By Denise Massie

FULTON — Composer Tom Davis sat in his New York office while listening to the Caston High School concert band play a number of songs.

As he listened, he periodically made notes.

“I’m not convinced by the people playing that, ...” he said once the students stopped. “Do it again.”

When the music stopped again, Davis smiled and offered a sign of two thumbs up.

“Better,” he said. “Here’s how I know it was better. The ladies in the front were moving. If you don’t see it and feel it, it will never come out of the horn. Try it again.”

After another go, Davis congratulated the students for their effort.

“What you see and feel is coming out of the instrument,” he said.

The Caston concert band practiced one last time with Davis via iChat Monday before its spring concert Thursday.

While using iChat is not new for Caston, the band has expanded its use.

“What James is doing and what Caston High School is doing is an important thing for the future,” said Davis. “They’re gaining access to sources, which is extremely important and cost efficient. I’ve enjoyed this a great deal.”

James Byrn, Caston’s instrumental music teacher, said he started using iChat last year to help students learn from composer Stephen Melillo from Virginia. He met Davis through Melillo and began talking with him in July.

While students participated in only two iChat sessions last year, they had multiple opportunities this year.

Byrn said the students experienced three iChats with Davis and one with Melillo this school year. In addition, band members worked with Dr. Alice Hammel, who teaches at James Madison University in Virginia.

They also had the opportunity to sit in on a session with Robb Torres, with the band Trapt, who lives in Los Angeles. Torres also teaches Caston’s guitarist, Brant Gerald, via Skype.

The Caston band will perform Melillo’s “Were You There?” and Davis’ “Climates of Man’s Existence” at Thursday’s 7:30 p.m. concert at McHale Performing Arts Center.

The iChat sessions began a few years ago when Byrn read about the opportunity on Melillo’s website. Byrn said he first experienced and began to love Melillo’s music when he was still a high school student in Muncie.

Byrn has taught band at Caston for 13 years and has used music by Melillo for 10. When he noticed the demonstration on the website, he decided to give it a try.

“It just takes a computer and a webcam,” he said.

This year, Byrn decided to install two hanging microphones from the ceiling, to allow the composers to hear the music even better.

“It just made sense to me to continue to do it,” he said. “Why not?”

According to Byrn, the iChat sessions have helped his students and himself.

“Before last year, we would always play the piece and hope it’s what the composer wanted,” he said. “Sometimes the composer wants you to do that, but sometimes there are things they can convey to you that you can’t get from a black-and-white page. I see this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Byrn said Davis and Melillo have changed the way he taught the students and had even influenced his classroom management and rehearsals.

The warm-up routine has changed completely, something Davis said he and Byrn had worked on for about six weeks. Before, Byrn would have his students just play different music to warm up. Now, with the help of Davis, he has the students play music to transition into the lesson.

“I hope it helps them,” he said. “I’m always seeking ways to sharpen my saw and become a better person. I’m hoping they can see it’s making them better and inspire them to continue to sharpen their saws.”

Davis said one thing he likes especially is the chance to record the session and watch it again at his leisure. He feels he can do a better job at responding to what might need work and what was good.

Davis said he was impressed by the students.

“I think they are improving each time I meet with them,” he said.

“They seem to be latching on to the concepts I’m teaching them.”

This year is also slightly different from previous years, thanks to Gerald on electric guitar. Gerald played for the pep band last year and joined the concert band this year.

“Before, I had been making guitar pieces for him,” Byrn said. “He played some base lines.”

Byrn said it is rare to have an electric guitarist in the concert band, especially one with so much talent.

Melillo was the one who introduced Byrn to Davis. The music was already scored for a jazz ensemble. Davis took that music and scored it for a concert band.

In fact, Byrn said Gerald was part of the reason he sought out more opportunities for the concert band members.

Byrn hopes to continue working with the composers via iChat. The band has been selected to offer a live demonstration at the Indiana Music Educators Association convention in January.

For now, everyone is excited about the spring concert.

“It’s been an incredible journey,” said Byrn. “The kids have been working hard and they are proud of what they are doing. I’m proud of them and think about how far they’ve come. It’s an opportunity to show off our hard work.”

• Denise Massie is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5151 or denise.massie@pharostribune.com

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Working with a nationally-known composer is something most high school bands and band directors could only dream of. So when Caston High School hosted composer and music educator Tom Davis... (more)