With effort and enthusiasm, Performing Arts Curriculum Coordinator Kenny Kozol has worked to implement a brand new performing arts course for the 2023-24 school year: Guitar, Ukulele and Bass through Songs and Songwriting.

What are the components and curriculum of the new Guitar, Ukulele and Bass through Songs and Songwriting class?

For a long time, I felt that we needed something like this at the high school. It is the one class that we offer in the 6-8 conservatory program at the Public Schools of Brookline that didn’t have a direct continuation at Brookline High School. Although we do have classes for kids who are interested in guitar, ukulele or bass, such as jazz-rock ensemble, music collective and other groups, there wasn’t a class that specifically centered on that continuation of guitar and ukulele. In this class, students will be learning songs by various songwriters, creating their own songs and developing community within the class itself. Another thing is that there will be two different sections of the class. We are offering it as level one and level two. The level one class gives us the ability to offer it to complete beginners, people who just don’t have a lot of experience, and those who may want to refresh their memories on one of those instruments. The level two class is meant for students who are intermediate through advanced.

What would you say is the importance of creating a class like this?

In part, it’s a continuation for some students of the 6-8 guitar and ukulele class. It gives them a chance to continue to refine their skills on those instruments. The other thing is it’s just a wonderful class to have. There are lots of people who want to play those instruments, and they’re very accessible for a number of reasons. In terms of the instruments themselves, they are not very expensive to purchase, if people want to purchase them. We will also be offering instruments to students so they don’t have to purchase an instrument to be in the class. They’re all instruments that you can play as a soloist or join a band with, giving students many opportunities after not that long of a period of study. Mainly, I think a lot of high schoolers are interested in learning these instruments or refining their skills on these instruments. For those reasons, it seemed like an important class to have here at Brookline High.

Have there been any barriers in implementing this class?

I’ve wanted to offer this class for many years. There are always financial considerations in terms of adding more teachers to teach the class. We also had to think about whether or not adding a class like this would pull students from other music classes. Of course, we want students to take our other music classes. The good news is we had a very strong turnout in terms of students who requested this class as their elective and it didn’t take away from our music classes.

What are you most looking forward to seeing with this class being introduced?

I’m looking forward to having students take a class where they get to learn and develop skills on an instrument while working with other students in an ensemble setting. In a class like this, it’s important for students to really be enjoying themselves and developing a skill that can be a lifelong skill that they can carry on for the rest of their lives if they choose to. I’m also looking forward to students taking this class and then continuing on to other classes, like jazz-rock ensemble or music collective, and really being able to play in an ensemble setting with other instruments beyond just the guitar, ukulele and bass. Overall, we’re thrilled to be offering this class and thrilled that there seems to be a lot of interest in it.