All the right notes: Brownsville music program rebounds under new director
When Marissa McFarren was hired as band director in the Brownsville Area School District in May 2022, the music program barely had a pulse.
With just 13 students in grades 6 through 12 involved in the program and a marching band that did not march, a seventh-grader watched videos on YouTube in an effort to teach students how to play their instrument.
Two years later, McFarren has turned the program around and is leading a robust group of student musicians.
The music program now boasts around 60 students, and includes seventh- and eighth-grade bands, a high school concert band, jazz band, marching band and mixed choir.
McFarren is the director of all of them, except for the jazz band, which is led by her husband, Benjamin, who acts as assistant band director to his wife.
“The district really struggled with music, especially after COVID,” McFarren said recently. “We haven’t had a stable teacher. We’ve had a lot of band directors coming in and out, but these kids really want music. It really has been the motivation of the kids who just want to be here, which is amazing. I try to stress to them that they are the heart and soul of this program. They make it happen for themselves. I can schedule all of the rehearsals. I can get them harder music. I can teach them the skills. But without their dedication to go home and practice, we wouldn’t have this.”
Forty-five students recently participated in the Music in the Parks Festival in Six Flags America in Washington, D.C., winning a trophy in every category in which they competed. Among their awards were first place jazz band, first place marching band, first place mixed choir, second place high school concert band, first place middle school concert band and the overall Esprit de Corps Award for behavior and the Spirit of Musicianship award. Four members of the middle school concert band had never played an instrument before this year.
“For a brand-new, growing program with limited instruments, the fact that these kids can hang with the best of them is really, really impressive on their end,” McFarren said.
Some of the students have received individual accolades as part of the program. Freshman Catherine “Caty” Moran was selected to participate in the Great American Marching Band for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in November, and sophomore Samuel Vollstedt performed in a concert at Heinz Hall with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s as part of its side-by-side program.
McFarren also is an instructor with the Mon Valley Academy for the Arts, teaching its youth choir on Saturday mornings and a beginning band class, as well as teaching private lessons in violin and oboe, along with voice. Her husband is one of the assistant directors of the Twin Coaches Junior Stage Band and teaches saxophone and jazz lessons for MVAA.
McFarren sees a bright future for the Brownsville music program and its dedicated students. The band is performing at halftime of football games again, as well as in parades and festivals.
“I think with the right support, this can be an amazing program,” McFarren said. “The potential is here because the kids want it. If the motivation from the students isn’t there, your program is not going to grow. In two years, we have tripled the size of our program. It’s amazing. With the right support, this program can be phenomenal, and I’m really excited to see it get there.”