NORTHFIELD — Frank Ticheli stood on a small platform before around 50 Pioneer Valley Regional School students, all poised before individual music stands. He flicked his baton, his hands swaying along with the energy of “Joy.”
Ticheli, a renowned composer of modern band music, visited Pioneer Friday morning, leading the middle school band in playing “Joy” and the high school band in playing Cajun folk music. Pioneer was one of his guest teaching tour stops Friday, along with Jabish Brook Middle School in Belchertown, and Mount Greylock Regional School and Williams College in Williamstown.
Band Director Nathan Holesovsky said his middle school and high school bands, with about 50 students each, learn a Ticheli song at least every other school year. In fact, the students played Ticheli’s music at this year’s Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association music festival in April, with the high school band earning a silver rating and the middle school band earning a bronze rating.
So, when Holesovsky had the opportunity to bring Ticheli to Pioneer, he jumped at the chance. Ticheli answered students’ questions, and discussed the process of composing music, which Holesovsky thought was very meaningful for his students.
“I think experiences like this help keep music a part of your life,” he said.
Ticheli explained he started out playing the trumpet in high school. Being inspired by other composers, he decided to major in composition in college, though he hadn’t written anything, at least not anything he was willing to show to professors at Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas.
“To be a composer, you have to write a lot of bad music,” he said, explaining that writing music isn’t about the results, but the process of improving over time.
Ticheli has been guest teaching at colleges, professional groups and high schools for about 30 years. He has a special fondness for returning to high schools, he said, as it reminds him of where he started out and the audience who he’s writing for.
“You have a chance to have an impact on them in a long term way,” he added.
Ticheli said he was impressed by the Pioneer bands’ performances despite having a few absences Friday and a lack of trombone players.
“They asked great questions,” he said. “They’re doing a lot with limited resources.”