News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Monterey High School relaunching its band program.
Principal Breeonna Wheeler said the school had the vision over the summer of relaunching the band program and the idea came to fruition this fall as the school was granted a growth position. Wheeler said the band will help grow the school’s music department.
“The band adds another element for our school and for our community,” Wheeler said. “But it also for me adds an element for students another outlet that we should be able to provide and be equitable to the other high schools in the county.”
Monterey High School Director of Bands Jerry Buttrum said the band is already growing within the first year as the band has performed at two football games and the Veterans Day celebration. Buttrum said the program has begun feeder classes at the elementary and middle school levels and has 38 students already in the program.
“Slowly we are building and it is what we would call a slow burn to build a band program back into a community,” Buttrum said. “So it’s a culture of growth that we are definitely growing at this point, so as we continue with consistency in the city of Monterey we are definitely going to have a larger program.”
Wheeler said they installed classes at all three schools to get students to begin learning instruments and music at an early age. Buttrum said it would take some time before the band would be ready for halftime performances and competitions.
“We are at the beginning level of where our students are just learning basic skills of music and on their instrument,” Buttrum said. “Next year the goal is to have a marching band at halftime and possibly a festival or two and then down the road in a couple of years competing is what we are looking at in our culture of the music department.”
Wheeler said the school had lost its band program after the previous band director left. Wheeler said bringing the band program back will make the school traditions even better. Buttrum said he believes a band is the heart of the school.
