CMS Students Learn Music And Technology
Berkeley Heights Public Schools
Christopher Colaneri, music teacher at Columbia Middle School, began offering the elective Music and Technology as a way to expose students to the inner workings of how to create a musical piece. Originally introduced twenty years ago with the help of the curriculum head and other teachers, the class has evolved over the years and as technology developed. Mr. Colaneri is offering this elective for our middle school students each marking period of the year.
This multidisciplinary class brings together the technical aspects of notating music with publishing music and writing a story line for the music to support. Students learn how to write music using technology, but also discuss how music captures the audience’s attention, sets the mood, and pulls people in. According to Mr. Colaneri, “This is the perfect class for musicians and non-musicians alike. There are many students who don’t necessarily play an instrument but love music and this is a great class for them because it is an opportunity for them to creatively express themselves in a musical way.”
The process begins in a program called ‘Noteflight’ where students write the drum rhythms that act as the basis for the music piece. They then move onto melodic notations and they then harmonize and structure the music to create their own sonata.
Once the basis of the score is complete, the students move into working with a program called ‘Soundtrap’ which is a sequencing program that allows users to play in the music they have written with a touch screen piano or chart the drum notation. The more common way to enter notes in this format is to use pre-designed loops and learn how to layer the different components of music, but both options are available for students. Finally, the class selects stock or original images and uses “WiVideo” to create a visual story. They then add in the musical elements that have been produced.
The class has worked on Halloween themed videos, created jingles for a favorite candy or food, selected a cause and writing a commercial, and more.
Mr. Colaneri is an accomplished musician who has performed professionally with a number of well-known artists as a percussionist and in background orchestras for many bands. He also lectures at local universities on how to teach percussion and Oxford Press published his book on how to teach percussion.
“My favorite part of my job is getting to know the students and seeing what they’re about – whether it’s around music or not. I love hearing about their interests and sharing my passion and talents with them and I hope to inspire them in my classes,” said Mr. Colaneri.
Mr. Colaneri has been teaching for 26 years, 23 of those with the Berkeley Heights Public School District. He has filled a variety of roles in BHPS but is primarily known for his tenure at CMS where he teaches the 6th grade Concert Band, Jazz Band and Steel Pan Ensemble, as well as Instrumental Lessons to Band Students. Mr. Colaneri received his BA at Rowan University in Classical Performance and his Master’s Degree in Music Education from New Jersey City University. He considers himself a ‘student for life’ and continues to take classes to further his education.
