Many students find their friends through the classes they take, which is why the music department is the perfect place to be. While enriching one’s mind with the complexities of the musical world, one can also make close friends. Many students chose an instrument in 3rd or 4th grade, without knowing how that instrument would change their life.
Personally, I’ve spent much of my life surrounded by music, whether through playing or listening to it. As someone who has taken part in all constituents of the music department I can proudly say that the Madison Music Department is one of the best. The teachers make sure to help their students not only become the best musician they can be, but also the best person they can be. Music teaches us that to achieve something, you have to put in the work.
Our band instructor, Mr. Batsch, always encourages his students to put forth their best efforts even if it’s not perfect. He’s “very electric and energetic and always has a smile on his face. He actually cares about our lives and what’s best for us” said sophomore Ashley Driscoll. There’s always something new happening in class; one day we’ll go really in depth with a specific piece we have, and the next, we just run through everything we have in our folder.
In the chorus room, we have Ms. Jordan, who has been described as “bubbly, a truly happy person to be around, and always prioritizes her students” said Lydia Sher. She always has a smile on her face and her kindness is seen by her students. She really tries to enrich her students’ knowledge of music, with sight reading and learning different key signatures, while also making them great singers. The class is a welcoming, fun environment, and everyone that partakes creates close friendships with one another. The students love the energy of the room and look forward to her class every single day.
Last, but not least, we have Mr. Silvestri, in the orchestra room. Silvestri is known for his “spunky personality and love for teaching music” from junior Sasha Knoll and senior Ava Defilipis. His core values in the orchestra room are to teach the next generation of musicians about music and the theory that goes along with it. Many of his students find their music “very enjoyable to play because [they] get to play a large variety of different music styles”. From what I’ve heard, the classroom experience is always a fun one.
The music department is one to be a part of, the diversity within means that there truly is something for everyone. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for the department, and its students.