Music Programs

By Becky Salato, Superintendent, Konocti Unified School District

In December, Konocti Unified School District presented the “biggest little concert ever.” I am quite certain we gathered the most student musicians in a single room that Lake County has ever seen. About 150 students played together. It was wonderful. Lower Lake High School and Obsidian Middle School combined their musical programs to entertain friends and family, led by LLHS music teacher (and alumna) Molly Silva and OMS music teacher Fernando Silveira. All the audience seats in the high school gym were full and people lined the walls–it was literally standing room only.

One of the most impressive things about this concert was that our music program began the school year in a “rebuilding” phase. Since COVID, the music programs at our schools have struggled for various reasons. Yet this year, the high school’s beginning band class has increased in size, the concert band has almost doubled from 17 students to 32, and the middle school program has increased from 45 to 92 with a waitlist. Three students are learning instruments outside of school so they can join the marching band mid-year. Still others are taking lessons outside of school to skip beginning band and move straight to concert band. 

Enthusiastic Music Teachers

I credit this growth to our two music teachers. Their enthusiasm and determination is inspiring. This is Ms. Silva’s first year with our district and Mr. Silveira’s second. Although they are decades apart in age, they are very much aligned when it comes to growing their programs. 

They are both adamant that anyone can play. Some people are under the misconception that students must choose between being an athlete and a musician–not so! Years ago when Mr. Silveira was a high school student, he was both an athlete (football player) and a musician, and  Ms. Silva has already coordinated with LLHS athletic coaches to ensure students can play sports and be in the marching band if they choose. 

Really, the main thing in the way of growing our music program is a need for more instruments. We’ll continue to add music classes as our resources allow. Districtwide, we have grant funding to offset the cost of providing music instruction to students of all ages. In our elementary schools, our music program is integrated with other classes, so students get about an hour of music a week. Secondary students can enroll in music classes that meet daily.

Five-Year Plans

Both Ms. Silva and Mr. Silveira have five-year plans to dramatically expand their programs. They both want to create marching bands that attend festivals, parades and competitions. They both want to develop programs that welcome new students into music and provide a pathway to elevate their skills so they can participate in concert band, marching band, and/or jazz band. LLHS has a show choir and Mr. Silveira would love to start a choir at the middle school. Mr. Silveira also talks about holding a future concert at Austin Park, open to the public for all to enjoy. Ms. Silva wants to provide college tours, allowing students to participate in Band Day at UC Berkeley and UC Davis to give students a sense of what could be next in their music career. 

One way to fund some of this expansion is to create band booster clubs, similar to those for athletics, to help pay for uniforms, instruments, and travel expenses. Another is to seek additional grant funding to support our music students. The music teachers also asked me to mention that if there are any community members with band instruments in good condition they no longer use, we’d be happy to accept them as donations.   

Music Makes Us Better

Music provides so many benefits, from a life-long ability to play an instrument to academic and social-emotional benefits. Learning music has been linked to improved test scores, enhanced math and language skills, and expanded cognitive development, as well as increased self-confidence, more developed social skills, and healthy emotional expression.  

And maybe one of the most important benefits is the way the music community serves as a safe haven when kids are figuring themselves out. Middle school and high school can be difficult times when students struggle to find a place to belong. For many, music is that place.