Nutley schools named a ‘Best Community for Music Education’

NUTLEY, NJ — Billy Joel once said: “I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.” During this difficult time of the coronavirus, healing through music is exactly what the community needs. Luckily, Nutley Public Schools is one of the best places to get it.

Nutley Public Schools has been named a “Best Community for Music Education” by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation. The award program recognizes outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded curriculum. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and access to music education.

This year, 754 school districts across the nation and just 49 in New Jersey were recognized by the NAMM Foundation as BCME. 

According to James Riley, Nutley Public Schools’ coordinator of fine, practical and performing arts, Nutley certainly deserves this accolade.

“Music offerings include general classroom music in grades K through six, instrumental music ensembles and individual/small group lessons starting in grade three for strings and grade four for band instruments, as well as choirs in each of our elementary schools,” Riley told the Nutley Journal on April 24. “Music continues at the middle and high schools with specialized choral and instrumental ensembles and a wide variety of extracurricular offerings from marching band, men’s choir, jazz bands, winter color guard and percussion, and musicals at both the middle and high schools.”

While Riley enjoys all the music made by Nutley’s talented students, he especially looks forward to the district’s benefit concert each December.

“My personal favorite is our benefit concert during the holiday season in December held at St. Mary’s Church, where our middle and high school ensembles perform a continuous program without applause or breaks and culminating with a mass performance of the ‘Hallelujah Chorus,’” Riley said. “It is truly a special performance venue that our students and families cherish.”

District concerts and recitals are designed to showcase student talent, so the teachers and administrators who nurtured the students and organized the events often remain in the stage’s wings. But this designation from the NAMM Foundation brings these dedicated educators into the spotlight for some well-deserved praise.

“The BCME award represents a recognition for our department for all the hard work and dedication, from planning behind the scenes that includes the commitment to the program from the district through my office, to the tireless dedication from our parental support organizations, as well as the planning and dedication of our faculty,” Riley said. “It truly takes a village to achieve the success we have seen over the past several years and we are very fortunate to enjoy the support from all involved.”

And it is thanks to that support that Nutley’s music programming has continued to grow and improve over the years.

“We have added indoor programs that have quickly grown to national competitive levels, expanded and vertically aligned our curriculum in a variety of ways including adding recorder at grade three and starting instrumental lessons earlier,” Riley said. “Our string program has more than doubled in size and, with the support of the district and generous grants from the Nutley Education Foundation, we continue to invest in resources, such as new instruments, to help grow our programs. And we will continue to grow and add new offerings as we look at adding a ukulele program at the elementary level.”

But none of this would be possible without community support and student effort.

“Our strengths lie in the talent and dedication of our music faculty and students, as well as the support we receive from the Nutley community,” Riley said. “Our students love performing and the opportunities we create throughout the year to showcase their talents.”

  FEATURED, Nutley School District