019, 11 vocal and one instrumental OHS music students were accepted into the New York State School Music Association’s (NYSSMA) Area All-state music festival. “We were well represented at the festival,” Cunane said.
• In December, OHS vocal music students Claire Kobylski and Evelyn Sorensen, represented the community at the NYSSMA All-state music festival held in Rochester.
• And, just starting their formal music training, fourth grade students just celebrated the conclusion of Recorder Karate. “They each worked so diligently to grow in their music literacy skills through the recorder,” Bankus said. “Great job guys!”
Bankus is thrilled that her students find joy in music.
“Beyond just the academic benefits of learning self discipline, teamwork, and music literacy, music enriches the lives of our students,” she said. “They are able to express themselves through music in a way they may not get to do anywhere else, giving them an outlet for their creativity as well as helping them grow in their self confidence.
O’Neill’s Cunane agrees: “It has been said that student participation in school music programs help students develop in so many ways. Increased coordination development, how mastery of music memorization helps students to prepare in all areas of education, and the development of disciplined habits to be used throughout the education process are just a few of the many benefits of music participation.”
Most importantly, he adds: “it’s fun to participate in a music performance group and be a part of a group accomplishment.”
Coming soon:
• After much prep work with their music teachers, at the high school level, four vocal and three instrumental students are participating in the HS All county music festival at Monroe-Woodbury High School this weekend (January 24). One OHS music student recently auditioned for the countywide jazz festival.
• The HFIS drama and music department are gearing up for the musical performance ‘Oz!’ in March — “students have been diligently practicing to bring to life the story of Dorothy’s trip to Oz told in a new way,” Bankus said.
• O’Neill’s Drama Club will perform four shows of ‘Urinetown’ from March 20-22.
• The weekend of March 6-8, OHS student Jeffrey Prosperie will be participating at the New York State Band Director’s Association annual Symposium in the organizations honor’s band.
• From March 4-7, Claire Kobylski, Evelyn Sorensen and Evan Owens will be participating in the American Choral Director’s Association’s Eastern Region Conference held in Rochester.
• The HF-FMCSD Board of Education approved a trip for the O’Neill mens’ and womens’ Select Chorus to Boston for April 24-26 to participate in a music competition.
• Upcoming concerts include the OHS Spring Arts Festival at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 16; the HFIS seventh and eighth grade concert at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12; the HFIS fifth and sixth grade concert at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19; and the O’Neill Pops Concert at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 28.
