Through the years, as music programs across the country have become less important to struggling school districts. Advocacy groups quote research that music classes can impact a child’s academic performance and build confidence. One St. Vrain Valley teacher stepped outside his own comfort zone to instill musical confidence in his elementary students.
Kris Emanuel is a music teacher at Indian Peaks Elementary in Longmont. When the 2021-22 school year he wanted to begin a music club that would inspire students to stay connected to music and build confidence into middle and high school.
“I think it is important so that our students can see themselves in programs and know that they are capable of not just doing the basic things but they are very much capable of being a part of quality programs and very much capable of doing anything,” Emanuel said.
Seeking feedback from parents and students during a regular cafecito, or community talk, the idea of a mariachi band was suggested. According to Emanuel, the community was really excited about the program.
“I wanted to give them instruments that weren’t just the standardized elementary music instruments like xylophones, recorders, just singing and dancing … I also wanted to expose them to every possibility,” Emanuel explained.
He hopes that as his students enter into middle and high school they will be more equipped to explore instruments and types of music they were exposed to in elementary school but continue that exploration on a deeper level.
Emanuel did not have prior experience teaching or even playing mariachi prior to the club.
“I’m 100% learning,” he said. He is getting additional help from Priscilla Arasaki, who teaches music exploration and orchestra at Sunset Middle School and Brian Crim at Skyline High School. From them, Emanuel has learned how best to teach students mariachi.
Students look to their teachers to be the authority on the subjects they teach but Emanuel says he is open with his students that they are all learning this subject together.
“My goal is to share vulnerability and to share that as much as we might look at teachers to get it right or to know it; I think it is about working together to then get it right. I want them to be welcome to say ‘hey, Mr. E, actually this is how we do this.’ So they can feel empowered to say ‘I know you don’t know everything and that’s okay,’” Emanuel said.
The Indian Peaks mariachi band is the first among all of St. Vrain Valley’s elementary schools. The band has received older instruments handed down from local middle and high schools. In a recent round of Innovation grants from the St. Vrain Valley Education Foundation, Emanuel received $2,000 to purchase new instruments.
Janay Bird, fine arts coordinator for SVVSD, is in the process of purchasing the new instruments for the students. The school hopes the new instruments will arrive before the end-of-year performance in May and that they will inspire more students to participate in the program. Currently, there are 10 students enrolled in the band.
“Having new instruments and the concert will spark more interest and excitement around the Mariachi Band,” said Kathi Jo Walder principal at Indian Peaks Elementary.
Isaac, a fourth-grade mariachi band student at Indian Peaks, said he likes the guitar the best, his opinion was seconded by four other students in the club on Thursday morning.
Mateo, a fifth-grade mariachi band student, said he really likes plucking the strings.
Isaac added that he really enjoys the program and will continue to play into middle school, “It’s what I do for spare time,” he said. “I know what I want to be when I grow up. Since I like music and I like doing things in music, I think I will be a musician.”
