After a year without a dedicated class period, band directors Nicholas Shurtleff, Hayden Drew, and Andrew Granado are offering an opportunity to express musical creativity to talented musicians.
“I think the Chamber music class is a great outlet for kids to express their creativity as groups and as individuals, so I think that’s a really cool thing to foster, and that’s our job to foster that kind of creativity, inspiration, and independence that Chamber music provides,” Drew said. “Additionally, it’s pedagogically a really great tool for us to use since it gets you playing independently, because generally Chamber things are one on a part or even two on a part, and it’s just fun for students to get together with their friends and make music together.”
Once all of the directors told this information during the first week of school to the students, many of those musicians have started their own Chamber groups and are now deciding on music they would like to perform on November 7th.
“It’s pretty fun, it’s very different because we’re having to basically plan our own music, plan times to practice, and organize ourselves, since it’s really a student-led thing, it’s a lot less of somebody telling you what to do and more of people going, ‘Okay guys, what are we going to do today?’” junior Emmie Dodson said.
Due to the fact that Chamber is a different environment for students, focusing more on small groups so each member can express their own talents individually, some find it jarring, and even a little nerve wracking.
“It’s very different, and it’s harder because we’re not used to being so exposed in an ensemble compared to just being kind of hidden, and a lot of times when our groups are so small, like four people, you’re very exposed, so it’s different,” Dodson said.
After the first month of school, several students have been able to form their own groups, such as one named The Brass Band, which Assistant Director Drew is currently arranging music for. By allowing students to arrange their own groups, they are able to test out their abilities on other instruments.
“Mr. Drew gathered all of us up into a brass group that consists of me, Hayden Petenbrink, Adalyn Thomas, Mason Walls, Illa Mendoza, and Emmie Dodson,” senior Isai Almanza said. 
“He knows that I’ve been wanting to play baritone for a while now, and he knows I want to be in a brass ensemble, and since he sees me play everyday for concert winds two, he decided to just get all of the brass people together. Right now, Mr. Drew is arranging a song for us, and he’s doing a really good job and he showed us some sneak peeks of it.”
Overall, the students are excited to have Chamber back as an official class period this year, and the directors are proud of what all of these talented students and their individual groups have to offer for their upcoming concert on November 7th.
“I see growth for all of these students in the future, this year is a starting year for it, I suppose, so I can see more and more kids joining in and it being a dedicated group,” Drew said. “But, when you’re telling your friends, ‘Hey man come on join chamber,’ that’s such a cool thing, and eventually everyone kind of joins it because they want to be a part of something cool like that.”
