This year, Fredonia was selected as a recipient of the Best Community for Music Education honor by the National Association of Music Merchants for the 14th consecutive year. A total of 274 solos were performed by Fredonia students at the County and State levels just this year, and more than 200 places in County and State Ensembles were filled by Fredonia students. Two Fredonia students — Grant Abbey and Claire McMurty d’Amato — were even selected as All-State musicians, and Abbey was accepted to the world-renowned Julliard School for gifted musicians as a double bassist.

The list of honors at Fredonia is never short, as the Music Department continues to match its exceptional standard each year. Music Instructional Leader Andy Bennett was proud to share the highlights of the district’s programs at a recent Board of Education meeting.

“We’re very, very proud of our students,” Bennett said.

Fredonia’s enrollment K-12 this year was 1,394. Of that number, 1,157 students were enrolled in music courses, 914 students participated in curricular ensembles, and 578 students participated in extracurricular music activities in grades 4-12. Nearly 100 students have signed up for summer lessons, as well.

Submitted Photos Fredonia High School students are pictured on the day of the annual spring concert.

The district offers a college credit music program worth up to nine credits, with strong partnerships with the SUNY Fredonia School of Music and other institutions. District teachers serve as clinicians and guest conductors or speakers across the region, but it is not just the teachers who are asked to showcase their talents.

Three ensembles performed at the NYSSMA Majors in 2025 and all earned Gold or Silver awards. The 4th Grade Select Chorus took first place at Darien Lake MusicFest for the fourth year in a row. The High School Chamber Orchestra played at Kleinhans Music Hall before a Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra concert, and the High School Band traveled to Disney World for a performance at Disney Springs, where they also recorded part of a Disney film score.

Fredonia students also hold regular performances throughout the community, including the Village of Fredonia’s Halloween Trunk-or-Treat event and the Memorial Day Celebration. The Hillbilly Harmonics fourth graders performed at venues throughout western New York, and students performed at Fredonia Place and the Next Chapter Bookstore.

Most importantly, Fredonia’s Music Department stresses the importance of being good people over being good musicians. The school’s “Buddies” program pairs roughly 50 students together to foster relationships between high school students and the district’s youngest musicians. Fredonia also partnered with PUNT, a foundation serving families in western New York facing pediatric cancer diagnoses.

The district’s school instrument usage program, now in its 10th year, has ensured that cost will not be a barrier for any student who wishes to play an instrument. The program is available for students who receive free or reduced lunch. When the program began, 20 students benefited from its impact. Each year, enrollment has steadily increased, with a record high 173 students participating this year when they might not have been able to play without the program.

Bennett said, “This is a lifesaver. I can’t tell you how many conversations we have with families who say they’ve always wanted their kids to learn instruments. They weren’t allowed to learn instruments, their parents weren’t allowed, and you’re allowing us to break that cycle. I am incredibly grateful.”

Fredonia’s challenge now is to maintain its excellence, despite storage and ensemble spaces becoming more of an issue than ever before. The district’s facilities are not designed for the participation the music program has inspired. Bennett and his colleagues continue to discuss solutions with the district moving forward. “We look forward to working together to try to serve our growing enrollments,” Bennett said.