They were at it again Monday night, drumming with toy soldier-hinged arms in the darkened, windy parking lot of Monarch High School. Perhaps it’s not the hallowed grounds, but certainly it’s the familiar grounds, of the high school drum line.
I hear them out there from the tennis courts in the summer, too, banging their drums all day, usually backed by the ranks of the entire marching band that works for perfection: not one stray note, not one missed step, not one idle thought crossing a distracted face.
It’s the kind of commitment to the school music programs even we parent patrons take for granted. All we know is that Danny won’t be home for dinner, or that the uniform needs dry cleaning — until we are reminded as we sit in the stands at the football games or in the auditorium during music festivals. Then, at the first boom of the bass, sweet high of the soprano, or fearless freshman’s John Coltrane solo, tears fill our eyes and we smile with pride at these musicians. For this is what builds the character, fosters the creativity, and renders a responsible next generation. It does not come easily, nor cheaply.
A commitment to the music program — concert bands, orchestra, or choirs — is year-round. It means practices long after the last bell, performances in the evenings and on weekends, and travel and practice over spring breaks and other holidays.
Often for these multi-talented teenagers, it means the stress of participating in other arts groups, sports and service groups, striving to meet the “all-or-nothing” demands of each of the programs.
Stress or no stress, participation in the arts is smart. Many studies link music to cognitive development. The parts of the brain that control motor skills, hearing, and storing audio information and memory become larger and more active when a person learns how to play an instrument.
The academic statistics at Monarch High School back these theories. A full 70 percent of the students who received academic letters last spring participate in the arts at the school. These are students who must meet the highest state graduation requirements to date in math, sciences and languages. These are students who start their reading, essays and problem-solving at 9 o’clock at night.
These are students not just taxed with academics and rehearsals, but with raising the funds to support their music. The Boulder Valley School District budget, outside of bus transportation, is minuscule to their efforts. The replacement cost of just one instrument is more than the district annual budget for the entire orchestra. The marching band is the only band funded — to the feeble tune of just $1,600 out of its annual needs of $42,000. The music purchase for the five-choir performance of Mozart’s daunting “Requiem” consumed the entire choral budget for this year. The music directors are stretched, too. Two of the three teach at two schools, a function of the simultaneous reduction of teachers and increase in class sizes in the district.
Founded just 12 years ago, the high school has made the grade across the state and states. At a multi-state music festival in Los Angeles last spring, Monarch’s top choir was named outstanding choir in the festival, and its top concert band won outstanding band for the festival. And the marching band has ranked as high as seventh in the Colorado State Marching Band Championships. The orchestra received the high honor of playing at the Colorado Music Teachers Association conference at the Broadmoor last year.
Last Friday, 20 top choir members climbed off their bus at 11:30 p.m., after auditions for the All State Choir. A lucky few will be named in December. In the meantime, there is Mozart to memorize for the massed choirs and orchestras at winter festival, the next great milestone of dedicated young musicians.
Lucy Ewing (lucyewing@comcast.net) is an elementary school teacher and parent in the Boulder Valley School District.
