The inner workings of the band are something no one outside of the studio really knows. The band at Englewood High School is definitely a revered elective with dozens of awards and certificates earned by the jazz, marching, and various other sections of the band. The hard work, commitment, and dedication band students put into their work is truly impressive. However, what many students don’t realize is just how much happens behind the scenes. Most people only see the performances and the awards on display, but they are unaware of the hours of rehearsals, practices, the meticulous organization of uniforms and music sheets, and the teamwork required to make every show a success. As well as how the performers even began this passion to begin with. This unseen dedication is what makes the Englewood Band so captivating for many.
Looking into the professional work and focus it takes to run a band in Englewood, Spencer Malott, the main director of Jazz and Beginning Band, has quite the backstory with music. “I started in band in sixth grade at West Middle School. I continued and played in all of the instrumental music programs at Cherry Creek High School. After, I pursued a degree in music from the University of Colorado Boulder. I graduated with a Bachelor’s of music education and jazz studies. After college, I moved to North Carolina and taught band there for two years. It wasn’t my favorite place to live, so I moved back to Colorado.” Using his previous band experience, he began teaching in Englewood in 2017. “Over the past ten years, I have taught High School and Middle School with different variations between the two schools. Currently, I teach beginning bands as well as jazz bands at the Middle School and High School.” Marking this as his twelfth year in education and ninth in Englewood.
During Malott’s teaching, he has learned quite a bit, using his encouragement and passion for band to have fun while doing so. “It is fun being able to teach kids from 6th grade all the way to 12th grade. This way, I see students progress over the course of their whole schooling. I’d like to think that by starting with me, they have a good foundation to be successful musicians.” Malott wants his students to learn a lot, not just technique, playing an instrument, but useful life lessons as well. “Self-reliance, team building, performance practices, practice techniques, patience, and determination.” However, band isn’t the only thing he strives to make his students focus on; Mallet also talks a lot about work/life balance and how to manage time. The pressure of performances is another thing most students don’t see when thinking about a band. Though stress and overworking are not how Malott approaches managing, “I remind myself that the band is supposed to be fun. No matter the outcome, we are doing our best and can’t do better than that.” The real struggle most musicians face is maintaining the passion they have. Malott doesn’t struggle with that. He says, “Seeing it click with students that they are independent and can play well” is the thing that keeps his passion in teaching. To further cement his true dedication to not only his work but his stunted happiness as well, the one thing he wants his students to remember about band is, “The community. I hope they remember how special and nice the band community is and that they felt heard and safe being in my class.” And that is something more students and teachers should know about bands.
Now focusing on the performers, Madden Bain, a senior marching band player, gives his insights on his own personal experience in band. “Joining a band, I wanted something to do for an elective in middle school that was not a science class. I also took a stem, but I decided on a band because it sounded interesting and fun.” Eventually, when continuing with the band, he discovered he loved it, and chose not to quit, “I just kept finding interest and finding new things that I could learn about. What really kept me going was seeing people who were coming in new and growing.” Being involved in a band also shaped how he instructs others, “It made me more open to leadership and friendship as a whole”. The backstage look into band is the thing no one outside really sees and for him its lead up to the performance and the hours of rehearsal, “The whole getting in the costume process takes about fifteen minutes and usually we also have to sit on the field for three hours every night between six o’ clock and nine o’ clock, and it just gets tiring, we’re all trying to push through and do our best.”
Rehearsing six to eight hours a week, balancing band with other activities has to be a problem, even with Malott’s encouragement of stability. Madden put it this way, “I’m not a great person to talk about black with, but usually what I try to do is schedule my other activities at times where I would be able to still do band, but something you have to prioritize one over.” This highlights the challenge of juggling multiple commitments, especially for students involved in time-intensive extracurriculars. Many students face similar dilemmas, and finding a workable balance can require both support from mentors and a willingness to occasionally make sacrifices in one area to excel in another. In band, it’s even more of a decision.
