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“When I learned music, it was placed in front of you and you had to learn to do that,’’ said Gullusci, a Danbury resident who has been teaching children in grades 1-8 for four years. “My experience in producing and recording it is it makes sense to do it the opposite way. We have creative gifts, and we have to express them.”
In Gullusci’s first year on the job, students wrote and played four original songs. Last year, nine fifth graders wrong a song, “Life is a Gift," that was their creative response to the shootings at nearby Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.
In Gullusci’s model, he provides the canvas for students to make their art and the tools to do so. The rest is up to the students. People can listen to the students on Vimeo.com/artandcommunity.
“I wanted to create a music program that showcases something that has passion in their lives,’’ Gullusci said. “I invite people into the classroom that have a music program, inspirational people that have something to share.”
Gullusci’s musical lessons are built around a foundation called “One Drum.” He will start a beat, and he invites the students to match it. “Rhythm is a foundation of music, and having a good understanding of it is important,’’ he said. “It’s a good way to get into a zone. It’s surprising how quickly kids can learn it. It gets to the point that it can sound like one drum with melody, core and structure.”
As the students get older, he teaches them harder musical techniques such as writing and production. He also integrates his lessons into the school’s end of year production, which this year is Alice in Wonderland.
“Drama is not really a separate thing,’’ Gullusci said. “Art classes, music classes, drama, it’s a collective experience. It’s big picture thinking. They’re being groomed through their arts department.”
Gullusci’s model for teaching is unique in that music is the hub upon which learning is based. Students learn and master different skills through music. “The way we’re presenting it at Hudson Country Montessori, the benefits could be life-changing,’’ Gullusci said. “We’re giving children an opportunity to see that it’s a pathway. They see it from a lot of different angles. They’re learning to view it as producers, musicians, engineers, problem solvers. It all works together. We’re just doing it through music.”
Gullusci said he has been writing music since he was a teenager. He also works for a painting and design company, and started an after school program at Montessori that grew into the current model. Gullusci said Headmaster Mark Meyer has encouraged and supported his efforts to devise a different teaching strategy. “Hudson Country Montessori and the people who run the school deserve credit for creating a space for something like this to exist,’’ Gullusci said. “It’s phenomenal. The vision here is amazing.”
Next year, Gullusci hopes to produce a CD with 8-10 songs of original music that will be the school’s “greatest hits.” He also hopes his students will learn far sooner what he found out long after he started playing.
“When I went to school, music was a science, and it was this is how you do it,’’ he said. “But talk to any musician. They’ll tell you after years of music theory; you know what you have to do? Abandon it.”
The best part for Gullusci is he can see the results. The children work together to write and produce their songs and videos. At the end of the year, when the final production is recorded, Gullusci has tangible proof of the children’s work.
“One of the biggest advantages is they can be expressive,’’ he said. “We’re not teaching kids about Beethoven, we’re teaching them how to be Beethoven. Acknowledging creativity is a key to our program. And at the end of the year I get a song that can go to a music producer. That’s pretty cool.”
