New chamber music program tops charts for students
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Hampton High School launched a chamber music program last month and scored a hit with the harshest critics in any high school -- the students.
Hampton High School artist in residence Carl Iezzi works with French horn players, from left, Sean Meloy, Faith Updegraff, Vanessa Cominsky and Chris Vogel.Click photo for larger image.
About 285 students are participating in the program, working in small groups and playing instruments that include guitar, piano and strings.
The players meet during study halls, about three times a week. One of the groups has performed a holiday program in the community, and the players plan to hold a concert in the spring.
The district has other music programs, including a marching band, three concert bands, two jazz bands and a wind ensemble, said band director Chad Himmler. But educators acknowledged that they were breaking new ground with an enrichment program in chamber music and the addition of artist in residence Carl Iezzi to lead it.
Iezzi taught in the Pittsburgh Public Schools for 30 years and was a long-term substitute music teacher at Hampton last year.
"He demonstrated exceptional talent and showed he could help raise our program to new levels," said Assistant Principal Sally Durrant.
"Chamber music is any music written to be performed in a small space," Iezzi said. "It can be any configuration of instruments, and it can be contemporary."
Selections vary and are not limited to classical music.
"One thing we'll do is study the music of Charlie Parker, a jazz musician," Iezzi said.
Working in small groups has advantages. Chamber music requires greater student leadership. "In small groups, the students have to be much more aware. They must lead themselves, watch and follow the person up front," Iezzi said.
"Unless you're a creative or performing arts high school, students can't get the depth and breadth of this experience. It comes from one person working with very small groups of students," Durrant said.
"You can perfect things when you're working with a group of three to 20 students that you can't do in a big band setting," Himmler said.
In just two months, he can see results of the individualized instruction. "The greatest benefit comes in intonation, the pitch, whether you're sharp or flat.... Now the kids are listening to each other." he said.
Senior Scott Baret, who plays trombone, said he has no problem giving up study halls to be part of the program. "I was excited to hear Mr. Iezzi was back. He brings a lot of experience and good advice. I love to play," Baret said.
Other students are enjoying the new program, too, so much that some groaned in disappointment one day recently when Iezzi was absent.
"They said things like, 'Bummer!' and 'Oh man, that stinks!' " Himmler said.
Funding to keep the program going, however, is a concern.
Administrators brought Iezzi on board with a grant of $5,000 from the Hampton Alliance for Educational Excellence, a group of community members and parents whose goal is to contribute funding for educational enhancement.
"We were also given $500 by the Parent-Faculty Association," Durrant said. Those amounts are enough to get them through this semester.
Administrators applied for, but did not receive, a grant from the Pennsylvania Humanities Council."We're very disappointed. We had matching funds lined up," Durrant said.
They have reapplied to the Hampton Alliance for Educational Excellence, seeking funding to continue the program though this year.
As she searches for money, students such as sophomore Joe Acquaviva ,are eager to join a chamber ensemble. Acquaviva has taken private violin lessons for seven years and is a member of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, which plays at Heinz Hall.
He was approached by Iezzi, and he plans to join the program. "It'll most likely be an ensemble of piano, woodwinds, maybe flutes and stuff," he said.
"The best thing is learning new repertoire and getting to play with people during school hours," Acquaviva said.
First Published December 29, 2004 12:00 am
