OBSERVER Photo by Natasha Matteliano To kick off the Board of Education meeting, Andrew Bennett introduced the High School Cello Quartet, the PanCellos, to perform a piece. From left to right, Adeliz Gottinger, Owyn Darrell-Sterbak, Amelia Harper and Tegenya Graziano.

Fredonia’s music program continues to succeed and exceed expectations.

For the past eight years, Andrew Bennett, music and band teacher at Fredonia High School, has assembled the application for the district to be the best community for music education. This application is sent to the National Association of Music Merchants for evaluation.

According to the school’s webpage, the district’s commitment to a quality music education has earned them recognition as a “Best Community for Music Education” by the NAMM Foundation the past seven years. The district hopes to earn the title again for the 2019 calendar year.

“The mission statement of the Fredonia Music Department is to foster an appreciation, understanding, and talent for music in our students K-12 to continue with music throughout their lives as an avocation, a vocation if interested, and to support music in their adult lives,” said Bennett at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday.

According to Bennett, 79% of all Fredonia students are enrolled annually in music courses and almost 64% of students in grades 2-12 are participating in curricular performing ensembles. In addition, 489 students annually participate in musicals and extracurricular performing groups and organizations. The number of student participation in curricular and extracurricular events continues to rise over the years, with almost 200 more students participating in and eight year span.

In addition, the district was nominated as a 2017 GRAMMY Foundation Signature Schools Semi-Finalist based on its high student participation levels, community support and engagement, creativity in course offerings, and state and national achievements and recognitions.

In the last year, 222 solos were performed by Fredonia students at Chautauqua County Music Teacher’s Association and New York State School Music Association Festivals. In addition, 113 seats in All County, Area All-State, and All-State ensembles were filled by Fredonia student musicians within the last year.

This includes two All-State student musicians. “Just to give a little reference on how difficult (getting into an All-State ensemble) is, last year, 420 students got scores of 100 on their evaluations and were not selected for All-State. We’re at a point now where students have to get multiple years of 100s and then be the top-ranked 100 in their adjudication row,” said Bennett.

Among these various achievements, even more were announced by Bennett. These include: Offering a rigorous college credit sequence in music worth nine credits, the Middle School side by side performance with WNYCO and the High School Chorus was invited to perform in Starring Buffalo at Shea’s.

The music program also participated in many community service events throughout the year. For example, in December, 72 orchestra, chorus, and band students performed throughout Fredonia to give back to the community at places such as the WCA Home and Santa’s Workshop. Peer mentorship programs continue (String Buddies and Jazz Student Mentors) and the Tri-M Honor Society members continue to give back to the community. In 2019, the chapter members completed over 700 hours of service.

In addition to all the services the students are giving back to the community, the school is giving to the students. Since 2016, there has been a school instrument usage program. The program was created to develop and maintain an inventory of school instruments for families receiving free or reduced lunches. According to Bennett, the number of students using the program has risen steadily over the years, with 58 students using it last year.

“These are families who would not be able to participate in our instrumental programs without this support. Every year, we have conversations with parents who are in tears because they assumed their child would never be able to learn an instrument,” said Bennett.

Board of Education President Brian F. Aldrich asked Bennett how the music program in Fredonia is making students better community members, better academically and better prepared for life itself. Bennett replied with, “We are dedicated as a department to try and provide equal access to opportunities for all students. Research has shown that students with lower socio-economic backgrounds tend to do 20-40% better on all their academic classes if they can continue in music through twelfth grade.”

“Research has also proven that students who continue through music their whole school career and are actively participating, they usually have less issues with substance abuse,” said Bennett. “Whether it’s cause or effect, it’s happening.”