HOULTON, Maine — Young musicians, as well as a collection of faculty, rocked the stage of the Houlton Performing Arts Center Jan. 12 during a concert to showcase their musical talents.
Organized by Kevin Mania, band director for Houlton Middle-High School, the concert was part of the “Modern Band” class taught at the high school, featuring students playing guitar, drums and keyboard on a selection of rock ‘n roll classics.
“Students do not have to have any previous experience with playing an instrument,” Mania said. “We teach them from the ground up.”
Wednesday’s concert featured a collection of songs from adult staff at RSU 29, including Assistant Principal Dwayne Morse. The show then transitioned to a selection of songs from the district’s musical department before giving way to the students.
Students participating in the concert, which featured stage lighting and a smoke effect, were: Kolin Irish, Mariah Peterson, Olivia Cyr, Jackson Cullin, Isaiah Gentle, Dominick Schools and Ellie Grant.
In 2017 the state announced a partnership with a non-profit organization that is nationwide called Little Kids Rock and for Maine the program was piloted under the name “Maine Kids Rock.” RSU 29 applied and was selected to be one of the pilot programs. Students were given an instrument to use at the school, as well as another one to use at home for practice.
Ten schools were selected to start the pilot program and the district received a full classroom set of instruments to get the ball rolling. Training for staff and the resources needed to be successful were also included.
Since 2017 the collaboration between Little Kids Rock and the state of Maine has continued and each year more and more school systems are added to the list of Little Kids Rock schools.
“All of our music teachers in the district are trained in the Little Kids Rock program,” Mania said. “We are so proud of the progress our students make in this program.”
The program runs on donations that the district has received from many local groups, including Houlton Rotary, Houlton Alumni Association and the Maine Community Foundation.
“The great thing about this program is that it reaches students that would normally not be a part of our traditional music programs in the schools and gives them the opportunity to be involved,” Mania said. “This program gives a chance for students to play music relevant to music that they listen to. It is not a replacement of our traditional school music program — it is an augmentation and addition to the full range of students that we have in our schools.”
Like most music departments around the state, when COVID-19 struck in March 2020, music and choral programs were brought to an immediate halt at Houlton Middle-High School. That trend continued for the 2021-22 school year, which meant eliminating such popular events as the annual Christmas concert and high school musical.
“When COVID hit our schools we were faced with the challenge of changing our whole music programs in school,” Mania said. “We are still limited in some of our schools, but through this program we were able to survive and keep our music programs moving along.”
In the same way that athletics help with productivity, getting students involved in music programs in the district also helps students be more productive and accountable, the teacher said.
“Students involved in this program learn to be active learners, work as a team, grow as individuals, make new friends, learn a new skill set that lasts a lifetime,” Mania said. “In class we learn the basics, then pick out songs that work to their abilities. Usually any genre of music works well with beginners because you can simplify and really get the students hooked on playing.”
HOULTON, Maine — January 12, 2022 — Houlton Middle-High School student Ellie Grant sings a song during the “Modern Band” concert at the Houlton Community Arts Center Wednesday, Jan. 12. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
HOULTON, Maine — January 12, 2022 — Dominick Schools sings a song during the “Modern Band” concert at the Houlton Community Arts Center Wednesday, Jan. 12. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
HOULTON, Maine — January 12, 2022 — Houlton Middle-High School students Mariah Peterson (left) and Olivia Cyr play guitars during the “Modern Band” concert at the Houlton Community Arts Center Wednesday, Jan. 12. ( (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
HOULTON, Maine — January 12, 2022 — Houlton Middle-High School choral director Nicholas Foster sings (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
HOULTON, Maine — January 12, 2022 — Houlton Middle School Band director Mike Hutchinson plays bass guitar during a Wednesday concert at the high school. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
HOULTON, Maine — January 12, 2022 — Houlton Middle-High School band director Kevin Mania plays drums during a Jan. 12 concert at the school. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
