As he sat on a folding chair at the Boys & Girls Club in Shelton recently, Dakota Loucks pushed a clear stream of air into the mouthpiece of his rented trumpet — rendering a crisp note.
It was his first time picking up the instrument.
Loucks, a third-grader at Mead School in Ansonia, is one of several children in the Valley learning how to play musical instruments this summer at a free program hosted by the Connecticut Hurricanes Drum and Bugle Corps.
“The schools are closed and there’s nothing for them to do in the summer with their band programs, so we offer to continue free instructions for kids that are interested,” said Tom Gabienelli, the chairman of the board of directors for the Connecticut Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes are a state-wide competitive marching band based out of Seymour.
Four years ago, the band decided to host the summer music program for Valley students as a way to give back to the community they call home.
“We went to (local band teachers) and asked how we could offer this kind of program that would benefit the kids in a variety of schools,” Gabienelli said. ​“Under their advice, we determined this would be a nice program that would continue the kids’ education over the summer. The program itself is designed to work with children over the summer to position them for the next year’s curriculum at the schools.”
In the past three years, about 150 students went through the program, Gabienelli said. This year about 12 students have signed up for the musical program, and another 28 have signed up for the color guard summer program, Gabienelli said.
The director of this year’s program is Amorette Languell, a member of the baritone section of the Connecticut Hurricanes.
“It’s kind of their discipline that we make ourselves available for,” Gabienelli said. ​“It they like an instrument enough to play it during the summer time, we provide instruction for that.”
Gabienelli said the program attracts mostly elementary students, but is open to middle and high school students as well.
Four 8‑year-olds who have never played before were among those who signed up this year.
“We’re getting some kids now that have never put an instrument to their lips,” Gabienelli said.
Loucks was one of them.
For Loucks, the program was a way to try out the trumpet to see if it’s something he wanted to play in the school band, according to his mother, Dawn Loucks.
“He’s been begging me for music lessons for some while,” Dawn Loucks said. ​“We read through a list of instruments and he picked trumpet.”
The program accepts students all summer. To get more information or to sign up a student, visit the Connecticut Hurricanes website.
