Young Choral Director Jeffrey Brunner Returns Gift of Music to Students, Community

‘Tis the season for school holiday concerts. On area stages, children of all ages are showcasing their musical talents, helping family and friends tune into the spirit of the season with wonderful music.

But the other night it wasn’t the kids who grabbed my attention. Instead, I was focused on the twenty-something young man directing the students on stage at Boyertown’s Junior High West. Somehow, he had taken more than 160 8th and 9th grade students in concert and show choirs, and despite their diverse abilities, talents, and motivation, he had brought them together to create something beautiful that everyone in the room was enjoying.

The kids did a wonderful job singing tunes ranging from the classical “Gloria” from Mozart’s “Twelfth Mass” to traditional songs like “Silver Bells” and more contemporary songs like “Cool Yule.” The show choir also entertained with eye-catching choreography accompanying many of their songs. As he directed, sang along, and sometimes busted a move along with the kids, it was evident that this young man was having a great time seeing and hearing months of hard work come together in the successful performance.

Introduction to the Future Mr. Jeffrey K. Brunner

I first met Mr. Jeffrey K. Brunner about 15 years ago on a sunny afternoon as he came slogging through the neighbors’ backyards en route from his house a few blocks away. He was leaning sideways from the weight of a large, clunky black plastic case. It contained a trumpet and was heavy I knew, because my son also had one.

Before Jeff arrived my son had explained in his best 14-year-old style, that this kid was coming over to practice the trumpet.  Jeff was a year younger and in chorus; also previously in band, he didn’t like it much, and so had retired his trumpet. My son, also in the chorus and band, apparently had decided otherwise: he was encouraging Jeff to return to band and was trying to help him get his trumpet skills back in shape. It was the beginning of an enduring friendship, the kind that even when you don’t see the person often, you easily pick up where you left off.

Jeff did rejoin marching and concert bands and continued singing in concert and show choirs. Later, he began private voice lessons and annually auditioned for county, district, and regional music festivals, experiencing increasing success. In one of the highlights of his senior high music activities, he roared his way onto the stage as the Cowardly Lion in the school production of the “The Wizard of Oz.”  

During 12th grade it also became clear that in addition to singing, Jeff enjoyed helping others learn to sing. His teaching skills surfaced when he assisted the music teacher at his former junior high with the show choir at after school rehearsals, helping to prepare students for concerts and their musical.

Decision to Pursue Music Education Presents Challenges

Jeff and my son shared the stage many times during junior and senior high school, and at home, we enjoyed many evenings when the kids gathered around the piano to sing. While my son always loved music, he chose a different path in his education and life’s work. However for Jeff, music provided the road to his future. Other peers joined Jeff on that road, thinking success and good times would pave the way.

But the road to a career teaching music isn’t always easy or fun. Persistent hard work is essential and despite the work, success can be elusive. Auditions, classes, and music lessons did not always bring guaranteed success. There was also exhaustion, disappointment, and frustration, at times leading Jeff to wonder whether he was making the right choice. Additionally, there were the realizations that no matter how hard he worked, teaching would not bring great financial rewards and that music teaching jobs can be scarce.

As Jeff progressed, many of his peers were overwhelmed and fell by the wayside, seeking other majors and careers. But Jeff kept plugging away. During school breaks, it was often obvious that he was exhausted, but as his college years passed he slowly became more confident and knowledgeable as he acquired and refined skills, and his music and teaching goals attained clarity.

Efforts Bring Success and Give Back to Community

Jeff’s work ethic and determination met with success:  after graduation with honors from Mansfield University, he was thrilled to land a job teaching elementary music in the Boyertown Area School District (BASD) and shortly thereafter, was chosen to direct the Berks County Classical Children’s Choristers.

Not content to rest on his achievements and not discouraged by the prospect of more hard work, Jeff was also excited to earn his Master’s Degree in Music Education from top ranked Columbia University’s Teachers College and to further hone his music skills in conducting at Rochester’s prestigious Eastman School of Music. Recently he has been a sought after guest conductor for school music festivals in Dauphin, Tioga, and Bucks Counties. And now in his seventh year in the BASD, Jeff has taken on the challenge of teaching older students at the junior high level. It has been a busy six years and clearly, the students with whom he works are lucky to have him!

And so it was that sitting in the audience at one of his first concerts with these students, I felt extraordinarily proud of Mr. Jeffrey K. Brunner for having mastered the knowledge, skills, and work ethic to guide students to create something so special. I felt proud of him for the way he expressed himself as he addressed the audience and students. I was proud of him for his poise, even when he almost tripped over a sound cable. I was proud of him because I knew him when he was the same age as these students he is now teaching and guiding, and I have seen him grow into a talented, motivated, achieving, and lovely young man who is eager to give something back in a helping profession, while pursuing his love of music.

Jeff exemplifies the best for which we can hope from our children, as well as the dedication and hard work of so many other music teachers. He also reminds us that in this era of school budget cuts, the arts should never be left behind because childhood involvement in the arts is the path by which some of our children will find their way into their future and in doing so, will make our lives richer. As British poet William Wordsworth writes, we need to remember that “The Child is father of the Man.”