East Meadow bands are hitting the right notes alongside Dallas Brass

Dallas Brass, a quintet that performs patriotic, classical and modern music, will visit students at East Meadow School District on Oct. 22, and conduct a workshop designed to introduce eighth-grade band members to the world of professional musicianship. The workshop will take place at W.T. Clarke Middle School during the day, followed by a concert in the evening, inviting parents and community members to come out and listen to the students’ hard work.

“Dallas Brass is a world-renowned chamber music group, and they run summer workshops for professional musicians, students, college musicians,” Jessica Shenker, chairwoman of Woodland Middle School’s music department, said. “Some local Long Island music teachers, including some teachers on our staff, have attended workshops in the past.”

Shenker said the Farmingdale School District invited Dallas Brass to visit its students this month, and East Meadow wanted to take advantage of the ensemble being in the area.

“We hopped on board,” Shenker told the Herald. “We really wanted to give an opportunity to the middle school band programs. This is a way to highlight the eighth-grade band from both sides of the district.”

Founded by Michael Levine in 1983, Dallas Brass is a five-piece ensemble, with one percussionist. The group is based in Texas, but tours the country. The ensemble will play one piece each with Woodland and Clarke students, and one piece separately during the Oct. 22 performance.

Woodland students will perform a Star Wars arrangement, and Clarke students will handle a piece, titled “Barnyard Buckaroo.” The program with Dallas Brass was coordinated through the efforts of Shenker, Woodland teachers John Marshall and Samuel Pollenz, Clarke’s music chairwoman Michelle Shmuel and teachers Michelle Cozzi, Nicole Rode and Molly Tittler-Ingoglia, all under the guidance of Kelly Nixon, the district’s director of music and art.

“The ensembles have already been rehearsing,” Shmuel said. “It’s impressive, because it’s only a few weeks into school. And at the middle school level, the students are only seen every other day. They’re preparing a great deal of music in a short amount of time, which is a testament to the kids’ hard work.”

110 students are members in Woodland’s band, there’s just over 50 in Clarke’s.

Even though Dallas Brass tours extensively, and introduces global communities to music, Levine said the group’s real passion lies in working with students.

“All of the members of the group are band kids,” he said of Dallas Brass. “We all went through school band, and that’s why we’re doing what we do today — because we fell in love with it. So we want to do whatever we can to inspire kids and encourage them to keep going.”

Levine said Dallas Brass doesn’t necessarily go out of its way to encourage students to become professional musicians.

“The message is that your instrument can be your friend for life,” he said. “You can play in community groups or church groups or start your own little ensembles. You can have this as a lifelong hobby. It doesn’t have to end after high school or college. It can stay with you forever.”

Nixon said the district is thrilled to introduce its students to professional musicianship.

“We’re so excited to be able to have this ensemble come and perform for our students,” Nixon said. “To be able to have the opportunity to sit side-by-side with a professional musician — that doesn’t often happen for our kids.” 

“I hope they get a lot out of seeing a professional model right in front of them,” Shenker said. “I also think having that quick turnaround of concert preparation and performance is something really exciting. They’re having one rehearsal that day, and the concert that night — a set of skills the middle school hasn’t really had before.”

Shmuel added that the experience should take some students out of their comfort zone.

“They’re good students, they know what’s expected in the classroom,” Shmuel said. “But now we’re doing something they’ve never, ever experienced. I think they’re going to learn a great deal from them.”

Doors for the Oct. 22 concert will open at 6:30 p.m., and the show is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Admission is free, and the district’s music teachers are hoping to fill the auditorium at Clarke, at 740 Edgewood Drive in Westbury.

“Dallas Brass brings such a joy and lightheartedness to their performance,” Nixon said. “Given the fact they’re such incredible musicians and travel the world, our kids can see both — that there’s this intensity, yet joy, in the same room and space. They get to be a part of that.”