For one teacher, the dream of starting a completely new musical learning experience is being realized, and students are helping plan for the opening day.
Mary Salvatore, a Schenectady resident and music teacher at Brown School, is moving forward with her idea to start a music cafe within the school. The projects calls for a current music instruction room to be renovated to host performances by students, alumni and community members.
This past quarter, the Schenectady private school had a cafe elective, which had students helping set up and prepare the cafe design. Sponsors are helping the school with expenses.
Seth Marshall, an 11-year-old Scotia resident and Brown School student, was enthusiastic about starting the cafe as a place to play in front of his peers and others.
“I think the cafe idea is wonderful and I love performing,” Marshall said.
When he first came to the school four years ago, he said he thought it would be like a traditional school. He was happy to see it focused on music and alternative instruction.
“I love music,” Marshall said. “I like that I can try different types of music … I get to hear music that I hear outside of school and I get to hear music that I’ve never heard before either.”
Salvatore started the guitar program at the school over 10 years ago with five guitars, but over the years the collection has grown to over two dozen. The cafe is what she sees as the next step in the program. Every student takes guitar lessons with her in 4th and 5th grade with the option to continue.
There are also benefits to students with interests outside of music.
“It is beneficial for so many people in so many different areas,” Salvatore said. “We want our students to see what it is like to be an entrepreneur. A lot of our students were looking at the business aspect of this … it was really a team effort right from the beginning.”
Head of School Patti Vitale said students are learning about the finical aspects behind the project, such as applying for grants and reaching out to businesses for sponsorship.
“It ties in all the things they have been learning,” Patti said. “It takes all the skills they are learning in school and puts them to a practical use.”
Larissa Vassolas, a 12-year-old Niskayuna resident, has severed as the person to dispense information to all the other students. Also, she has dealt with financial aspects of it.
The cafe is planning to have a grand opening event around the start of the next school year in September, but there are three events planned leading up to it. The first will be for the Brown School community, then someone from the outside community performing and the third event will see teachers with private students taking over the stage for a recital.
The school plans to collect non- perishable food items to donate to local food pantries at the performances.
Salvatore said she has had the idea for something like the cafe for many years and was happy to see it being implemented at the school.
“It has been brewing for several years, because I also teach privately and I knew there was an importance of having some type of a venue for the students to have recitals yet,” she said. “That idea didn’t fall on the right ears until I mentioned it to Ms. Vitale and she said, ‘Let’s go with it” … I am happy she is a progressive thinker.”
The initial renovations will include painting, lighting and renovating the stage area. Artwork by local artists will also be displayed in a gallery space, with tables and refreshments served.
