If you walk through the exploratory hallway at any point in the school day, you might just hear the wonderful talent of the FMS musicians. The students can choose to be in Concert Band (Jazz Band being a subcategory), Orchestra or Choir. They can also be in multiple groups like Band and Orchestra for example. The three music teachers at FMS are Mr. Hurshman (Band Teacher), Mrs. Lavadie (Orchestra), and Ms. Bohl (Choir).

There have been many interviews about the music electives here at FMS, done by the FMS Times staff. There have been both students and teachers of the music electives that were interviewed about this topic. We made sure that each music group from both 6th and 7th grade had at least one student that was interviewed. Keep in mind that some of the responses were shortened down to one-three sentences. We asked Mr. Hurshman, Mrs. Lavadie and Ms. Bohl all the same questions and here are they’re responses. 

FMS Times: What is one thing your students have done this year that you’re proud of?

Mrs. Lavadie: Okay really I would say it's there's so many, if I had to pick just one I think it's how they've all been to the challenge of some pretty difficult music this year.

Ms. Bolh: You just get to see that growth and sometimes there's light bulb moments you're like oh you finally get it. 

FMS TImes: Why did you decide to teach______(Name of music elective)

Mr. Hurshman: To share the joy of making music with students.

Mrs. Lavadie: I started playing violin when I was seven, and it just always has been a part of my life and when it came time to major in something I wanted to give back the same amount of joy that I've gotten from Orchestra and playing my violin.

Ms. Bohl: So I grew up in Cedaredge so we didn't have an orchestra up there but I was also a band kid so I have always liked singing when. In Middle Elementary School band and so I was also in band, I did band and choir my two electives from 6th grade when we had a choice. I don't like bands. I like playing in a band. I just don't want to have to learn all the embouchure and all the fingerings and I was fine at the strings actually. Really, like playing cello but yeah it just cuz I wasn't I didn't grow up with it. I wasn't as familiar and comfortable with it so I just like choir better. 

FMS Times: Why did you decide to teach here at FMS?

Mr. Hurshman: To be closer to family

Mrs: Lavadie:  Well it was actually so I was teaching Elementary music and that position was getting reconfigured and so I was going to be out a job, but then I found out that the orchestra position was opening up out here in Fruita and so I decided to go for it and interview and I got the job. So it's kind of by a little luck and a little bit of perfect timing that I ended up in this position.

Ms. Bohl: I grew up in Cedaredge and then I went to college and Gunnison so not too far away and then I started teaching in Denver. Then I moved to Lamar which is on the other side of the state 2 hours east of Pueblo. I was like, well I'd be closer to home so I actually got the job at the fruit of 8-9 in the second year of the school there and then so I was there for 5-6 years. Six years only the at 8/9 and then the job kind of shifted and changed and so then it opened up for this position so then I could teach here and there so for 11 years now I've been at Fruita middle and Fruita 8/9.

FMS Times: How will the move to the 8/9 change how concerts go? 

Mr. Hurshmen: We will not get the benefit of rehearsal time in the performance venue but we will still have our concerts in this auditorium.

Mrs. Lavadie: It'll kind of depend, it may not change it much at all, because what we've heard so far is that we will be able to still use the middle school for our concerts. So we would still come over here for our concerts. Worst case we'll play them in the gym at the 8/9. 

Ms. Bohl: Since we have an auditorium, we are hoping to continue as far as dress rehearsals go. 

FMS Times: Will the move to the 8/9 change anything about how _____(Name of music elective) is run?

Mrs. Lavadie: Not really the only difference over there is that right now 

Ms. Bohl and I have separate rooms and it seems that they're going to have us share a room. Because they're going to need more storage, they're going to turn the current Orchestra room into the case room like for all of the violins, violas, cellos and bases everything will get stored in there and then the rehearsal space Mrs. Bohl and I will share anyway. 

Ms. Bohl: No, not really. 

