Connecting Elementary, Middle School Students to High School Music Program

While there are a few exceptions, the vast majority of high school musicians were musicians before entering the ninth grade. Just as a student is only ready for algebra after learning the foundations of mathematics in earlier years, so it is with high school musicians.

Usually, these individuals were middle and elementary school musicians, members of their school’s performance ensemble as well as participants in music classes from the beginning of their schooling. And even more so than math or other core academic subjects, success as a student musician almost requires annual and continual participation. Musical performance, whether instrumental or vocal, only gets better with consistent practice and opportunities to perform, and it becomes a life-long activity for many people.

Music as a high school performing art is the combination of steady, daily improvement, team concepts (both like athletics), and knowledge and history gained through methodology, learning, assessment and instruction (like the classroom). And as unique as that is, music is also universal, a part of every culture on earth – past, present and future.

The high school ensemble director’s program can have many facets and will take on much of their personal approach to music. To be successful, directors must not only provide various opportunities for their musicians to learn, grow, express and excel, but their programs must depend upon a steady flow of active musicians coming in the door each fall to replace the departing seniors. It is, therefore, essential that a high school music program not function in a vacuum, but as a culminating step in an educational adventure that began the first day of school. Providing musical experiences and opportunities to the youngest ensures the adventure will continue.

The most obvious way for a high school music program to connect with middle and elementary school students, musicians or not, is through performances. Having the high school band play or the chorus sing for every student who will eventually be in that high school not only supports the performers, but enhances what is being done musically in each building.

Most elementary schools do not have an auditorium for these kind of performances, but they do have a gym or large activity room that could host such an event. Weather permitting, an outdoor space could also be used. Having the marching band or football pep band perform in the middle school parking lot surrounded by students can be as thrilling as any Friday night game. And if no performance space is available, have the students come to the high school to hear the performance. Such a field trip could be combined with an introductory tour of the building, presentations by other groups or demonstrations by sports teams, which also rely on those students being ready to play at the high school level.

If a school is reluctant to add a performance to its ensemble’s already busy performance schedule, consider having the students come to the dress rehearsal. During the course of a school year, match up each dress rehearsal with a different feeder school and tailor the performance to match. Add a brief instrument demonstration to the dress rehearsal shared with the lower elementary school and involve their music faculty in preparing the students to understand and enjoy that information.

If you do an annual pops concert, use that dress rehearsal as a concert for the middle school students to show them that performing at the high school level is not all competitions and Mozart. And make sure to include all of the high school students in a concert just for them each year. You can never tell what benefits that will reap.

An annual district-wide musical performance is also a great way to involve music students at all levels. Using a large space (high school gym), each school’s ensemble can perform two or three pieces for a combined audience of parents. Having an elementary musician’s parent hear what is possible in high school music can provide them with the inspiration to support their own child throughout the years in-between.

Having the high school musicians and their parents cheer on the beginning band improves that group’s confidence in their efforts. And if possible, having all of the students involved perform a piece or two together, with the senior sitting next to the fifth-grader, is an awesome way to connect the present and future of music in your school district.

If a district-wide performance is not possible, consider having joint rehearsals where two ensembles are combined from different levels. Rehearse a couple of pieces from each ensemble’s folder, giving both a chance to shine and a chance to sight-read.

However, activities requiring your entire ensemble are not the only way to enhance your feeder programs. Connect with the elementary music teacher on when their beginning band receives their instruments, usually an evening event when the parents sign up for those rentals. Have your high school students there, two for each instrument. Set them up in separate classrooms and have them bring their own instruments.

Instead of just distributing the instruments, once the beginner receives their new horn, have them get a mini-lesson on it from the appropriate high school students. The lesson can include how to assemble the instrument properly (keeping them from damaging them), how to hold it properly, creating their first sound, and how to put it away safely. The beginners come away with confidence to play their instrument, doing so correctly now, well before the first in-school lesson. They also make a connection to a high school student who plays the same instrument who may ride the same bus, live in the same part of town, have family friends in common. And the high school musicians now have a better understanding (and memories) of what it was like to start out, of how far they have come and of how to teach what they do to others. It is a wonderful opportunity for all involved and saves hours of work and repair by the beginning band director.

Further coordination with the elementary and middle school music faculty can lead to having small ensembles, especially vocal quartets, become part of the general music classes being taught. Having a foursome of high school students there to demonstrate two-, three- or four-part harmony to a third-grade general music class can be inspiring to all of the students involved. Bringing a small group of high school musicians in to demonstrate the instrument to families one at a time, allows those elementary students to see and hear and touch and sense what each instrument sounds like, looks like and how each is played.

While the percussion section is impressive, elementary students always really ooh and awe over the tuba. Having the high school music theory class compose music for the elementary or middle school music faculty to teach their classes gives the high school students the benefit of working with that faculty member and hearing their pieces performed. Live performances by high school students of composers being studied in general music classes brings not only the music, but the composer themselves to life.

A strong building needs a strong foundation. A strong high school music program needs the same. The more interaction between students at all levels, the more opportunities there are to hear, perform, rehearse, talk about and share music, the stronger music will be for everyone in the district. High school musicians don’t just appear, they were inspired years before by others who took the time to share.

Steffen Parker is a retired music educator, event organizer, maple sugar maker, and Information Technology specialist from Vermont who serves as the Performing Arts/Technology representative on the NFHS High School Today Publications Committee.