The stage is set. Benton and its neighboring communities become backdrops for our stories at different times. Sometimes, these ‘sets’ are of roots, born and raised; other times, a little transplanting may be involved. For band director Aaron Lay, the transplanting of roots occurred when he was in third grade—the year he relocated to Benton from Murphysboro.
Aaron Lay
Home,
Con Moto
Fast forward past two Ranger graduations. “I started here and kind of came up through the ranks,” he says. As Aaron ruminates with us on his sixth year as a band and music director at his alma mater, he offers us further insight into his origin story and what music means to him. He also treated us to several reasons why music should be prioritized in our lives.
It feels like home.
While the details may have been fuzzy, Aaron has always aspired to make a living in music education. “I knew what I wanted to do when I was a sophomore in high school,” he recalls. A self-admitted introvert, he says teachers from his early days might be surprised by what he does now. The former band directors for whom he played trumpet might not be so shocked. Under their consistent and thoughtful leadership, Aaron moved from a mere player to a master of musical mesmerism. While studying in the music program at Murray State University, he heard peers from all over tell tales about their band programs that were very much the opposite. “People would say they had a new director every year in high school,” he explains. “That to me just sounded really weird. Later on, I appreciated those influences much more.” He also grew to appreciate another type of influence while in college, the kind that directs the string section in our inner four chambers. In the Murray State marching band, he met a fellow music nerd who would eventually become his wife of nine years. Their ensemble has increased since then as they’ve welcomed their son Calvin and daughter Ivy into the fold.
“Music education taps into a part of our brains that not many other things can tap into,” Aaron says, walking us through his handpicked, tiered list of reasons why music in schools is more than simply a hobby. Foremost, music incorporates the principles of science and math, and the cognitive benefits of music education extend far beyond the scope of learning scales or mastering a Bach suite. A study by the University of British Columbia (UBC) found that students who took music courses performed better in subjects like English, Science, and Math than their nonmusical peers.
Why does this happen? The neural network activities involved in learning and playing music improve other cognitive functions, such as problem-solving and spatial/ temporal skills. This “cross-training” of the brain has expansive effects on academic performance. It’s also a natural motivator, Aaron points out. He uses the example of somebody listening to music before working out or mowing their yard. Hyping ourselves up and matching our moods to what we listen to indicates that music is a natural motivator for all activities, academic or not.
Most important to Aaron is how music brings students of all personality types and backgrounds into one environment and nudges them to rely on one another to carry the rhythm and melody. “It’s one of the few classes that can combine those kids that are introverts and extroverts. They may not necessarily talk to each other in class, but when they play together, it just comes through. They’re part of a team.” That team spirit isn’t limited to his music class, either. It’s an attitude matched by the compassionate faculty at Benton Grade School, a band of its own that Aaron is proud to be a part of. “We’re a good, cohesive unit,” he says. “There’s a lot of positivity. I don’t view it as coming to work.” Instead, he says, he views his job as an opportunity to teach a lifelong love of a subject alongside people he cares about.
“It feels like home,” Aaron says of Benton. And the music we hear at home is often the sound we can’t let go of, even in our darkest moments or deepest dreams.
