MAKING MUSIC

Brimmer’s vibrant band program ensures students of all ages explore instrumental music

Stop by a Brimmer band rehearsal and you might see third graders playing their first notes on a new instrument, Middle School students thinking critically about ways to improve their group sound, or Upper Schoolers learning to improvise in 5/4 time. With three concert bands and two jazz/rock combos rehearsing a total of nine times each week, the Brimmer band program offers a vibrant environment for students of all ages and skill levels to explore instrumental music.

Second graders prepare for the band experience through studies on the soprano recorder, a year before the program officially begins in Grade 3. The recorder is easily accessible to young musicians, and students learn to express music through a wind instrument for the first time with relatively simple technique. In studying recorder, students hone their note-reading skills and begin to develop the fine motor skills needed to play a band instrument. By spring, they are excited to learn about the instrument families and explore the instrumental options that await them in the coming year.

Grade 3 students kick off their Beginning Band experience when they meet their chosen instruments for the first time. Under the careful guidance of Lower School Music Teacher Caroline Scheibe and the After School Music Program faculty, students meet weekly in small groups to learn the fundamentals of their instruments. By the end of the first semester, they get their first taste of playing in a full band with their classmates, and in the spring, they perform on the stage for the first time. This year’s Beginning Band class had the unique experience of performing their first concert remotely in a Virtual Music Showcase. Beginning clarinetist Meher Paul ’29 shared, “Before performing in the showcase, I felt nervous because it was kind of weird to be performing in front of the screen. But playing on Zoom felt similar to playing in the classroom because it did not feel like I was playing all alone!”

Next comes Intermediate Band, where fourth and fifth graders learn music requiring a higher level of independence and technical skill. Guest instrumental teachers and Upper School student mentors make special appearances in class, helping students hone their ensemble skills as they explore new and exciting repertoire. Both the Beginning and Intermediate Bands perform for an audience of families and peers at the end of each school year.

“Brimmer’s band program is unique in that it does not sit in isolation,” says Head of Lower School Emily Miller. “It is very much a part of students’ school experience, as opposed to being an after school or extracurricular program. This signals the School’s commitment to its success and support of the arts.”

In Grade 6, students enter the Middle School Band, an advanced concert band that includes string, woodwind, brass, keyboard, and percussion instruments. Students in the Middle School Band participate in two rehearsals per week and receive academic credit for their participation. As in the Lower School, students taking band also take a general music class. They also have the option to participate in chorus, providing a range of musical opportunities rarely encountered in small schools. “When I was in middle school, we had to choose between chorus and band,” says Scheibe. “Brimmer students are lucky in that they can do both, which allows them broad opportunities to explore different ways of making music.” Individual attention to each student’s needs continues to be a guiding principle. Students rehearse weekly both as a full band and in smaller sections by grade, enabling them to benefit from one-on-one attention and opportunities for small-group collaboration and mentorship. The Middle School Band performs twice during the year—once in the fall and once in the spring, preparing a new program each time.

Working together to rehearse and perform with peers from Grades 6-8 is an exciting way to build connections across the Middle School. Students from different grades, family backgrounds, and social groups are often placed next to each other in a section, and the resulting camaraderie and teamwork are a joy to behold. “I think one of my favorite parts of my job is watching students form lasting friendships with peers as a result of their time together,” says Luca Antonucci, Middle and Upper School Band teacher. “It’s wonderful to see members of a section working together and sharing their expertise. Often, older students will help younger ones, but sometimes a younger student with more musical experience will help an older student with tricky rhythms or fingerings!”

In Grade 8, students begin their preparations for the next stage of their musical journey. In addition to playing in the Middle School Band, where they often serve as section leaders and benefit from solo opportunities, eighth graders rehearse once a week as an independent 8th Grade Band. At Brimmer, where students are encouraged to develop into well-rounded global citizens, this type of solo and small ensemble opportunity is not restricted to a competitive circle of “band kids,” but is instead open to all. As a result, Brimmer’s bands often feature students with many other talents, including champion athletes, equestrians, visual artists, or computer gamers. Students who show significant interest and extracurricular investment in music are offered options to participate in additional opportunities to extend their learning. They may be selected to participate in the Massachusetts Music Educators Junior and Senior District Festivals, perform in the pit for the Upper School musical, or create original compositions or arrangements for the ensemble.

