In spring 2024, Mount Royal Elementary/Middle School was awarded a Heart of the School Fund grant to expand its instrumental music offerings for middle school students. The funding allowed the school to purchase instruments, percussion equipment and a classroom mixing board—supporting the growth of new ensembles.
Their middle school music program is designed to cultivate a vibrant band culture within the school. Through this work, students have opportunities to perform in ensembles, learn about arranging, take instruments home to practice, and experiment with sound engineering. The addition of new equipment has helped engage students who might not have seen themselves in a traditional band or orchestra.
“This equipment has sparked a lot more excitement, especially for kids who don't see themselves playing in an orchestra or band,” says Music Director Rachel Winder. “These are young producers, young songwriters, young sound engineers. I have one kid who comes just to play with the mixing board. He loves to tweak the channels and adjust the feedback. He even labeled all the channels just to start to get some order to things. So, I think the students are really excited about the equipment, and know they can grow with it.”
Winder adds that students explore a wide range of genres and styles:
“We focus on classical repertoire, but also a mix of pop and jazz-influenced pieces. One of the most exciting parts of the program happens after school, which is our modern music band. That’s where kids get to be part of the rhythm section, share their voices, and help choose the repertoire. It’s a wide range of high-level musical learning.”
The student response has been overwhelmingly positive.
“They’ve never had this kind of sound system in the classroom, or seen some of these instruments before,” Winder explains. “But now they come in excited.”
This past school year Mt. Royal partnered with Arts for Learning Maryland, which serves as the school’s Community Schools Lead Agency. With their support, the school has expanded its arts offerings, adding more field trips, workshops, and artist residencies for students, staff, and families.
“Miss Winder brought so much passion and energy that the program really took off,” says Cheryl Grayson, Director of Community Programs at Arts for Learning Maryland.
And the momentum keeps building. Winder now has more students interested in participating in the after-school program.
“We’re getting to the point where I need a waitlist,” she says. “There are just so many kids signing up.”
The program has also opened the door for field trips and collaborations. Through Mount Royal’s partnership with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, students were able to attend a live concert. Winder is planning future workshops with the Baltimore School for the Arts and has built connections with other local schools to explore additional experiences.
Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth. To read about additional Heart of the School Fund grants, click here.
