During lunch period this year, students may have noticed an unexpected addition to their dining, in the form of live music echoing throughout the hangar atop the standard chatter. An organized group of music tech students has recently evolved from a loose club to a performing band, and these monthly appearances give them a chance to play for a real audience instead of a screen, and it grants the rest of the students with pleasant tunes to sing, hum, or simply listen along to, turning a standard lunch period into a makeshift stadium for all to enjoy.

According to Mr. Joshua Proctor, a music tech teacher and sponsor of the club, the program grew out of a need for more opportunities for students to perform. “When I first started here… there was a music club, but they hadn’t really gotten to do performances yet,” he mentioned, and over time the group expanded to have “chamber orchestra that meets, we have chorus that meets, and we have jazz band, rock band that meet in the same place, but practice different songs, depending on what they like to do. Mr. Proctor explained that the idea for lunchtime performances was an intentional choice, as “We love performing during fourth and fifth because we get to reach the most people. They’re all out in the Hangar, you’re waiting in the lunch line anyway.” Furthermore, the occasion gives the band an opportunity for performance skills with other members, as “most people that come in only ever get to play by themselves… but playing with people is different, and it’s really the best way to play music and to enjoy it.”

Additionally, a teacher assistant for music tech, Judah Garrett [12], noted a supportive role in the jazz and rock performances, saying “I do the setup and take down, like the speakers, and the microphone for them after they play.” He also mentioned that a typical band setup would “usually have a couple different speakers. One’s connected to at least one of the bass guitars, one regular guitar, one piano, and then we also have a drum setup.” From the band members to the leaders and the assistants, these students go beyond the music tech classroom to not only get real, live experience for their passion, but also to liven up the school’s atmosphere and give students a pleasant surprise to make the day stand out just a bit more.