Jeffrey Reinhardt Welcome Message and Bio

I come to Craftsbury Academy riding the wishes of the local community. If it weren’t for them, I probably would never have applied for the job and certainly would not have become the new music teacher this year. However, many local friends and parents with whom I have played music over the years gently cajoled me into making a life change and trying something new.

Originally hailing from Boston, I have never taught in a public school setting. I have taught music to various ensembles in Vermont, starting with the Bread and Puppet theater's circus band in Glover and, more recently, the Local Folk Orchestra based in Greensboro. I am a self-taught musician who does not have a background at a conservatory and never studied music formally. However, I believe that it is a form of self-expression that should be available to all who choose to utilize it—a life skill that will aid anyone in their quest for meaning in this sometimes absurd world we live in.

The task ahead is not small—Craftsbury doesn't currently have a concert or marching band and I’d like to work toward building them. This means getting instruments in students' hands as soon as possible—giving them the opportunity to learn to play whatever they want. It also means teaching some basic musical literacy to everyone in grades 5-8 and elective students in the high school. It is a monumental task, but one I hope to manage with kindness, empathy, and the notion of opportunity. While I never would've imagined myself here a year ago, it is that opportunity that keeps calling, to make something new, and to bring the joy and challenge of music to those hungry for it.