Grand Junction Elementary Students are Musical Geniuses

Today's students here in the Grand Valley are profoundly brighter than my generation when it comes to music, musical terms, and history. How did they get so smart? When did Western Colorado schools start teaching this stuff?

Earlier today (Thursday, April 21), a group I play with, Cool Jazz, performed a number of brief shows at Fruitvale Elementary in Grand Junction. Not only did these young students demonstrate perfect concert etiquette, they also displayed a deep understanding of music, instruments, and music history.

Take a look at the board pictured above. This board is on display in the music room at Fruitvale Elementary. The age groups in the audiences today, grades 1 through 5, were all classified as a "Level 4 Audience." At this level, students understand how to behave at a concert, grasp time signatures (2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and believe it or not, 5/4), and know the various families of instruments.

I was born and raised in Grand Junction. When I was in first grade (1976) we were a bunch of morons. We were idiots. We didn't know a violin from a set of bagpipes. We certainly didn't know what a 3/4 time signature meant. If you asked one of us what instrument family the cello belonged to, we would have said "The Joneses?"

What's happening in our schools? I'll tell you what's happening. Students are getting a deep understanding of musical styles and instruments at a very young age. They are being taught how to act in public.

My bunch (1976) would have picked their nose and eaten it during a concert. We wouldn't have sat still while listening intently. Behave like civilized humans? Out of the question.

Kudos to you, Western Colorado music students. Teachers and parents, you deserve a whopping high five as well. It's been proven time and time again, an early understanding of music builds a strong foundation for a bright academic career. Thanks for hosting us today. We look forward to playing your school again soon.