Now a word from our student musicians. The students we interviewed were Evelyn Rodriguez (7th Choir), Bella (Isabella) Cox (6th Choir), Brylee Tobin, Brianna Kiefer, Tandi Thompson (6th Orchestra), Aspen Moore, Cindalynn Sandel, Makala Harvey (7th Orchestra), Malli Maulding, Landon Ostrander (7th Band) and Avreigh Dunn (6th band.). Keep in mind that for the ones that have multiple people that were interviewed there will only be one response for each question, but each will have at least one answer. We asked them all the same questions and here are their responses. 

FMS Times: Do you enjoy being in ____(name of music elective)?

Evelyn: Partly yes because it's fun and you get to sing and we have free time, a lot of times in there. 

Bella: Yes.

Brylee: Yeah it's amazing. 

Aspen: Yeah, I guess.

Malli: Yeah, it's fun at times but there's other times where people are misbehaving overall it still looks pretty it's pretty fun.

Avreigh: Yes, I enjoyed the music of the sound of me and my friends playing together. How it kind of just calms the class or excites them. 

FMS Times: Why did you decide to join_____ (Name of music elective)? 

Evelyn: Well because I got suggested by one of my friends, and at first, I thought fire was really fun, and now it's just a typical thing for me but I still do think it's fine.

Bella: Because I like to sing.

Tandi: Because I liked classical music and I also like a violinist named Lindsey Stirling and I really liked the violin. 

Cindalynn: Because I saw my cousin playing the violin and I just wanted to play cuz I thought something cool and beautiful. 

Malli:You know I thought Band was a very excellent opportunity for me to learn a new instrument and I was inspired by my mom to start playing the flute and I've had a lot of fun ever since I've picked it up.

Avreigh :I guess I kind of always wanted to play the flute. It was my family playing through band and it kind of just went on with how happy it made everyone.

FMS TImes: What are some of the good things about being in_____(Name of music elective)?

Evelyn: The way you can express yourself and it's also you got to sing a lot of time like 99% of the time and the warm-ups are really fun and Ms.Bohl likes to add little hand gestures with some of the songs.

Bella: I can hang out with my friends too and I can go on new songs.

Brianna: You get to have this thing and it's fun to mess around with at home you're going to tell me that's all these other humans being with humans sometimes all my friends are in it so I just want to be with them.

Makala: Community Building, socializing and mental release. 

Malli: Some good things about band are definitely like I have to really think about this like having the ability to learn a new instrument and overall just being able to have fun for an hour every single day.

Avreigh; The teachers are really funny. Everyone kind of gets along with each other and you make some really good friends through instruments. 

FMS Times: What are some of the downsides to being in_____(Name of music elective)?

Evelyn: Some of the downsides is that when you go when you don't show up for concerts it lowers your grade. I feel like that's what it is for some music Beautiful music. 

Bella: There aren’t any.

Cindalynn: You sometimes have to be in class with people you don't enjoy.

Brianna: Sometimes it can be painful and sometimes it's hard to focus a little bit.

Landon: In our band class, there are lots of annoying kids, as you know. They won’t stop talking and playing out of turn. So, it’s hard to move on to the next thing or work on the different skills we need to play our songs.

Avreigh: Having asthma can make it pretty hard playing the instrument and some kids can be really mean.

FMS Times: What are some things you are hoping to see in____(Name of music elective)? 

Evelyn: Definitely more kids, maybe more boys because there's not that many boys in choir and some more talents.

Bella: I don't know More kids in choir than there are now.

Tandi: More performances, but maybe some more like music cuz I like to push myself. 

Makala: I mean we're already in advance. Do we need to be more advanced? I'm sure we can do that maybe.

Landon: I’m hoping to see most of the kids that are already in band there, and I’m hoping to see a lot of the kids that are being disrespectful during band are either not there or they gain some respect.

Avreigh: Everyone's growth on how long they can play and how much stronger and soothing the instrument can sound.

The musically involved kids and musically involved teachers gave us the opportunity to interview them, and they let us get a deeper dive into the musical industry in Fruita Middle School. Music is a huge part of everyone’s lives in one way or another, such as your religion, culture or just something you enjoy. The student musicians and teachers work hard to learn their songs so they can play it for everyone to enjoy. Music allows people to connect no matter their origins.

Orchestra photo taken by: Kathleen Hamman

Choir photo taken by: Evelyn Rodriguez

Band photos taken by: Malli Maulding