Nearly everyone enjoys music, whether listening, singing, or playing an instrument. But despite this almost universal interest, many school districts are having to do away with their music education programs. But at the Rio School District music programs are encouraged and embraced. Rio School District realizes music can enrich students’ lives and education.

An epic longitudinal study by researchers at the German Institute for Economic Research concluded in no uncertain terms that music training “improves cognitive and non-cognitive skills” In 1999, James Caterall, an arts education policy analyst at UCLA, found that students who studied music had higher grades, higher test scores, better attendance records and higher rates of community engagement than other students. Even more compellingly, UCLA’s study found that these benefits were even more pronounced in students from low-income families, proving that music education plays a major role in closing the achievement gap. Disadvantaged students who performed with their school band or orchestra were more than twice as likely to be performing at the highest levels of math than peers who did not receive musical training.

That’s why we need music education. Music gives kids the cognitive abilities they need to succeed in life. Not only that, it closes the achievement gap that has long plagued our schools. It gives kids confidence, cognitive abilities and imagination.

Music Lessons and Tutorials

Music Teachers

Angel Velez

Rio Del Valle and Rio Real

TeriLynn Regalado

Rio Vista

Doug Williams

Rio Vista

Steve Sunnarborg

Artist in Residence

Nee Sackey

Artist in Residence

Kirk Raymond

Rio Del Sol

The River Songs Band

The River Songs Band (TRSB) have come together in recent years to write and perform music in the Rio Schools Community and to contribute to the development of a musical community at large. The Band has a core of players but adds and grows as the community grows. Players include: Hekar Rivera (violin), Steve Sunnarborg (guitar), Nee Quaison-Sackey (singer/bass), Melissa Ruelas (drums), John Puglisi (lead singer/guitar), Dave VanKeersbilck (singer/bango), Angel Velez (percussions), Jarkko Myllari (keyboard), Jerry Guillen (sound engineer), Carlo Godoy (media), Mike Vollmert, Doug Williamson, Teri Lynn Regalado, Larry Kelman, Tony Ostrowski, Hank Bangser and Rio Schools Students. TRSB’s projects include: Healthy Living – Smashing Veggie Songs, River Songs and Job Songs.

Music News & Events

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