Music

Ever since I started teaching music composition at a conservatory, I’ve been comparing the progress of the college students with the Sudbury Valley School kids I’ve observed in my time as a staff member. In each case, they are trying to work out… Read more ›

On May 9th at noon the SVS Music Corp gave its first concert since it was disbanded three years ago. I was part and parcel to the proceedings, being the only adult with the privilege (tech and mixer), and I got to watch all the trials and… Read more ›

As we walked down the driveway to the main building, slightly jet-lagged after the flight from the UK, I thought I knew what to expect. After all, we had spent a year immersing ourselves in Sudbury literature with the aim of opening a school in Kent… Read more ›

For many years now a Halloween dance has taken place in the barn. Wearing a costume is optional but most people come wearing something funky, beautiful or amusing. The dances are totally organized by students, while staff serve as chaperones who are… Read more ›

An Open Mic is a scary thing to organize. After all, the success of the endeavor depends not on who says they want to sing, or play a song, or dance, or do an act, beforehand, but who actually steps up and does it at the time it is happening. In a… Read more ›

“You know that moment when you are playing bass and it's like surfing?” Sadly, I don’t, but I sure wish I did, because judging from the glowing expression of the student I overheard saying this, it must be great. The recent music show helped me… Read more ›

When I was twelve years old, I got an electric guitar. It took a while, but I finally managed to learn a few simple position chords: A, D, and E Major. At that point, I found a bass player who could also play an A, a D, and an E. And together, we… Read more ›

And now for a brief update of the sonic happenings in The Barn: We are a Music Corp in transition and working out the acoustics of the hall is now front and center. After the Winter Show, there were a number of posts from parents regarding the… Read more ›