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Mendon-Upton students debut new Rock Band class funded by grant
Summary
School committee heard a presentation and saw a performance from students in a new Rock Band class created with a grant; teachers and students described the class as a bridge between elementary general music and secondary performance ensembles.
Mendon-Upton Regional School District school committee members heard students and their instructor describe a new Rock Band elective and saw students perform at the May 12 meeting.
The course, presented by Mike Webber, who identified himself as “one of the band directors,” was created to bridge a gap in music offerings between sixth grade general music and the performance-driven band and chorus electives in grades 7–12. Webber said the class began this year after a grant application and described the Rock Band course as designed for students to “experiment with different instruments” and collaborate in small groups rather than commit to a full-year, performance-driven ensemble.
Students described the class as a semester-long course divided into two units. “The first half of the semester, everyone spent time on the 4 main instruments to figure out which ones we liked,” one student said during the presentation; another student said their favorite part was “filming the video, being with my friends, and having Mister Weber teach us the songs.” Students said units included guitar, bass, piano and drums; they rehearsed, recorded a song “in the studio, also known as the closet next to the music room,” and produced a music video using iPads and basic editing tools.
Webber told the committee the course was funded in part by a grant through a local foundation (identified in the presentation as MEWF), and that the class was intended to offer a lower-pressure, exploratory pathway into music for middle school students. Committee members thanked students after their performance and committee members praised the group’s organization and musicianship.
The presentation also included logistical details: students work in small bands, submit a “record contract proposal” to the instructor, and choose songs they can research and learn independently. Webber said the class helps students carry musical skills forward into high school offerings.
Committee discussion focused on the course’s role in the district music pathway; no formal action or vote was required. The students left the meeting after the performance and committee members acknowledged their work and the teacher appreciation events that coincided with the week.
A follow-up on funding sources, enrollment projections for the course next year, and any formal integration into curriculum guides was not specified during the meeting.