The 8th Grade Band puts a high emphasis on independence, as each musician—for the first time since beginning the instrument in Grade 3—must play their own part at all times. Percussionists are challenged to learn to play the drum set, while other instrumentalists encounter chords and improvisation for the first time. Students also enjoy a higher degree of independence as a group; they are allowed to choose one song to perform for each of their concerts, working with Mr. Antonucci to create an arrangement tailored to their unique combination of instruments. “The makeup of the band changes every year,” notes Antonucci. “As a result, every year is a completely different experience. Over the past few years, our repertoire has varied from jazz to hard rock to traditional Brazilian music. I always enjoy finding out what the students want to play, and often it’s a great way for me to discover music with which I was not familiar.”

Student Dieter Gartner ’22 agrees. Looking back on his time in the Lower and Middle School program, he comments, “In the beginning, I got to be in a band with my old friends, but as I got older, the mix of people started to change. It’s different almost every year, but it’s always a lot of fun!”

In addition to learning a song of their choice, eighth graders dig into what it means to play music with appropriate style, making rock sound different from jazz and vice versa. Outside the rehearsal room, they get a glimpse of life in the Upper School Band by contributing a short set to the Upper School outreach performance at Chestnut Park Senior Life, where they perform for an appreciative audience of senior citizens. “It’s a win-win,” observed Gartner, of the annual outreach performance. “It makes the residents happy and gives us a chance to play.”

Now prepared for the independence, improvisational skills, and stylistic ability required by a more intensive small-ensemble environment, ninth graders join the Upper School Band. This elective class meets three times a week for a total of 180 minutes. Unlike many schools, Brimmer’s Upper School Band counts for full class credit and meets during the school day—infrastructure essential to its success. “Having the opportunity to meet three times a week allows us to learn an incredible amount in a short time,” says Antonucci. “Other schools have to contend with after-school or before-school rehearsals and a lack of support from the administration. But the Arts Department goes out of its way to support the band program, and the program lives up to the high standard we set for it.”

Students in the Upper School Band have a leading role in shaping their own experience, from voting on a setlist to creating arrangements and learning by ear. It is a chance to learn firsthand what it means to be in a small ensemble, requiring a commitment to mastering an instrument and working as a team.

The Upper School Band is the School’s most visible instrumental ensemble, performing at events such as Harvest Fest and Earth Day, as well as assemblies, the Holiday Concert, the Academy Awards, Grandparents and Special Friends Day, and two official band concerts—one in the spring, and one in the fall. In between these major events are a number of smaller outreach opportunities.

These include visits to the Sumner School, a nearby elementary school, a trip to Chestnut Park Senior Life, and a new mentoring program that brings Upper School musicians to the Lower School Band to share their expertise.

Upper School Band rehearsals are supplemented with visits from acclaimed guest performers who give masterclasses on subjects such as improvisation, composition, blues and jazz style, or the career path of a professional musician. This past spring saw the first in what will hopefully be an annual series of guest performer residencies. The Upper School Band welcomed flutist and composer Ilona Kudina for a series of masterclasses and a concert at Upper School Assembly, where Kudina shared the stage with the Band.

“Ultimately,” says Antonucci, “the most important lesson the Upper Schoolers learn during their time in the band is how to collaborate as artists. Each band member must learn their part, understand how their part fits into the whole, and learn how to make musical decisions that help the group tell a compelling musical story together.” Even after the move to distance learning in March, Brimmer musicians continued to make music together online. Music classes were held online in both synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (independent) formats, and band classes continued to meet in all three divisions of the School. Lower School musicians checked in to discuss their weekly practice goals, share new pieces, and even “play” together over Zoom. Both Lower and Middle School instrumentalists practiced their parts with the help of SmartMusic. This innovative app allows musicians to play with a virtual accompaniment, record themselves, and even ask questions. Members of the 8th Grade Band worked on improvisation and taking videos of solos with and without backing tracks. The Upper School Band created a video presentation to showcase the ensemble.

Said Antonucci, “Well, it’s certainly not how anybody would have expected to end the year, but it has been a great new challenge, and it has been very gratifying to watch our students rise to the occasion. They have done an amazing job in continuing to work hard and stay motivated.” ■

Middle & Upper School Music Teacher Luca Antonucci believes that through music, students not only cultivate creativity but also hone their critical thinking and active listening skills and become confident leaders and attentive collaborators. Lower School Music, Choral & Band Teacher Caroline Scheibe aims to guide students toward becoming tuneful, beautiful, and artful human beings. She hopes students leave her classes with a joyful appreciation for music-making in all its forms, and that they will seek out musical experiences in their adult lives.