The Fort Collins Symphony Guild has expanded the classical music program being heard in local junior high schools (JHS). The three schools that added the Brummitt-Taylor (B-T) Music Listening Program this school year are Webber, Wellington and Lesher. This is in addition to Cache LaPoudre and Lincoln who have had the B-T program since 2004.

We currently have approximately 2600 students listening to classical music in the Poudre School District.

Although we initially called the program "Music in the Morning," we discovered that several of the junior high schools are playing the classical music program in the afternoons. Hence, the name change to B-T program, which reflects the authors of the listening program.

Several people in the Symphony Guild heard about the B-T Program from a visiting conductor, David MacKenzie, back in 2003. Lee Theilen of the Symphony Guild spearheaded getting this program into local schools.

In the spring of 2004, Tony Gezzi, the Director of Bands and Choirs at Cache LaPoudre JHS in Laporte enthusiastically began the program, calling it "Music in the Morning." Tony was instrumental in getting the program expanded to Lincoln Junior High by the fall of 2004. Tony continued to work with the Music in the Morning Committee through the spring of 2006, culminating in three more schools wanting the program.

The B-T program is based a three-year cycle of CDs. A narrative accompanies each classical music piece. The program recommends that schools play the same classical music piece for five minutes, four to five days a week. Either the music teacher or a student reads the narrative that goes with each piece of music. Each day focuses on a different aspect of the classical piece.

Tony found that the students were calmer and more relaxed after listening to classical music. Students' attention spans improved as did listening skills. Students were ready to begin working on their studies after listening to classical music. Tony reported parents were pleased that students recognized classical pieces of music and that students' etiquette at concerts improved.

Hopefully, this program will enrich students' lives by exposing them to classical music and help motivate more students to join bands and choirs. According to the Knight Foundation report by Dr. Thomas Wolf in September 2006, research shows that playing a musical instrument or singing in a choir is the most important predictor of future concert attendees.