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At Trevor, you’ll discover a dynamic and close-knit learning environment—led by expert educators who develop a love of learning in students by engaging their curiosity and encouraging critical thinking and creativity.
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The music department endeavors to inspire students to have a lifelong love of music—as a vocation or avocation, as a creator, performer, scholar, or listener. Students experience each musical concept within the curriculum through listening, moving, speaking, singing, reading, notating, playing instruments, following composition, and creating through improvisation.
The Lower School program begins with a comprehensive curriculum based on the music education methods of Orff, Kodály, Dalcroze, and Gordon, and it includes music fundamentals, body movement, and vocal and instrumental training (Orff instruments).
David holds a Bachelor of Music in K–12 Education from Abilene Christian University and a Master of Music in Percussion Performance from the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University. Upon completing his degrees, he received a Fulbright grant to study with Zoltán Rácz of the world famous Amadinda Percussion Group at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary. Prior to coming to Trevor, David held faculty positions at the Bard College Music Program and Preparatory Division, as well as Midori and Friends and the American Composer's Orchestra Educational Division in NYC. The global pandemic brought him into the Trevor community almost accidentally, but in doing so, David found a welcome environment where curiosity and collaboration are encouraged. "I am excited by Trevor's ethos of teaching students to be lifelong learners and engaged global citizens."
Before coming to Trevor, Debbie Wels taught music at several independent and public schools in Manhattan, and conducted music workshops for teachers at various schools throughout NYC. She is an Orff-certified teacher, and is a graduate of Parsons School of Design, the Sound and Music Institute, and has studied at the School of Fretted Instruments. Debbie says, “I have been a teacher at Trevor for quite some time, and I believe that practice of inquiry-based learning is what keeps the curriculum exciting, and students engaged in the activities that I present.” Debbie is the author The Lae-Lae Bird, a musical storybook and CD, as well as West Side Sings, recordings of favorite early childhood songs.