Music & Muskets

Right before Holiday Break began, the 8th grade students at Driver Middle School had the opportunity to learn a little about the important overlap of music and history from a guest and specialist in Civil War music. Mr. Stockham demonstrates the lengthy list of bugle calls (and their meaning) field musicians were required to know …

Marcellus Music spreads Holiday Cheer

This past weekend, the students of the Marcellus Music program spread a little holiday cheer throughout the local community. On Friday, students from both the Driver Middle School and Senior High participated in the annual village tree lighting ceremony. It was a chilly and fun evening that included caroling with community members, songs sung by …

7/8 Band & NJHS Share Holiday Recordings

As Driver Middle School gets ready for the holiday break, 7th & 8th grade bands students are finishing up another recording project, this time "holiday" themed. Students chose a tune to learn, and worked on "multi-track" recordings, where they played multiple parts edited and layered on top of one another. https://soundcloud.com/jnightingale-862344978/ryan-stephens-hark-the-herald-angels-sing?in=jnightingale-862344978/sets/driver-middle-holiday-tunes Ryan Stephens (gr. 8) …

Driver Middle Music makes an album

As 7/8 band students returned to school in September, they began learning the basics of sound recording while they learned new music. The goal: for students to learn new music while also develop recording/editing skills so by the time they could perform the music, they would be able to create recordings of themselves that could …

Peforming, Recording, Editing; Band through tech

With the new school year and all of its challenges, comes new opportunities for Marcellus students. In addition to developing technique and literacy on their instruments, the 7th & 8th grade band students have spent the first 10 weeks of school learning the basics of sound recording and editing. DMS makeshift recording "studio." Students have …

Marcellus Musicians Perform at Honors Festivals

The new year has been a busy one for Marcellus music students so far: Many of our students have been invited to play in various honors festivals this year either through audition or invitation. During the last weekend in January, a total of 20 Marcellus students were invited to play at the Onondaga County Jr. …

Vignettes of a Mustang

This November, the eighth grade ELA students of Mrs. Serens and Mrs. Rein have been studying literary elements in class. Focusing specifically on the tools authors use to create meaning (sometimes hidden) in stories, students explored different techniques and how they can change the overall tone of a text before writing their own vignettes based …

Breathing new life (and art) into old equipment

This year the Marcellus music students have been working to re-purpose some of the school's old music stands that have seen years of use. After all of the equipment had been returned to its home buildings following the capital project, we found ourselves with a collection of what we have been calling "wonky" trouble making …

Marcellus Students Perform at All-State Festival

This Fall, eight students from Marcellus schools were invited to participate in the the NYSSMA Zone 3 Jr. High Area-All State Honors festival. Students are chosen from a pool of applicants in 7th-9th grades from Broome, Tioga, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca-Tompkins, and Cortland counties based on scores they received performing individual solos last Spring. These students …

Students Lead Rehearsals at Driver Middle

This year, the MCS music faculty have been developing teaching strategies that put students in more direct leadership roles during traditional group rehearsals. Brian Ackles previously shared work regarding his "Agile Rehearsal" concept that uses student led groups to learn new music. John Francesconi rehearses with his section. Now the 7th & 8th grade ensembles …