By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Students are learning about the creative process in art and music classes, K-12 Fine and Performing Arts Coordinator/Lynnfield High School Band Director Harry Wagg said during a recent School Committee meeting.
Wagg said the four “anchor standards” for performing and fine arts are creating, presenting/performing, responding and connecting.
“Creating is generating and developing ideas,” said Wagg. “Presenting and performing is realizing artistic ideas in each discipline. Responding is understanding and evaluating how the arts can convey meeting. Connecting is relating artistic ideas and works with personal meaning and external context.”
Elementary schools
Wagg said elementary school art classes have students “working with a variety of media and materials to create a variety of works with an emphasis on choice and building skills.”
“Both our art and music classes meet once per week for 45 minutes,” said Wagg. “Students are engaging in interdisciplinary lessons. Students are connecting with literature, and are putting the ‘A’ in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math). I think the ‘A’ always belongs there because that is how we can engage in the creative process to problem solve.”
Wagg said elementary school students “generate musical ideas by performing on instruments, exploring their voices and through movement.” He said last year was the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that the elementary schools held its fine arts nights. He said Huckleberry Hill School will be holding its “Slam Night” on May 23 and Summer Street School will be having its “Playlist in the Park” on May 30.
“These will feature performances and presentations of artwork from our first-graders through third-graders,” said Wagg. “Our fourth-graders’ will be doing those presentations and performances during the moving on ceremonies.”
Wagg said the annual Music In Our Schools Month concert will take place in the Lynnfield High School gym in March.
“It’s quite a show,” said Wagg.
LMS
Wagg said Lynnfield Middle School’s art classes have students continuing to “utilize a variety of materials to build on the skills” they established in elementary school.
“They are working more on skills while still emphasizing the creative process,” said Wagg.
Wagg said the middle school’s General Music class for fifth-graders and eight-graders each meet for one trimester. He recalled that Director Stephen Bloom oversees the entire music program at the middle school.
“If you are not involved in band or chorus, we are not seeing General Music in sixth and seventh grade,” said Wagg. “For band and chorus, that is available fifth grade through eighth grade. Fifth grade band starts with group lessons and works its way into sixth grade band. The seventh and eighth grade bands meet together. Fifth and sixth grade chorus meets together, and the seventh and eighth grade chorus meets together. There is also a class called New World Music. All of those meet once every three days.”
Wagg said the middle school also offers Jazz Band and the Pioneer Singers as after-school programs.
“Those are auditioned groups that meet twice a week after-school,” said Wagg.
Wagg recalled that the Pioneer Singers held its 25th anniversary concert in early November.
“There were former alumni of the Pioneer Singers there,” said Wagg. “One of the things we have talked a lot about at the middle school and high school level is community engagement. The Pioneer Singers have certainly done that by performing at Fenway Park and all over Lynnfield.”
Wagg said the middle school’s production of “Beauty and the Beast Jr.” will take place Feb. 9-11.
“There is a greater than 85 percent increase in middle school theater participation over the past three years,” said Wagg. “During the 2021-2022 school year, there were 48 students who participated. There are 89 students who are involved this year. This is an area we might want to explore with getting some extra assistance just to make sure that experience is meaningful and safe for all students.”
School Committee member Jamie Hayman said Bloom “deserves a ton of credit for how he has rebuilt the music program at the middle school since COVID.”
“The numbers are way up and the concerts are a tribute to what he has done,” said Hayman.
Hayman also asked if the middle school’s music program “too restrictive right now.”
“I know some music lessons happen during stage time,” said Hayman. “If kids are faced with using that time to get homework done versus learning an instrument, it is a hard tradeoff.”
Wagg said yes.
“The middle school’s size could easily justify more music educators and art educators,” said Wagg. “Mr. Bloom does as much as he can with his time. It would be great to see more access during the school day.”
LHS
Wagg said Lynnfield High School offers Honors Pioneer Band and Honors Jazz Band courses.
“We also have a Jazz and Rock ensemble,” said Wagg. “We also have an Honors Chamber Singers course, a Concert Choir class and a Piano class. We are looking at some scheduling options next year to expand the program.”
Wagg said high school band students performed at the Lynnfield Little League grand opening parade, the Memorial Day parade/ceremony and the Veterans Day ceremony this year.
“We do the Veterans Day ceremony in collaboration with the seventh and eighth grade bands,” said Wagg.
Wagg said the Boston Saxophone Quartet hosted a workshop for LHS music students the last two years.
“It’s a fantastic group of four amazing musicians,” said Wagg. “It’s really wonderful for the students to hear professional musicians up close and personal.”
Wagg recalled that the high school’s production of “Mean Girls” took place in November.
“They did a fantastic job,” said Wagg. “Seeing the work they put in every single day after-school was pretty amazing. It’s amazing to showcase the talent of these students.”
Wagg said the high school’s visual arts program includes Art Exploration, Basic Drawing and Painting, Community Art, Pre-Advanced Placement (AP) and AP classes. He also said the high school offers photography and graphic design classes.
“Those programs have been extremely successful,” said Wagg.
Wagg noted that LHS has a dark room for photography students.
“Students are working in an artistic context with their hands to actually create in real time,” said Wagg.
Wagg said Open Studios gives high school students the opportunity to display the art, photography, graphic design and music they created to the community. He recalled that last year’s event was held simultaneously as the Spring Band Concert.
“We held the instrumental concert in the cafeteria so it was a little bit more casual while people were mingling in the hallways checking out students’ artwork,” said Wagg. “It was a fantastic night.”
School Committee Chair Rich Sjoberg was impressed by Wagg’s dedication to the fine and performing arts.
“If half of the passion and enthusiasm you expressed for the arts seeps into the sponges that are our kids, I would be happy,” said Sjoberg.
Wagg said he is “excited” that Lynnfield Public Schools has created a variety of artistic and musical opportunities for students.
“We have some fantastic teachers,” said Wagg.
School Committee member Phil McQueen said he was impressed with how the art and music programs are “unified across the whole district.” He also expressed his support for expanding the middle school’s art and music programs.