2009-02-22 MVHS Music

It’s astounding how much work is involved with opening a new high school. Although I lived in District 204 when Neuqua Valley opened, my children were small then and destined for Waubonsie Valley so I paid little attention.


Metea Valley will open this fall and my son will be in the first class that attends the school all four years, so what's going on now is of great interest to me.

I’ve gotten information from numerous meetings including principal Jim Schmid’s monthly updates, monthly Indian Prairie Parents Council meetings and School Board meetings. At January’s meeting with Mr. Schmid parents had many questions about the Metea Valley music program. I think for many the strong academics are a given, and parents want to know that as we leave behind Grammy-winning WVHS our kids will still be offered exceptional musical opportunities.

We received this assurance on February 10 at a presentation given by the Metea music department. Parents and students were given a chance to meet the staff, ask questions and sign up to help with a myriad of tasks that the new department will need.

All of the Metea staff who have been introduced at public meetings have impressive credentials and the music department staff is no exception. The department chair, Mr. Don Devany, will be the band director and currently teaches at Neuqua. The orchestra director will be Waubonsie’s very talented Mr. Mark Liu. Mr. Nathan Bramstedt, currently teaching at Crone Middle School and Neuqua, will direct choir. All are highly qualified, having extensive education and experience and incredible excitement about the programs for their students at the new high school. They know that the quality of music education is a priority for many in the district and this is their passion.

Plans are in place for the music department’s offerings to grow as the school does over the next three years. Choir, band and orchestra will each begin next year with two or three curricular ensembles, growing to between five and six by the third year. Each will have audition and non-audition groups available. There will be a multitude of co- and extra-curricular opportunities for music students including Tri-M Honor Society, Solo & Ensemble Festival, a Steel Drum Ensemble, the Spring Musical, Metea Valley United Voices, and a Symphony Orchestra.

Yes, there will be marching band from the very start. Yes, there will be summer music programs this year for students heading to Metea next fall. And yes, there will be trips. There may be only one trip next year but it’s hoped that the Metea Valley Mustangs will enjoy trips similar to what the other high schools offer. Trip planning is one of those items on the long, long list that will have to wait until some other more pressing logistics have been taken care of.

Some are concerned that students won’t have the option next year of being in the “top” music ensemble as they would if they were attending Waubonsie. The music directors assured us that next year the audition groups will be the top group for each of them and the students will be treated accordingly.

Though the music wing of the high school will not yet be ready when the building opens in August, the forum rooms will be used in their place for a semester. These are large rooms with risers that will later have furniture in them, but will be left open now for use for chorus, band, and orchestra. The auditorium will also not yet be open for the first semester. Performances during that time period will be held at Waubonsie and Neuqua. There is also a chance that the Mustangs will get to perform at the beautiful new Wentz Hall at North Central College. When the new auditorium does open at Metea, there may be a large concert held there to celebrate.

I know there are many more interested music parents and students than those who were able to attend the music department meeting. The department is in need of lots of help as soon as they are allowed in the building. All equipment will be brand new. Help will be needed with unboxing, preparing, and setting up the music library, the instruments, music stands, the choir robes and band uniforms, and much more.

The band, orchestra, and choir parents’ groups will be getting some seed money and startup help from the corresponding organizations at Waubonsie and Neuqua. Help is needed specifically in the areas of Ways and Means, Concert Uniforms, Historical Records, Transportation and Logistics, Hospitality, Concerts, Publicity, and Website Development. Please contact Mr. Devany at don_devany@ipsd.org or 428-6669 with questions or to offer your assistance.

This is a very exciting time. It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Mustang families to be in on the firsts at the new school and to help create lasting tradition.