New School Montessori Students Learn How Music Adds to One’s Life

Whether you play violin, piano, harmonica or sing – music can bring you lifelong joy! New School Montessori elementary students have been listening to speakers brought in by Johnnyé White, their Appreciating Differences teacher. These speakers have sometimes had a career in music like Lydia Ellis who was a flute player and music teacher before her stroke. She modified an instrument to allow her to continue playing music using the hand that was unaffected by the stroke.

Conversely, Ed Oxley never had a formal career in music. He had many jobs throughout his life; an assistant manager of McDonalds, worked at a GE call center, was in wine sales, and worked for a time at Macys. Regardless of Ed’s daytime work, he always kept “fiddle playing” in his life, and now in his later years, Ed plays as a street performer at Newport on the Levee and during Oktoberfest and Taste of Cincinnati. In the 70s and 80s, when the band Cohesion was playing nearby, Ed would join them in their performances on his violin. Ed plays with a Cincinnati band called Jazz Renaissance and has performed numerous times for events at TNSM.

Ed encouraged TNS students to take up an instrument and to keep playing it throughout their lives. Ed invited a New School violin student to join him in a song they played together. This student gave his own presentation a few weeks later to his classmates and answered questions about how many years he’s taken lessons, how much he practices in a week, what it’s like to play with Junior Cincinnati Orchestra and more.

We don’t have to be “olympic-level” musicians to benefit from the joy music brings. Look for ways to keep music in your life!

On Tuesday, January 23, The New School Montessori is hosting a virtual open house beginning at noon. Please visit The New School Montessori website for details.