Hear the White Oak Elementary band Jan. 17 when they perform at Lanier High School, 918 Buford Highway, Buford. Information: 678) 546-5550, www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/WhiteOakES.
Seth Kuehn’s career as a music teacher has taken him to various Gwinnett County public schools over the last 20 years. But no matter where he wound up, a band was sure to follow. Kuehn, the music teacher at White Oak Elementary in Sugar Hill since it opened in 2009, has even made band a part of the music program for students who don’t usually get to play an instrument until middle school.
In fact, White Oak boasts the only elementary school band in the county. The extracurricular commitment for fifth graders means arriving at 6:50 in the morning and rehearsing before school starts at 7:45. At the end of the day, the percussion section has its own practice.
“An elementary band is rare, but I enjoy it, it’s good for the kids and it’s a great vehicle to teach them,” said Kuehn. “And the parents have just as much of a commitment - they come every day to drop off and pick up their students, and they have to rent the instruments.”
For parent Sue Foster, getting her 11-year-old son to band practice before the crack of dawn is worth the effort.
“I want my kids to learn music, and if they enjoy it, they can pursue it in middle school,” she said. “It gives them the opportunity to learn an instrument without having to fit in private lessons. That’s a nice feature to have at the elementary level.”
The ensemble draws anywhere from 40 to 75 students a year. Currently, 50 students play instruments usually associated with a marching band: saxophone, clarinet, flute, trumpet and trombone.
“They almost all get their first choice,” said Kuehn. “But since these are small kids, size is a consideration. We don’t want anyone be crushed by a tuba or not be able to reach the keys or buttons. And we don’t want an instrument that will pull them off the chair.”
Foster’s son, Cole, was interested in learning the trumpet after hearing his brother play it, and he got his first choice.
“Learning to play music sounded like fun,” he said. “It was difficult starting out - you have to learn the right way to blow - but I got used to it. I practice a lot at home and school.”
His practicing paid off with his first duet, played during the school’s holiday concert in December that was attended by more than 300 supporters.
“The fun part is reading the notes and learning to play different songs,” he said. “When we learned Jingle Bells, it was great. The more I learn, the more fun it gets.”
Ten-year-old flute player Noah Reilly also performed a duet in that concert. “I was definitely nervous,” he said. “But I practiced. I try to do at least 15 minutes a day, maybe more. But I really like it, and I think I’ll stick with the flute in band next year (in middle school).”
It’s not unusual that the learning process is slow in the initial stages, said Kuehn. “In the beginning, we just have sectionals - just the clarinets, just the sax - and we work individually before we put it all together.“
The early lessons have garnered positive feedback from the middle and high schools where many of Kuehn’s students continue with band. But that’s not the primary reason he’s dedicated to the concept.
“My goal is to connect as many youngsters as possible to music,” he said. “The second graders begin learning about instruments with simple recorders, and from second through fifth grades, they can sign up for the chorus. But band is another way of teaching music. It does help different areas of their brains, and at the same time, it gives them a great sense of community belonging.”
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