A Monte Vista Club is reaching out to Middle School students, by helping them better their musical abilities.

    Music Outreach is a club where Monte Vista students are paired with Middle School students, who are given free music tutoring sessions once a week.

    The program allows Middle School Band members from Stone Valley, Los Cerros, and Diablo Vista, to learn musical skills from more experienced High School Band players, as it prepares them for the more competitive Band Team in High School.

    High School members who are involved in the Music Outreach program are given the opportunity to improve on their own skills of teaching, as well as the younger members’ music skills.

    President and Founder of Music Outreach, Isabella Ordaz, thinks highly of the benefits for middle schoolers who are involved in the program.

    “Private tutoring is unquestionably beneficial to any musician who desires to improve their repertoire,” she said. “Although our tutors aren’t professionals, the mentorship they provide for their students is a great free opportunity.”

    Ordaz also takes time to recognize the effort the tutors put in every week, to make sure their students get as much out of the sessions as they potentially can.

    “All of our tutors are very talented and provide plenty of advice to their students,” she said. “The tutors help their students master assigned pieces and improve their instrumental technique.”

    Junior Olivia Addis, a new member of Music Outreach, is so far enjoying being a part of the club, as she knows it will benefit the incoming High School Band Team members.

    “It’s a great opportunity for the middle schoolers to learn more about instrumental music at Monte Vista,” she said. “They also get to improve at their instrument.”

    A majority of the Middle School students who participate in their schools’ Band Team, are interested in carrying their musical skills into High School.

    Adam Ferguson, seventh grader at Stone Valley and member of Music Outreach, has plans for continuing to be a part of Band through High School.

    “It [Music Outreach] benefits us younger students by allowing us to observe some advanced performance,” he said. “It gives me something to strive for…It gives me an understanding of what Band in High School is like.”

    Music Outreach’s main goal is to musically educate younger students who have a passion for playing instruments, and it seems they are doing just that.

    “Our overall goal is to provide local middle school musicians with free private tutoring,” said Ordaz. “We believe that every budding musician deserves one-on-one attention if they’re willing to come out for it.”