3 minute read
Turning Up the Volume
Right-Sizing Spaces for Music Education
The last time the music program was moved around was 20 years ago. Since then, music staff have found very creative ways to store all of this stuff. It isn’t easy or practical, and that can have an impact on education. That’s why we are turning up the volume!
Student Directed Learning Spaces
Small ensemble spaces added to the Music Suite will allow for more peer-to-peer collaboration and small group work. Student-directed learning in music supports the curriculum goals district-wide that foster student leadership and executive functioning.
Greater Harmony
This capital improvement will also create clearer boundaries around Ferndale Middle School by moving the FHS Band Room out of the SW corner of the campus. This space, adjacent to the Middle School gym, will be renovated for middle school music students. Moving band and orchestra spaces together in the arts extension of the high school will extinguish the need for hundreds of band students to enter the Middle School wing for band practice. Middle school students will still access orchestra, theatre, and choir rooms in the east wing.
Adjacent to the band room and orchestra room, the Music Suite will also add individual and group practice rooms, library storage, and offices.
Storage Space
Adjacent storage for instruments and equipment will not only support collaboration. It will also prolong the life of valuable equipment. Orchestra instruments require temperature and humidity stable rooms. “Right now instruments are stored next to big windows in a room with a drafty garage,” according to Orchestra Director Linden de Leeuw. Marching Band requires keyboards, drumline, and the massive sousaphones which aren’t used in Concert Band, as well as flags, rifles, and other equipment for color guard and winter guard performances. Keeping all these items together and in good condition will be a breeze with new facilities.
New library rooms will also house over 300 linear ft of sheet music collected by concert band, marching band, orchestra, and ensembles. Orchestra alone has over 1,600 pieces of sheet music. These collections are worth over $100,000!
A Lasting Impact
“I think it will be transformative,” said High School Band Director Elon Jamison. “For students, [a dedicated music suite would result in] more obvious collaboration. Students will be rehearsing at the same time, and the ease of integration will be dramatically improved.” Elon Jamison has led the High School Marching Band to 11 State Championship victories. “I’m also a community member, with an 8th grader and 3rd grader in Ferndale Schools. And I’m very excited for the opportunities this will provide to my own children.”
