On Wednesday November 19th, the Mustang Choir, Band, and Orchestra traveled around to the Middle School, elementary schools, and St. Joseph’s to perform music selections to the district.
This trip took the participating students all school day, leaving right away in the morning and returning at the end of the school day. The buses first arrived at the middle school, catching the students in their C.A.R.E.S. classes. All the middle school students gathered in the gym for the assembly, and the high school students warmed up in separate areas. Each music group then performed before getting back on the bus and heading to Oaklawn elementary.
The orchestra performed Ghost of Bohemia by Joshua Reznicow, Crazy Train by Ozzy Osborne, and The Spirit of Adventure from the Pixar film Up. Next, the choir performed Walk Out On The Water by Royal Canoe and Iddemdem Malida by Jonaf del Fierro and Rachel Stenson. Finally, The band performed Gangnam Style by PSY, How It’s Done from Kpop Demon Hunters, Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver, and Fireball by Pitbull, as well as having individual instrument demonstrations from each section. These selections were chosen by each music director in order to best showcase the students in their classes and impress the younger grades.
When asked about the music selection process, all three music teachers agreed that they look for music that elementary students may recognize, with Mr. Karkula including that “This often includes familiar songs from pop culture—like music they might hear on TV, YouTube, the radio, or in shows they enjoy.”
Mr. Anderson added that not only does he like to cater to what elementary students would like, but also says he “chooses works that my own students would find enriching and enjoyable to play, as they’re the ones who will be playing them for the entire day. Some pieces hit that mark, others miss it. Ultimately, I’m looking for pieces that are enjoyable all around.”
A common thought from students attending this tour is that the goal is to convince middle school students to take music classes in high school. When asked about this, the music teachers disagreed. “No. I don’t [think it helps to influence MMS students to sign up for music classes]. Personally, I find that my middle school students are pretty determined on whether or not they will continue with music into high school and very few change their minds. Now there are some students who are still undecided about it so for those particular students, I hope that perhaps this will help their decisions. But ultimately, I want my own middle school students to find coursework that speaks to them and for some of them, it may not be music and that’s okay,” said Mr. Anderson.
Mr. Karkula said that the main goal is actually “giving elementary students the chance to experience the excitement of our high school performing groups. We hope it inspires them to get involved in music once they reach middle school.”
When asked what their favorite part of this experience was, both teachers had lots of good things to say. “I love watching the high school students perform for the elementary students and feed off their energy. The excitement and connection between the groups are truly inspiring,” said Mr. Karkula.
Mr. Anderson said his favorite part was seeing his daughters at Wakanda Elementary. Many students have similar feelings about the trip, and look forward to seeing siblings or other younger kids they know.
This experience can also be a learning experience for both high school and elementary school students. “This experience teaches students valuable life skills that go far beyond music. Performing for different audiences also helps build confidence and resilience, while reinforcing the importance of preparation, teamwork, and community engagement,” said Mr. Karkula.
“I hope that it teaches [the elementary students] that music doesn’t have to be a competition, that a person can find a path in music that speaks to them whether it be band, choir, or orchestra. Not one path works for everyone so I hope that fifth graders in particular, walk away from our performances with the understanding of what options are available to them as prospective music students,” Mr. Anderson added.
“Our district offers a great variety of clubs and activities from band to orchestra to FFA to forensics and back again. There are multiple ways to be involved in our school community. One path doesn’t work for all students so it’s to the student’s advantage to try new things, and be involved in as much as they can. Find what makes them enjoy their day to day lives here in Menomonie. There’s something for everyone, not just music,” concluded Mr. Anderson.
