Instrument and voice lessons have a 'profound effect' at Franco American

The Lowell Sun
4/24/2011

While music programs vanish from school curricula, this art thrives at Franco American School.

More than 100 students are currently enrolled in the school’s piano, guitar, violin, or chorus programs; there are also opportunities in cello and viola.

When Peter Cangiano was hired in 1996 to teach music, he began offering piano classes, as well.  He had 10 students enrolled in lessons that first year.  Over the years, the piano program has flourished; this year, 50 students are receiving private instruction each week.

Cangiano is a professional musician with two CDs to his credit.  He wrote and performed all of the songs for Back to Normal and Never Now under the name Peter Lavender.

His experience as both a professional musician and a music teacher has had a profound effect on the students at Franco American School.

When seventh-grade piano student Karl St. Phard was in the fifth grade, he wrote and composed a song for the spring concert with the help of Cangiano.

Eighth grader Eric Thai has been studying piano at FAS from the time he was in the third grade.  These days, he plays piano at family events, including his cousin’s wedding.

“I enjoy being able to download sheet music to popular songs that I hear on the radio and learning to play them myself so that I can perform them,” Thai said.

When fifth-grade teacher Sandra Brazier came to FAS in 2002, she helped to expand the music program.  A former member of the Buffalo Philharmonic Symphony, Brazier has been teaching viola, violin, and cello to FAS students for nearly 10 years.  One of her first students, now in high school, returns once a week for lessons with Brazier.

Sr. Lorraine Richard, principal, said, “Like Mr. Cangiano, Mrs. Brazier’s combined gifts of musician and teacher provide our students with a diverse and positive exposure to music and the arts. Students leave Franco American School with a love and appreciation for the arts so that they can enjoy and benefit from a lasting love of music, whether as performers or audience members.”

Three years ago, Cangiano incorporated chorus into the school’s music program; since then, students have been meeting weekly in the school’s chapel for rehearsal.

Not only do students have the chance to learn a new skill through the school’s music program, but also they have opportunities to showcase their talents at concerts and recitals held at Christmastime and in the spring.

“Our music program has had a profound effect on our learning culture,” said Richard, “More than half of our students currently participate, and when they perform for the rest of the students they expose the whole student body to the art.”

Interest in music at FAS continues to grow, so does the program itself.  Cangiano is exploring the idea of including instruction in bass guitar and voice in the future.

“I would love for Franco American to be known and recognized as a leader in arts education,” Cangiano said.