Brookwood School

"I have to get up 30 minutes earlier in the morning to be here but it's totally worth it," says Matt, who plays guitar in the Morning Meeting Band which rehearses from 7:30 to 8:05 every morning.  "We play a lot of different music and are constantly learning new songs.  It's awesome."
     The 14 various instrumental and vocal ensembles cover a wide range of styles, ages, and music types -- beginner and advanced string ensembles; Concert Band; a coed a capella group called the Stairwell Singers; four grade-level rock band combos, one each for fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh graders; and two pit bands for the Grade 8 Musical.  Practices are held before and after school, and instructors include Performing Arts teachers, multi-talented Brookwood faculty members as well as many North Shore musicians.
     So where do these students find the courage to perform before live audiences and stay motivated to learn their pieces and practice their instruments?  "We encourage even our youngest students to seek opportunities to perform in groups in class, at School Meeting or with one of our musical ensembles,"comments Performing Arts Coordinator Debbie Gantt.
     Working in a group also brings with it essential life lessons, according to Debbie.  "It stretches students' skills and talents, forces them to think of and listen to their team members' efforts, and to have the confidence to handle the pressures of the situation.  The large number of students involved in these ensembles elevates the level of our regular music classes and challenges all students to always perform their best."
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